Crayfish

[Alex Reanu]

Hello everyone,

 

I just received my permit from the Environment Agency to trap the "evil" Signal crayfish that is invading the UK and that is destroying the local species.

 

Having a read on my permit, I discovered that I need to ask permission from the landowner (sounds reasonable to me...).

 

Now my question is: does anyone know how to find who the landlord for a stretch of the river/canal is? I tried to find any useful info on the internet for the last hour and nothing so far...

 

 

Thank you,

 

Alex

[Chris Plumb]

Hello everyone,

 

I just received my permit from the Environment Agency to trap the "evil" Signal crayfish that is invading the UK and that is destroying the local species.

 

Having a read on my permit, I discovered that I need to ask permission from the landowner (sounds reasonable to me...).

 

Now my question is: does anyone know how to find who the landlord for a stretch of the river/canal is? I tried to find any useful info on the internet for the last hour and nothing so far...

 

 

Thank you,

 

Alex

 

I useful place to start would be by finding out (via tackle shops etc) which angling clubs have permissions and ask through them. Most clubs I know would only be too glad to have crayfish trapped on their beats. However another point to consider is that some riparian pwners might already lease trapping rights - I can think of 3 stretches of my local Kennet which are trapped on a semi-commercial basis - and trappers on these beats might object to the competition!

 

 

C.

[Aquaholic]

I just received my permit from the Environment Agency to trap the "evil" Signal crayfish that is invading the UK and that is destroying the local species.

I didn't realise that you needed one. Did it cost much? I was thinking of trapping some for bait.

 

Paul

[Chris Plumb]

I didn't realise that you needed one. Did it cost much? I was thinking of trapping some for bait.

 

Paul

 

They are free - however crayfish of any kind, dead or alive, are banned as bait!

 

 

C.

[Aquaholic]

They are free - however crayfish of any kind, dead or alive, are banned as bait!

 

 

C.

How out of touch am I?

Just finished reading the 2005 debate on crays. Will seek out some later ones.

 

Paul

[gozzer]

They are free - however crayfish of any kind, dead or alive, are banned as bait!

 

 

C.

 

I'm sure it's also illegal to put signals back in the water if you accidentally catch one.

 

 

 

On a slightly different note. Did anyone see the 'Halcyon River' programme on Sunday? It showed Kingfishers feeding their young on small signal crays, when the river was too coloured to spot small fish.

 

 

John.

[Chris Plumb]

I'm sure it's also illegal to put signals back in the water if you accidentally catch one.

 

Correct!

 

 

This is useful:

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homea...hing/38045.aspx

 

And:

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homea...hing/38047.aspx

 

C.

[arbocop]

They are free - however crayfish of any kind, dead or alive, are banned as bait!

 

 

C.

 

 

Can they be processed into a bait? e.g if you turned them into a paste or boilie?

 

Firstly, how would anyone know, but from a legal standpoint would this be legal. I imagine that in the legal sense 'use them as bait' means exactly that, in whatever form they are mashed, boiled or concocted into.

 

I have pondered the idea of crayfish flavour pasta as bait. But I think it would attract crayfish like mad things. They are so cannibalistic. In fact, I would imagine crushed, dead crays thrown into the edge of your swim would ensure you could fish in the main swim relatively 'cray free'. However, in a legal sense would that then be 'putting them back in' or 'groundbaiting' and therefore bait.

 

It's a nightmare in every sense!

Edited June 9, 2010 by arbocop