When Gary Ryan discovered the impact plastic-necked lobster pots were having on his local beaches, he was devastated.
A veteran cray fisherman of 22 years, Mr Ryan considers himself something of an environmentalist, working to ensure the Southern Ocean — his workplace — remains clean for future generations.
"I mean, we didn't mean to [make the problem], but we did. It was unacceptable."
The issue is with broken and lost pot necks, typically referred to as "red necks" due to their distinct colouring.
Should a lobster pot become lost as a result of a boating incident or otherwise, the steel surrounds of the pot remain on the reef floor and slowly disintegrate over time.
It's a different story, however, with the necks.
The problem with plastic
Warrnambool beachcomber Colleen Hughson has been fighting against microplastics on beaches for years.
It started with microplastic nurdles, before moving onto single-use ear buds, fatbergs (a mass of waste matter) and now commercial fishing waste.
Ms Hughson walked 100 kilometres from Warrnambool to Portland earlier this year with her husband Luke picking up as much trash as she could along the way.
One of the most common finds on her trek were broken-down pieces of the red necks from commercial lobster pots.
"We collected quite a few what are called bait baskets and rock lobster pot necks," Ms Hughson said of her nearly 500-kilogram haul.
When she showed Mr Ryan, he was floored.
"It's only after I met Colleen and she pointed out how they can break down into these millimetre-by-millimetre particles, I realised we have had a problem," he said.
The lobster fishing industry moved to use plastic necks as an attempt to reduce the impact the industry was having on sugar-cane and tea-tree plantations.
"We didn't know it would cause this problem; the fishermen thought they were doing a good thing," Mr Ryan said.
Searching for a solution
Rather than bemoan the damage done, Mr Ryan began searching for a solution at the source — the pot.
Using some off-cuts, Mr Ryan began working on a plastic-free pot in his brother's shed.
He is one of six fishermen along the Victorian coast searching for a solution as part of a trial that's received the support of state authority Fisheries Victoria.
"I was just trying to look for an edge and see if they [plastic-free pots] caught more, and then I realised I could take it next level and get rid of all the plastics in my pot.
"And after meeting Colleen, that's what I've been trying to do."
Mr Ryan is slowly replacing all his pots that have red-neck plastic parts with his new steel contraptions.
There's still a way to go before his operation is completely plastic-free, but he's showing no signs of slowing down.
"What I'm doing now, I'm not saying it's the be all and end all, but it's part of the trial.
"Then we can end up with a high-catching, environmentally friendly pot."
