diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/javadoc/AbstractFixJavadocMojo.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/javadoc/AbstractFixJavadocMojo.java
index cf5ab0338..62426c266 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/javadoc/AbstractFixJavadocMojo.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/javadoc/AbstractFixJavadocMojo.java
@@ -2060,26 +2060,6 @@ private void addMissingJavadocTags(
         }
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @param sb             not null
-     * @param indent         not null
-     * @param separatorAdded
-     * @return true if separator has been added.
-     */
-    private boolean appendDefaultAuthorTag(final StringBuilder sb, final String indent, boolean separatorAdded) {
-        if (!fixTag(AUTHOR_TAG)) {
-            return separatorAdded;
-        }
-
-        if (!separatorAdded) {
-            appendSeparator(sb, indent);
-            separatorAdded = true;
-        }
-
-        appendDefaultAuthorTag(sb, indent);
-        return separatorAdded;
-    }
-
     /**
      * @param sb     not null
      * @param indent not null