The Northern Territory Seafood Council (NTSC) has recommended a temporary suspension on catching female mud crabs in the Gulf of Carpentaria to help rebuild stocks.

Applying to both commercial and recreational crabbers, the NTSC wants the 'no take' of female crabs to start on September 1 until the end of the 2017 season.

"We've had three unprecedented wet seasons that have been really poor and have reduced the overall number of crabs in the system," said NTSC chief executive Katherine Winchester.

"So by taking some action now, by a short-term action of not taking female crabs from the Gulf of Carpentaria, it'll mean that as many females as possible are left in that system to re-populate the area so the fishery can bounce back quicker.

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"The fishery is not in danger of collapsing, however with more favourable wets forecast it would seem prudent to do everything to maximise recruitment when this occurs.

"Making this recommendation doesn't come lightly as industry acknowledges that there is a significant financial and social cost to them to undertake this action."

The NTSC recommendation will be voted on at the next Mud Crab Fishery Management Advisory Committee (MCFMAC) meeting, which is scheduled for August 18.

Restrictions in the Gulf could go further says AFANT

Tristan Sloan from the NT's Amateur Fishermen's Association (AFANT) said the seafood industry's acknowledgment that there is an issue in the Gulf is a good start.

He said in May the NTSC was denying any problem and the rhetoric being used was that mud crab numbers were healthy and sustainable.

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Mr Sloan said AFANT would continue to push for a total closure of the mud crab fishery until conditions improve.

"AFANT has pushed for a total closure on mud crab fishing in the Gulf of Carpentaria unless we can get a viable return that we think will expedite the recovery," he said.

"While I acknowledge that limiting or reducing the take of female mud crabs in a good start, in reality, we really need to look at long term management implications."

Mr Sloan said on the Queensland side of the Gulf, crabbers have long been banned from taking females, which he said has had little impact on stocks.

"This recommendation is actually legislation in Queensland. You can't take any females.

"So on the opposite side of the Gulf, which is currently experiencing the same poor mud crabbing as we have had in the Northern Territory, you can't legally take females anyway," he said.

"As far as I know that hasn't made any impact in terms of making the mud crab fishery on the other side of the Gulf more sustainable."

They've 'lost the plot' says crabber

Professional mud crabber Neil Bradley said the NTSC has "lost the plot".

"I'd be broke overnight [if I couldn't catch female mud crabs]," he said.

"Females are between 50 to 80 per cent of my catch.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Listen Duration: 3 minutes 58 seconds 3 m 58 s Country Hour talkback: Professional mud crabber Neil Bradley calls in to talk about stocks in the Gulf ( Matt Brann ) Download 1.8 MB

"It's also what the southern markets pay good money for, the restaurants prefer the female meat, because it's a much sweeter meat."

Based in Borroloola, Mr Bradley said he's noticed mud crab numbers declining over the last 16 years in the Gulf, but argues a ban on catching female crabs was not the answer.

"The weather is a small part of it [low stock numbers], but personally I think it has been over-fished by everyone, both amateurs and professionals.

"There's too many [commercial] licences and the bag limits are too big [for amateurs]," he said.

"I think we need to reduce the amount of fisherman, don't take the licences away, just buy them back.

"Reducing the catch of females is just a knee-jerk reaction."