The powerful Amateur Fishermen's Association of the Northern Territory (AFANT) says it will use photographs of drowned crocodiles to lobby for an end to commercial netting in NT rivers.

The two crocodiles, estimated to be three metres and 4.5m long, were found dead and tangled in a net on Coopers Creek in the East Alligator River near Kakadu National Park on Saturday.

Photographs of the animals belly-up in muddy water were posted on social media and sparked outrage from local fishermen.

Commercial and amateur fishermen have been engaged in a war of words recently, with each side accusing the other of depleting stocks.

AFANT wants an end to all commercial gill netting in NT rivers.

Chief executive Craig Ingram said he was willing to take the issue to the election.

"The response on social media has been extraordinary," he said.

"There's only a couple of river systems that still allow commercial netting in them.

"We will definitely be making this an election policy issue at the next Territory election.

"We know the crocs are just the tip of the iceberg allowing nets into the river system.

"I assume they death-rolled and got tangled in the net," says amateur fisherman Andrew Lehmann. ( Supplied: Andrew Lehmann )

"In this system right on the doorstep of Kakadu National Park there are threatened shark species like sawfish and spear tooth and river sharks.

"We are fairly certain species like that plus other large animals will be caught in the nets."

Darwin-based amateur fisherman Andrew Lehmann found the crocodiles while fishing with his sons at Coopers Creek, about 200 kilometres east of Darwin.

"They had been dead a day or two for sure," he said.

"They were well and truly bloated. The smell coming off them was pretty horrendous.

"I assumed they had gone into the net looking for an easy feed. I assume they death-rolled and got tangled in the net.

"They most likely drowned."

He said it was "quite common" to see gill nets in Coopers Creek, one of the few remaining creek systems in the NT where commercial netting was still allowed.

"A lot of people are up in arms about seeing those two dead crocodiles in a gill net," he said.

The Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries and the NT Barramundi Licensing Committee have been contacted for comment.