Opera house yabby nets believed to kill hundreds of platypuses each year will be pulled off Victorian store shelves, and dozens of online listings will disappear by the end of the month.

Platypus conservationists who have been pushing for change welcomed this week's State Government announcement that it will ban the use of opera house yabby nets that can trap and drown platypuses, bringing Victoria into line with other states including Tasmania and Western Australia.

However, they say moves by most major fishing supplies retailers to pull the nets from sale more than a year ahead of the ban may prove to be the most effective move.

A State Government spokesman said next year's ban would not make it illegal to sell the nets, only to use them.

It will be illegal to use the nets in Victorian waters from July 1, 2019, and fishermen will be able to trade in opera house nets for more wildlife-friendly versions.

Company cites 'commitment to animal welfare'

Large fishing supplies retailers including eBay and BCF have joined other brands such as Anaconda, Kmart and Big W in taking immediate steps to pull the nets from sale, in states where bans on the use of them are in place or pending.

An eBay spokeswoman said the company would no longer allow listings of the nets in Australia due to the risks they presented to platypuses and other animals, and complex state laws regarding their use.

"eBay is committed to animal welfare and the protection of native, endangered and threatened species," a statement from the company read.

"We were alerted to the issues opera house nets present by a member of the community.

"Following careful consideration, eBay Australia made the decision to no longer allow listings of opera house nets."

Aussie Disposals would not respond to questions about whether it would stop selling the nets, but said in a statement it would comply with any changes made.

The opera house nets are used to catch yabbies. Many big retailers have committed to stop selling the nets. ( Supplied: Douglas Gimesy )

A BCF spokeswoman said the nets would be off shelves in Victoria by the end of the month, and effectively unavailable for sale online immediately.

The Victorian Alliance for Platypus Safe Yabby Traps, set up in May last year, has been advocating for change.

Platypus ecologist Josh Griffiths said retailers had shown corporate responsibility once they were aware of the risks the net posed to the native animals.

"They've really shown some leadership in saying they don't want to be a part of the impact these nets are having on platypuses," he said.

Mr Griffiths said the alliance, which includes Melbourne Water and monitoring and conservation program platypusSPOT, had taken a two-pronged approach to attempt to get the law changed and convince retailers to stop selling the nets.

"Given that people have known about this issue for a number of years, I struggle to understand why they were still available for sale and still available to use," he said.

Platypuses are facing population decline due to drought and habitat loss. ( Supplied: Douglas Gimesy )

Conservationists question whether law will go far enough

Mr Griffiths said it was important retailers were getting on the front foot and voluntarily withdrawing the nets because the State Government's ban would only make it illegal to use the nets.

"I think once they become banned from use across Victoria they'll naturally disappear from sale because not many people will buy them, but of course that takes time," he said.

"The fact that they're being removed from shelves immediately means they're out of circulation much quicker.

"It means all those potential drownings that would taken place over the next year are being prevented."

The ecologist said with hundreds of platypuses believed to be dying in the nets each year across Australia, conservationists were aiming to spark similar action in other parts of the country, including New South Wales and Queensland.

Mr Griffiths said the elusive, egg-laying mammals were already facing population decline in the face of environmental threats such as drought and habitat loss.

"They're under pressure from a lot of different areas," he said.

"If we can remove this one, which seems like a no-brainer, it would help them cope a little bit better, and hopefully populations will be able to be a bit more resilient to these environmental changes."