| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| Fee |
American Signal Crayfish - How Can You HelpAfter seeing RC Spring last night, we got a hankering after going to catch our first crayfish of the year in the Basingstoke Canal, where they're a big problem, so I went to see how we go about getting a licence (we got a bit of a talking to from the EA bloke last year), and this is what they have to say on the American Signal Crayfish.From the Environment Agency:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/commondata/acrobat/revised_crayfish_code_1876784.pd Discuss. |
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| Treacodactyl |
I thought that's been recommended for a few years now, I also thought that if you don't trap correctly then some of the smaller ones are more likely to migrate to other waterways which fits in with that EA document.
I didn't quite see all of the programme last night, didn't Hugh cover this? Did he at least mention correct sized traps and licences? |
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| Slim |
If you are to trap them do you eat them? Not quite crawdads I suppose...
I've used them for bass bait. They make for interesting goldfish neighbors in an aquarium |
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| Slim |
yikes, just wikipedia-ed the things and saw that they're not quite the same as what we have here. Sound like real troublemakers though. | ||||||
| Treacodactyl |
When trapped correctly they are eaten, large ones eaten like small lobsters and smaller ones cooked for stock etc. Not tried it myself yet due to the complex laws about trapping 'em. Here you must not use them for bait and you must take great care when caught in case they spread themselves or spread diseases. |
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| Fee |
Well, we don't trap them, we catch them with a bit of bacon rind on a piece of string, and once taken out, it's illegal to put them back in.
I thought we were doing a good thing, ridding the water of at least some, but reading that on the EA website, I'm not sure any more. Difficult. |
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| bernie-woman |
This is a problem that we have down on the nature resreve that I am involved in, we have loads of people that want to catch and cook the damn things which we are inundated with but they told us that their main concern is that people will release them somewhere and/or get rid of water with eggs in which could introduce them elsewhere where they are not introduced - it is a problem which we haven't been able to solve as yet
Certainly they are right about never getting rid of them, we actually employed someone to set and empty daily traps but it didn't make any major impact on the population at all 
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| Brownbear |
Offer kids a fiver each to bring them in dead and you'll be rid of them in six months. I once paid a teenager to shoot rats with an air rifle, offered him 50p a rat. Next day the little bugger brought me about 200 dead rats, each with a single hole in the head. |
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| gnome |
heres a s0lution - sell them. the moment they start t0 actually be 0f s0me use, they will disapear in n0 time. | ||||||
| Fee |
Have you got something up with your o's there, gnome? 
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| BahamaMama |
Fee - do you eat them? I have never fancied the look of the water in the Basingstoke canal. | ||||||
| Rob R |
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| Fee |
Yeah, we keep them in a big bucket/box of clean water overnight first though, they're delicious! You'll have to come and try them with us if we go again! |
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| BahamaMama |
Yer on! | ||||||
| dpack |
rat recipies anyone ? |
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| Treacodactyl |
I assume you do but for other people reading this make sure any water they are kept in is thoroughly sterilised before you tip it away otherwise IIRC eggs and diseases can be left the water and spread if you tip it down the drain. |
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| bernie-woman |
We were told to purge them for at least 48 hrs - but hey you are still alive and kicking
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| James |
I was talking to an EA crayfish ecologist who said that although the statement made on their website is the official line, in reality its more complex.
The country can be split into three sections: In the south signal crayfish are endemic and there are large areas were no native crayfish have been seen for years. No matter how much you catch or dont catch, they'll persist just the same. This area has effectively been written off. Then there's the north, were native crayfish still exist. These are sacred rivers that must not be touched. In between, there's the battle ground (I think this is roughly the northern midlands). This is the area that you shouldnt fish for signal crayfish for two reasons. Firstly, you cannot guarantee you wont catch a native crayfish, and secondly you'll create a vacume into which more signals populations will explode. So there are some areas that have been written off. I dont know were the boundaries of this written off area are, but its only safe to fish signals where there's no hope of native being brought back in for a long time. |
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| bodger |
The Crayfish Code: How Can You Help?
You Catching Crayfish will not help the environment Unlike the message from many TV programs, catching crayfish on an ad hoc basis can actually make the situation worse and not better. You will be catching the bigger crayfish in any stretch of water. These will eat their smaller siblings which helps keep the population in balance. By taking out the bigger dominant crayfish you will inadvertently destabilise the population which could cause it to expand in area. Its fine for the agency to say this, but I havent noticed them suggesting or implementing any other strategy. I presume that they intend to do nothing until all the creatures decide to eat themselves. Their lack of action initially has probably lead us to the current situation. Inspite of what they say, surely its better to do something rather than nothing ! |
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| BahamaMama |
Is it ok to chuck the water over the grass or flower beds? Presumably the eggs/fry need to be in water to survive and will dehydrate and die? |
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| Treacodactyl |
It would be against the regs, there a chance the eggs and diseases could survive and be washed into the drains I expect. I think the sensible thing would be to contact your local environment agency person to get the correct info from those in the know in your area. Anyone know if you need a licence for catching them by hand or a fishing line or is a licence only needed for trapping? |
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| Noddy |
Hi EveryoneI have just been reading your comments, about catch the Signal Crayfish...I think it's a lack of action in my thoughts and too much paper work and red tape, to catch them, I believe that if fishermen was allowed you would have a greater chance to removing them. Since have we all not forgot a couple of points one there in free flowing rivers, hmm so the eggs flow down river, and it grows like a virus. I think your find basically it's not cost effective to do, so they have wrapped it up in this way. I believe they could be reduced if done effectly. I was thinking to set up a club that would do just that... Target an area in an opperation removal if you have 60 traps + to 4 or five you have a greater impact that's for sure. I believe that's the only effect way to do it in as a team. As it states that the owns are breaking the law if the owers whom have crayfish are not storing them in a secure location, however I don't see lake owers, and the water authoritys in court over it, so something is not quite right, there are responsible people that can do such things, and as an ex farmer or 26 years I believe that the numbers can be reduced. As one person mention, there numbers are growing and it's only a matter of time before all rivers and the consumed, as with the lack of fish and other things. I myself enjoy nature and would like to think that many others after me could enjoy the same. I do think that fish stocks are not as high as they could be. I would be interested to hear from anyone Wayne |