Aussie crabbers haul in large saltwater crocodile

Aussie crabbers have been forced to send a prize catch back to the waters after hauling in a large saltwater crocodile off the coast of Queensland.

The sizeable creature was reeled in last week after becoming entangled in the netting of a crabbing pot.

“Look what the boys caught this morning and it wasn’t crabs. New crocodile pot,” Sunshine Coast local Lynette Valinoti wrote in an Instagram post of the surprise catch.

In footage accompanying Ms Valinoti’s post, the croc can be seen curled up in the pot on the sands of a beach as nearby waters lap at the metal cage.

As the frustrated reptile nips at the netting, a fisherman out of view uses a metal edged broom to cox it back into the water.

“Come on,” the man can be heard saying off camera.

After a few stubborn moments, the croc slithers out of the netting and into the calm waters.

“There he goes,” the fisherman can be heard saying.

Ms Valinoti’s footage of the croc rescue has since been published on Anglers Choice Fishing Safaris where it has been viewed more than 320,000 times.