Swim club's tribute to Blue Groper 'betrayed by a man with a spear'

While it's still not certain the groper that died was Gus, who had distinctive scars on his tail, the local swimmers and divers assign the name to all fish of this species in local waters.

The song was sung on Sunday, January 14 by the swim club's ukulele group beside the Esplanade, with walkers stopping to listen and record videos on their mobile phones.

It is sung to the tune of The Dying Stockman, with words written by Caroline Davey.

Well, he thought he would be the big hero,

When he killed the blue fish with a spear,

A fish that approached him in friendship,

That thought he had nothing to fear.

****

You can't kill a groper by spearing,

The laws and the signs are quite clear,

It's a cruel and a cowardly action,

For the sake of a trophy to spear.

****

CHORUS

Oh! Let's not have our Gus die for nothing,

Signs don't protect sea life 'round here,

A fine of just eight hundred dollars-

A Token. A Trifle. Small beer

****

There's mussels and sea snails and urchins,

Collectors strip beach and rocks clear,

There are penalties (but no policing),

That offenders dismiss with a sneer.

****

The swimmers and surfers and walkers,

Who hold our sea urchins dear,

Mourn Gus carried gasping and bleeding,

Betrayed by a man with a spear.

CHORUS [sing last two lines twice].