Both the witches-hat and wide-mouthed crab traps are being blamed for the senseless deaths of at least 10 sea turtles in the Port a year, a statistic which has many Port marine experts seething with rage.

John "Stinker" Clarke, who last week received strong support from Port Stephens councillors to lobby both the Minister for Primary Industries (DPI) Katrina Hodgkinson and Minister for Environment Rob Stokes seeking an immediate ban, said he could no longer stand by and watch the killing of loggerhead and green sea turtles by these traps.

"The official number of turtle deaths is 10 a year but that's not counting the many more deaths which are not reported," he said.

"Commercial fishermen won't use these crab traps, but they are popular with recreational anglers. The problem is that many of these traps are left for days unattended and turtles looking for a feed will drown after getting entangled in the netting.

"We are not calling for a blanket ban on crab trapping, there are equally effective methods of crabbing such as hand lines and oval-mouthed traps."

Another supporter of the ban, Eco Network Port Stephens, said the DPI could no longer ignore their demands and those of the 15,000 signatories to a petition calling for the ban.

"We have been lobbying the department for over 12 months and if the minister is not prepared to ban these traps on a statewide scale then what's the problem with banning them in Port Stephens. They have been banned in Brisbane waters for years."

A spokeswoman for the DPI said the department was committed to reducing the impact of witches hats and other crab traps on turtles, especially in Port Stephens.

"The department has explored the use of modified witches hats and traps to enable people to still catch crabs whilst minimising entanglement of turtles. DPI is currently considering options."