American Signal Crayfish Invasion

[chesters1]

Its also illegal to throw them back ,theres nothing to say how much of a crayfish so i presume its ANY part of a crayfish

 

Not sure introducing a foreign crayfish eater is wise ,we know from crayfish themselves introducing anything foreign tends to rebound with bad results but some previously unseen bad results!

If the EA really wanted to get rid of them they would declare an open house policy on ponds and lakes and only demand a licenced trapper on those few places where our native ones live ,as they are not employing this then they are quite happy to encourage the damage they do ,strange action for a department that is supposed to look after environment, perhaps clubs should take the heads to court for the damage to their water and its fish stocks

Perhaps getting Rt Hon Lord Smith of Finsbury fined a few million quid may get the EA to actually do something ,in chesters1 world the management would be dragged out into the street by their hair and beaten to death with iron bars ,that should get things moving ,probably most of the useless scum have never seen a crayfish outside of eating a few in posh resturants on the taxpayers expense

Edited October 26, 2013 by chesters1

[cannibalspinners]

The thing that concerns myself most , is How long would crayfish take hold of a river & infest it.

For example , If several crayfish were put in to a crayfish free river , How long before they become a problem

Also do they only eat fish eggs & Not fish themselves ?

[Chris Plumb]

The thing that concerns myself most , is How long would crayfish take hold of a river & infest it.

For example , If several crayfish were put in to a crayfish free river , How long before they become a problem

Also do they only eat fish eggs & Not fish themselves ?

They're omnivores - will eat fish - including live ones if they can catch them - I've also had them on sweetcorn and bread!

 

C.

[gozzer]

They're omnivores - will eat fish - including live ones if they can catch them - I've also had them on sweetcorn and bread!

 

C.

 

Yes they'll eat just about anything they can catch, competing with all the other inhabitants of the water. So eating the eggs and fry of fish, then the food that will nourish the survivors.

When I've encountered them, it's been just one or two being caught to begin with, then suddenly they seem to flourish, and they seem to be everywhere! It's taken 2 to 3 years from hardly any, to loads!

 

John.

[Vagabond]

The law seems more concerned with controlling anglers than controlling signals.

 

You can't catch signals deliberately without a licence, you can't keep them alive, you can't put 'em back.

 

Logically, the best course would be to take 'em home alive and fresh and then cook them - but that's illegal !

 

To stay within the law, you must kill them immediately (and that means the really thick who don't know a British Whiteclaw when they see one would kill all crayfish - is that what the EA wants ?)

 

If you kill a signal, salvaging its claws (where the most meat is) into a small coolbox would both satisfy the hunter-gatherer instinct and stay within the law.

[cannibalspinners]

Lots of you , Seem to of caught crayfish . Is this by chance . Do they get hooked when you fish with bait ?

Are they hooked by mouth or are they hanging on to your bait with their claws.

[poledark]

The ones on the Kennet give each other piggy backs! I have caught them when my bait (luncheon meat) was about 12" from the bottom.

 

Den

[JV44]

They swim/climb up paternoster lionks to grab Live/Dead baits but at least once the frosts come there activity drops off ,parts of the kennet and upper Thames amongst many waterways are riddled with them and even with a predation by trapping where tons are removed makes little or no difference not going to be solved anytime soon .

Have to say there were tons of fry in the river this year so not sure how bad fish egg predation is by the little buggers

[cannibalspinners]

Do they put up a fight when hooked ?.

Does anyone know if they taste like Lobster or prawns or something like that ?

 

Perhaps someone could post a picture of any they have caught recently !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would like to see them..............

Edited October 28, 2013 by cannibalspinners

[Ken L]

Prawn fishing is very popular in Asia. Maybe it could catch on here.