Signal Crayfish Extermination?

[Russell Fitzpatrick]

Signal Crayfish Extermination?

 

yep,thast right rattys got a brand new bait!

[Andrew Boyd]

The Turkish grow to quite some size, look like a Lobster crossed with a Spider Crab.

 

I can't see the day they will be totaly exterminated, there will always be some pillock popping them into their Chub water.

Guess the EA don't like just any one trapping due to the risk of contamination which I can understand.

I was looking to set traps in a local lake crawling with them, but on investigation discovered all about the license etc and gave up on the idea.

 

It had crossed my mind that they would make a great sea bait for Cod, Bass, Smoothound etc !!

[Ken L]

Extermination. Easy. Just look at the daughterless carp technology that's in the offing.

The hard part is containment, whether you're trying to stop an invader spreading into a new habitat or trying to keep a gentically doomed population isolated so they die off locally without dooming the species as a whole.

[GlennB]

Cane toads are the obvious solution

[captain cojones]

as soon as people wise up to how good they are to eat.... thats when their numbers will drop!!

[chesters1]

seem to be dropping in a local pond, bodies everywhere ,i did hear they can migrate overland maybe they got lost :confused:

maybe natures giving a hand

[Tyke]

Im going fishing to furnace mill where there is a thriving population.

The question is if i catch any can i kill them?

[chesters1]

i suspect if you "accidentally" step on a few no-one will say anything ,dont forget to chuck the bodies back fish eat them

[Steve Walker]

Tyke:

Im going fishing to furnace mill where there is a thriving population.

The question is if i catch any can i kill them?

Depending on how the law is interpreted, it may be illegal not to. It is against the law to release a signal crayfish into the wild. It is illegal to keep them (alive) without a licence.

 

The illegality of trapping them is a legal accident. Crayfish are considered fish in law, and trapping fish is illegal. The EA are reviewing the situation and hope to allow trapping.

 

There is a concern over the "jack pike effect". You know the way that removing large pike from a water relaxes the cannibalistic pressure on small pike, leading to a population explosion? Well, crayfish are also cannibals.

[argyll]

Since its quite specific that you cannot release them into the water, it would follow that any bailiff, EA official that took you to task for removing them to a safe haven...ie your kitchen, would look absurd. You could of course leave them on the bank but only after impressing upon them that they must not go back into the water and must continue their journey by land. On the other hand I'd take the little buggers home, keep them in cold (preferably running)water for 48 hours (slow running garden tap does the trick)to purge themselves and eat them.

 

I am now truly past the point where I think the EA will even bat an eyelid. Yesterday I had yet another attempt at securing a licence to trap crayfish. I rang EA HQ at Reading

'I'd like a licence to trap crayfish at Penton Hook please'

'You want to speak to John Sutton, he's the Team Leader for your area'

Ah thought I...a Team Leader, we're getting somewhere. Short delay and a few clicks on the phone, followed by

'Hello Shepperton EA'

'Can I speak to John Sutton please'

'Sorry he's not here can I help?

'I'd like a licence to trap crayfish please'

'A what?'

'A licence to trap crayfish please'

'Who said you need a licence'

'Er THE EA'

'Didnt know that, I'll get John to ring you'

So far no call. What a waste of time.

 

I'm inclined to buy a trap and wait for an EA offical from Shepperton presumably, to haul me over the coals for not having a licence. I'll tell him that if he can let me know where to get one I will. Maybe thats the only way I'll make any progress. But dont anyone tell me that the EA are 'concerned' ..they're most certainly not in my neck of the woods.