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The Advance Of The American Signal Crayfish


Elton

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Just added an article here:

 

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/News/crayfish.html

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Just added an article here:

 

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/News/crayfish.html

 

Bad news. Even around my way, after the 2007 floods they're in new lakes and river stretches. Gravel pits throughout the Windrush valley now have them, and I expect all the Linear waters are included in that (neighbouring pits certainly now have them). I predict lots of annoyed carpers throughout Oxfordshire next season... It's already made deadbaiting anywhere near the bottom impossible.

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music

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I suspect that the white clawed crayfish is doomed.

As far as i can tell, the EA are doing nothing that will help them in the long term term.

I've certainly heared of no research into developing native crays that are imune to plague or into biological control measures to attack the signals, all they seem to do is declare a waterway to be a haven for native crays and then move pointlessly on to the next "haven" when the signals or the plague get through their non existant defences.

In fact, so far as I can tell, the EA haven't even taken the most rudementary steps to protect native cray populations like setting up net dipping facilities with a fungicide or even banning nets altogether on waters that still contain natives.

 

Signals are now being reported from my local river Severn and although I've yet to see one, I suspect that it won't be long.

Being primarily a lure angler, I confess to mixed feelings about signals. From what I can tell, chub and perch thrive in waters where they are present and the chances of pike and other fish being removed via set lines (a big problem in the Midlands) are also greatly reduced if there's no bait on the line 10 minutes after it's thrown in.

Much as i love my lure fishing, the are apparently a bit of a problem if I decide to ledger a bait for barbel though and I do like at least a bit of variety.

Species caught in 2020: Barbel. European Eel. Bleak. Perch. Pike.

Species caught in 2019: Pike. Bream. Tench. Chub. Common Carp. European Eel. Barbel. Bleak. Dace.

Species caught in 2018: Perch. Bream. Rainbow Trout. Brown Trout. Chub. Roach. Carp. European Eel.

Species caught in 2017: Siamese carp. Striped catfish. Rohu. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Black Minnow Shark. Perch. Chub. Brown Trout. Pike. Bream. Roach. Rudd. Bleak. Common Carp.

Species caught in 2016: Siamese carp. Jullien's golden carp. Striped catfish. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Alligator gar. Rohu. Black Minnow Shark. Roach, Bream, Perch, Ballan Wrasse. Rudd. Common Carp. Pike. Zander. Chub. Bleak.

Species caught in 2015: Brown Trout. Roach. Bream. Terrapin. Eel. Barbel. Pike. Chub.

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"I've certainly heared of no research into developing native crays that are imune to plague"

 

Signals almost certainly are immune because a few in the population had enough natural immunity to survive and those few went on to breed with a greater percentage of their offspring also being immune. Pretty soon, the disease is a non-issue for that population.

 

The other US species that share habitat with the signals are also immune to that particular virus I think.

 

There are probably pockets of the white claw that also survived the disease. If they are also able to survive the competition they will probalby make it. Otherwise, as you say, the species is likely doomed to vanish from the UK.

" My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whore house or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference!" - Harry Truman, 33rd US President

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I've caught 2 Signal Crayfish this year on trotted red maggot - one from the Lugg and one from the Windrush.

 

This surprised me - I'd expect them to have a go at a static bait, but to grab a small, fast-moving bait in coloured water speaks volumes for their temerity and efficiency as a species. Comparisons between Signal/Native Crayfish and Grey/Red Squirrels are obvious.

 

I agree that the EA must do more if we're to be rid of them, but I fear it's too late.

 

Retiarius

 

http://retiarius-angling.blogspot.com/

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I've caught 2 Signal Crayfish this year on trotted red maggot - one from the Lugg and one from the Windrush.

 

This surprised me - I'd expect them to have a go at a static bait, but to grab a small, fast-moving bait in coloured water speaks volumes for their temerity and efficiency as a species. Comparisons between Signal/Native Crayfish and Grey/Red Squirrels are obvious.

 

I agree that the EA must do more if we're to be rid of them, but I fear it's too late.

 

Retiarius

 

http://retiarius-angling.blogspot.com/

 

I've had them on lobworms fished in midwater, about 12" deep in a little stream about 2' deep, while perch fishing. They don't half give some good bites on the float, much better than those slow twangs you get on the tip :rolleyes:

 

I have to just put up with them - they're the reason the perch are so big, after all. They're very annoying though, especially when they suddenly turn up in a water which used to be free of them.

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music

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There are also the Turkish Crayfish to contend with. Our estate lake has had them for many years now and they come up out of the water at night and perch on tree roots etc. and can move overland on a damp night.

They have longer more pointed claws than the signal has.

Since weve had Catfish appearing they have started to diminish so the cats certainly like them.

Happiness is Fish shaped (it used to be woman shaped but the wife is getting on a bit now)

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The local bit of the Thames i fish is crayfish free at the moment at least i have never been bothered whilst drowning Deadbaits,Worms and meat in all the years i have fished it ,They are however in large numbers both upstream and downstream of the length that i fish so its only a mater of time :angry: .

The thing is the Perch and Chub in this bit of the Thames are just as big as anywhere else on the river so they must be munching on the large silverfish shoals or maybe the Chub are munching on the bombardment of Carp baits that starts on June16th for a few months each year Steve.

We are not putting it back it is a lump now put that curry down and go and get the scales

have I told you abouit the cruise control on my Volvo ,,,,,,,bla bla bla Barder rod has it come yet?? and don`t even start me on Chris Lythe :bleh::icecream:

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