Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
AAP
AAP
Andrew Stafford

Government drags heels in fight over 'death traps'

Drowning in nets accounts for more than half of platypus fatalities, decades of research shows. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)

They're often called death traps: cheap collapsible fishing nets with two funnel-shaped entries intended for yabbies but notorious for ensnaring any air-breathing animal that enters them, including the platypus.

The so-called opera house traps have been banned or restricted from sale in all states and territories except one, leaving both conservationists and fishing groups perplexed.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.