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Crayfish

Bobbybass

By Bobbybass
in General Boating

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Bobbybass Experienced

Bobbybass

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At the end of this season I was given a proper crayfish trap.

I didn't get a chance to use it..but was told to stab some holes in a foil container of cat food and drop the trap into the water...

Next season I want to give this a go...and DO realise the importance of destroying the American crayfish while protecting our own species.

I also understand the legalilty of once caught...the US verisons should never be returned to the water (Like mink)

I was told that..' in theory' you have to obtain a license which you cannot really do when on the move...as its only a license for one spot. I was also 'told' that people who want to license for one spot...never hear back from the EA so people just trap anyway..

Have I got this all correctly..?..

Has anyone ever obtained the fabled license ?

 

Bob

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jelunga Influencer

jelunga

Posted
Posted

At the end of this season I was given a proper crayfish trap.

I didn't get a chance to use it..but was told to stab some holes in a foil container of cat food and drop the trap into the water...

Next season I want to give this a go...and DO realise the importance of destroying the American crayfish while protecting our own species.

I also understand the legalilty of once caught...the US verisons should never be returned to the water (Like mink)

I was told that..' in theory' you have to obtain a license which you cannot really do when on the move...as its only a license for one spot. I was also 'told' that people who want to license for one spot...never hear back from the EA so people just trap anyway..

Have I got this all correctly..?..

Has anyone ever obtained the fabled license ?

 

Bob

 

 

Yup, I have a permit to trap on the GU, around the Milton Keynes area.

 

It is free to obtain. you just contact the EA person responsible for the area you want to trap in and fill in the correct forms. You tell them how many nets you have and they send you tags to put on each net. Every so often you are supposed to send in a report of what you have caught and where. The chap to contact for the MK area is James Hooker on james.hooker@environment-agency.gov.uk

you can download the forms and get more info here http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/fishing/38045.aspx

 

If / when you move to another area, I understand you have to tell them which new area you want to trap in.

 

I have only tried 3 or 4 times around the MK area. I used off cuts of fat from pork chops, chorizo and other raw pieces of meat.

I caught 17 in one night with the pork chop bits, nothing with the chorizo, and 7 or 8 with the chicken bits. However, these were in 3 different locations.

 

Probably not worth spending money on cat food tins. During the cold weather they are not active so catches will be normally very low.

 

With them, I kept them in some clean water in a large saucepan for 24 - 48 hours, then just boiled them until pink, just like shrimps and lobsters. The only useful meat is the tail, unless you get real big ones when the claws contain some meat. if they catch you with their claws it hurts! Even with the 17 catch, it only made a small starter for two of us, which I fried in garlic butter. Tasted good though, does the environment good and felt great "living off the land".

 

K

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jelunga Influencer

jelunga

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Interesting, as the Marina I shall be at is apparently teeming with the US crayfish, but thoughtit was nigh impossible to obtain a permit.

 

 

I get the impression that they will help you as much as possible to get a permit. Certainly the contact I spoke to was very helpful. After all, you are helping them do their job by eliminating the American signal, The Turkish, The Noble, The Redswamp, The Spiney cheeked, and Te Virile (Essex based),

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Bat & Frog Community Regular

Bat & Frog

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There are two main issues with responsibly catching crayfish, Plague and population numbers.

! PLAGUE -If you are catching the amercans, they carry the plague which they are immune to but which kills the native species. Therefore when you move your trap between site you should sterilise it to prevent the risk of you transfering the plague.

2 Populations. The Crayfish will eat just about anything they can get their claws on, which includes their young. If you start catching the mature adult crayfish they is potential for an explosion in the juvernile numbers, causing the crayfish to disperse further away, spreading the plague even more. Therefore it best if you talk to the EA about the areas where you want to trap and heed their advice, or your likely to do more harm than good.

Also be careful when you trap as it is possible to catch other species including mink and watervoles in the traps, which will drown. Not a nice way to dispatch a mink and a possible prosecutable offence for thye watervole !

 

More from EA http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/news/115668.aspx?page=4

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LoneEcho Collaborator

LoneEcho

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I get the impression that they will help you as much as possible to get a permit. Certainly the contact I spoke to was very helpful. After all, you are helping them do their job by eliminating the American signal, The Turkish, The Noble, The Redswamp, The Spiney cheeked, and Te Virile (Essex based),

 

 

I will have a word with the Marina owners when I move in there, and then contact EA. I was thinking of maybe a sneaky crayfish dive while I am "checking" the Hull of my boat. Not sure they will be as easily to catch as scallops though !

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Bat & Frog Community Regular

Bat & Frog

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I will have a word with the Marina owners when I move in there, and then contact EA. I was thinking of maybe a sneaky crayfish dive while I am "checking" the Hull of my boat. Not sure they will be as easily to catch as scallops though !

Trouble is they are brown, like the majority of the canal/ riverbeds !

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LoneEcho Collaborator

LoneEcho

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Trouble is they are brown, like the majority of the canal/ riverbeds !

It is the pit at Roydon, and I would imagine the the last few feet are extremely silty, so yes I imagine they will be near impossible to spot. However, I think the temptation of having the SCUBA gear on board and a large body of water may prove too much to resist.

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Artimis Collaborator

Artimis

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My folks were on the bandwagon in the early 80s to breed and farm crawfish. The dangers of escaped and feral foreigners wasnt understood and thousands were released into ponds and reservoirs. It was all part of farm diversification, encouraged by MAFF, the predecessor of DEFRA

 

Females with eggs have to be kept in cages which allow the young to escape once hatched so mum doesnt eat them. Adults can give you a very nasty nip and are agressive.

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Guest

Guest

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Oh dear. :unsure:

 

edit to say... Martin, its not something to be ashamed of nore is it funny, just see your doc and he'll give you some cream, apparently it kills the little critters :blush:

 

As humorous as they might appear STD's can lead to infertility, sterility, senility and in extreme cases death hardly the subject for humour...

 

Fortunately Nigel I've never needed the cream..

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Guest

Guest

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I didn't think crabs were a disease but an infestation.

 

Technically correct, still transmitted by sexual contact though, still very embarrassing and not IMHO a subject for humour and associated with the risk of transferring more serious conditions such as chlamydia...

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twbm Experienced

twbm

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STD's are a serious issue...why do you think they might be the subject for humour?

 

Oh come on - is there truly any subject of humour that isn't based on something detrimental to somebody somehow?

 

Anyway - you'd need to check if they walk sideways or forwards. If they walk forwards, you've got lobsters, not crabs.

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