A record-breaking amount of derelict and illegal crab pots have been pulled from Pumicestone Passage in a three-day clean-up operation by marine park rangers and fisheries officers.
A total of 195 "ghost" pots were pulled from the south-east Queensland waterway, suspected to have been left by recreational and commercial fishers.
National Parks and Wildlife Service senior ranger Mike Carr said nylon netting could take hundreds of years to break down and that the pots would have continued to trap and kill turtles and other marine life.
"Last year in Moreton Bay, we had about 42 turtles that were reported to us that have either been entangled in the float lines of the crab pots or entrapped in the crab pots themselves," Mr Carr said.
"Dugong, dolphins and whales can also become entangled in crab pot float lines.
"We really need to get some messaging out there to be a responsible fisher and look after your equipment."
The clean-up crew found and released live wobbegong sharks and crabs from the derelict pots in late May.
The bones of a turtle, cormorant and a shovelnose shark were in others.
Samantha Beckman, a leader from Queensland's Women in Recreational Fishing Network was "gobsmacked" by the "sheer amount" of gear collected in three days.
"I think that's an insane quantity and the damage that will be doing to marine life is astronomical," Ms Beckman said.
She believes some people have given up the popular pastime of crabbing because of thefts.
"Some of those are missing because boats have come through, and they've chopped off the floats and the rope," Ms Beckman said.
"Sometimes you'll find that other people will come and check your pots and steal your catch as well."
The Australian Marine Conservation Society lists ghost gear and abandoned fishing lines and nets as among the most lethal type of marine debris.
Netting and fishing lines become wrapped around animals and turn them into potential prey, luring in other wildlife that can be trapped.
Crab pots and floats are required to be marked with the name and contact details of the user.
In a statement, Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol district officer Tom Richards urged fishers to crab responsibly.
"Make sure crab pots are heavy enough with the correct length of rope attached to the float to prevent them from being lost or dragged underwater in strong currents, and that the pots and floats are correctly labelled," Mr Richards said.
"We also recommend pots are fitted with escape hatches and are kept submerged to prevent birds and other wildlife from being accidentally captured."
Entangled, stranded, injured or deceased marine animals can be reported to Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.
Fishers who spot unmarked, lost or abandoned crab pots are urged to record an accurate location or GPS coordinates and report it to the Fishwatch hotline.