Crayfish and crabs...

[Unimexsol]

What should one do with them if you catch them? Kill them or return them? In particular I'm talking about the Signal crayfish and the Chinese Mitten crab both of which are not native to the canal where I'm fishing but both of which seem to be thriving.

 

Ps I'm not going to be eating either!

[Newt]

I dunno about the crabs but as I remember from our last discussion of the crays, the rules bite each other and if you follow all the rules, there is absolutely no way you can do anything with them. Can't kill them, put them back, eat them, use them for bait, take them home, whatever.

 

I think if you can manage to have the cray fly away under it's own power you will be OK. Otherwise it seems you are supposed to spend the rest of your life standing there holding the thing.

 

Hopefully you will get some more practical answers to a very good question.

[Guest Brumagem Phil]

What should one do with them if you catch them? Kill them or return them? In particular I'm talking about the Signal crayfish and the Chinese Mitten crab both of which are not native to the canal where I'm fishing but both of which seem to be thriving.

 

Ps I'm not going to be eating either!

 

If you are fishing with a buddy, you may consider dropping a couple in his tackle bag!

[Mark Crame]

http://www.defra.gov.uk/fish/freshwater/crayfish.htm

 

I eat them, lovely grub. 8oz salt to 4 pints water. You are supposed to kill them.

 

Dunno about mitten rabs - never heard ofthem. Same again I think, kill them. I'd make a bisque.

[Chris Plumb]

What should one do with them if you catch them? Kill them or return them? In particular I'm talking about the Signal crayfish and the Chinese Mitten crab both of which are not native to the canal where I'm fishing but both of which seem to be thriving.

 

Ps I'm not going to be eating either!

 

They MUST be killed - if you release them alive you are actually committing an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (under provisions relating to Alien Species).

 

 

C.

[gorton]

Release them into a saucepan of boiling water, yum yum, pass the garlic butter

[dapper64]

Release them into a saucepan of boiling water, yum yum, pass the garlic butter

do they taste like lobster or crab?

[gorton]

I think prawn or scampi would be a better description, but you can use them in Indian or Chinese cuisine or indeed with any sauce you can come up with and I dont mean tomato ketchup or daddies.

[Unimexsol]

They sell crayfish tails in Sainsbury, My missus and I tried them but just didn't like them at all. Not like prawns at all IMO

[Newt]

Not quite like prawns to be sure but good ones should taste better. How did you cook them?