Shocking images have emerged of five fiddler rays with fatal stab wounds to the head in an appalling case of animal cruelty.

The rays, commonly known as banjo sharks, were found near Rye pier, off the coast of Victoria's Mornington Peninsula.

The discovery has provoked enraged divers to call for an end to barbaric attacks on marine creatures.

The slaughtered sea creatures are the latest in a long line of cases of animal cruelty encountered by Mornington Peninsula divers daily.

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A close up of one of five fiddler rays with its head sliced open in a barbaric attack by fishermen in Port Phillip Bay

Activists are calling for an end to the slaughter after divers found five fiddler rays with gaping wounds to their heads

The animals have suffered huge stab wounds to their heads as a slit has been made right along the middle of the rays

Diving instructor Jane Bowman reported to Fisheries Victoria she spotted 18 dead fiddler rays with similar stab wounds during a recent dive.

All the rays were returned to the water in breach of the laws regarding unwanted catch.

Divers disturbingly found one of the rays was in fact still alive after sustaining the head injury and filmed the animal struggling on the seabed.

According to Fisheries Victoria 2009, Regulation 101 it is 'an offence to fail to return fish to water without injury or damage.'

These brutal attacks have prompted Melbourne-based Project Banjo Action Group to stand up and take action as they have begun to collate evidence to suggest such attacks are not isolated incidents.

Testimonials and photographic evidence will be used to support their claim that banjos have been slaughtered as unwanted catch regularly for many years across the piers of Port Phillip Bay and Westernport.

'This goes beyond the illegal slaughter of unwanted catch,' said Project Banjo Coordinator PT Hirschfield.

'Often it's a matter of animal cruelty, increasingly we're finding rays that are thrown back in the water, cut in half, mutilated and maimed but still alive.'

'They're being thrown back like rubbish.' Ms Hirschfield added.

Horrific evidence of marine animal cruelty under Rye pier, where divers are constantly finding discarded dead banjo sharks

Even the tails of the animals have been hacked at by fishermen flinging the dead rays back into the sea

A fiddler ray, more commonly known as a banjo shark, with a fatal cranial split lying motionless on the seabed

A banjo shark has had its mouth ripped out to remove a fishing hook before being illegally dumped in Port Phillip Bay

Port Phillip Bay does have a constant patrol of undercover and uniform inspectors safeguarding the iconic tourist area yet local divers have called for more action following the latest cruel attack on the Port Phillip Bay's marine life.

Travis Dowling, director of Fisheries Victoria, confirmed it was illegal to throw dead rays back into the sea.

He also said offenders would face a $310 on-the-spot fine or up to $2000 in court.

In response to the recent spate of banjo deaths, the CEO of peak Victorian recreational fishing body VRFish, Michael Burgess outlined that the slaughter of the rays would not be tolereated.

'VRFish encourages all fishers to return unwanted rays to the water unharmed and comply with fishing regulations.'

'We all need to work together to stamp out this unacceptable and illegal behaviour,' Mr Burgess said.

The discovery of the slaughtered fiddler rays comes after divers found a 250kg stingray with its fins and tail hacked off.

It is believed the huge ray was killed as fishermen believe the large sea creatures are eating fish in which fisherman are trying to catch or simply because they don't want to catch them again.

A close up of the shocking injuries sustained by the stingray as it is believed fishermen are killing rays as they're eating the fish they are trying to catch

Local diver PT Hirschfield gets a close up look of the dead stingray, which suffered horrific fatal injuries as the result of an inhumane attack

The tail of the sea creature had been hacked off as it was disposed of on the seabed of Port Phillip Bay

Larger species, like the one found, may also have been used as bait for the fisherman.

Ms Hirschfield told Daily Mail Australia it was 'devastating to find the smooth ray in that condition under the pier after diving with it regularly over many months'.

'People worldwide were angry, sickened and saddened to see what had happened,' she continued.

'It's not very sporting to kill a graceful resident animal like this which is loved by locals and tourists alike in shallow water under a pier and pretty distressing to see it having met such a brutal fate.'

Campaigners Project Banjo Action Group urged for stricter laws and punishments for those responsible at a recent rally on the peninsula.

They had gathered with signs brandished with 'Stop the Slaughter!' and 'Protect Peninsula rays!' in an attempt to raise awareness of the issue.

Campaigners Project Banjo Action Group held a rally in an attempt to stop the killing of harmless stingrays.

One protester displays one of the dead rays which were found while diving at Mornington Peninsula

Enough is enough! Locals turned out in force to show their support for the rays of Port Phillip Bay

Divers and locals combined to take a stance on the issue at Rye pier

Local families came down to lend a hand in an attempt to get their poignant message across

The images of the dead stingray harbored strong social media attention with many users commenting on the shocking pictures.

'Whoever did this this is just the first stage of becoming a serial killer or a mass murder,' one user commented.

'Prosecute them and throw away the key as the fish can't defend themselves,' another suggested.