ZOE the Giant Spider Crab had a big day out on Monday 24 May, meeting up with the mayor Cr Despi O’Connor and Crs Susan Bissinger and Sarah Race.
Along with the rest of their Mornington Peninsula Shire Council colleagues, the councillors want an exclusion zone around piers to prevent fishing for spider crabs, from May to July. The decision rests with the Victorian Fisheries Authority.
Members of Save Our Spidercrabs (SOS) thanked the council for its support in working to protect the coming aggregations of spider crabs, with Zoe (SOS committee member Zoe McKenzie) offering hugs all round.
Four days earlier Zoe the Spider Crab was telling her story to Sorrento, Red Hill, and Rye Scouts at an information session on all things spider crabs.
The scouts listened to a presentation by Save Our Spider crabs committee member AJ Morton.
Mr Morton said the children “deserve an opportunity to experience the amazing spectacle that is the annual spider crab aggregation along the Victorian coastline”.
The scouts peppered him with questions about the crustaceans before enjoying cuddles with Zoe.
Spider crab presentations at community group functions can be arranged through Facebook or Instagram messenger, or email divealliancevic@gmail.com #saveourspidercrabs
Zoe the Giant Spider Crab will be at Rye Scout Hall, 2pm, Sunday 6 June.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 1 June 2021
