Signal Crayfish

[Tigerr]

If caught in a river, are they edible straight away or is 'cleaning/purging' required. Last year my friend had a good load of them which he tried to 'clean' in the shower on the boat by leaving them in fresh water for 24 hrs. A lot died presumably of suffocation, and he didnt eat them. Id like to know if they really need to be purged or if they can be popped straight into the boilpot and served.

I am sure someone here has direct experience of this.

[Caprifool]

No, but when you eat them you pull the head off, crack the little bands on the under side, pull the tail out......and then there's kind of a band along of its back that you can peel off to get to the intestine to remove it. It's easier to show than to explain in words

[Tigerr]

Yes, I know how to do that - but there's no need to do all that business leaving them in water - is that what you are saying - just strip the vein out when you eat them?

[Caprifool]

Yes, no need to purge.

[Tigerr]

Thanks. Dinner sorted.

[jenlyn]

If caught in a river, are they edible straight away or is 'cleaning/purging' required. Last year my friend had a good load of them which he tried to 'clean' in the shower on the boat by leaving them in fresh water for 24 hrs. A lot died presumably of suffocation, and he didnt eat them. Id like to know if they really need to be purged or if they can be popped straight into the boilpot and served.

I am sure someone here has direct experience of this.

i have several cray pots and catch between 50-100 each time. I boil them, take the tails off, removing the black looking string and then shallow fry for a few minutes in garlic butter.

[Harnser]

Hi.

 

Dont need to purge? In that case, supper is sorted. Served on a bed of salad with a chillie and garlic mayonnaise dressing and crusty wholemeal bread. WOW!

 

Harnser.

[Tigerr]

i have several cray pots and catch between 50-100 each time. I boil them, take the tails off, removing the black looking string and then shallow fry for a few minutes in garlic butter.

Thats a good catch rate. I have 2 pots and the haul is variable. My friend got about 40 in 24 hrs on the upper Thames last year which was the best yet. I am on the Thames next 3 wks and looking forward to free dinner if I can have it. Along with Bramble crumble.

[Harnser]

Thats a good catch rate. I have 2 pots and the haul is variable. My friend got about 40 in 24 hrs on the upper Thames last year which was the best yet. I am on the Thames next 3 wks and looking forward to free dinner if I can have it. Along with Bramble crumble.

 

Bramble crumble? Yep, plenty of blackberrys waterside. I was there a couple of weeks ago. Yummy!

 

Harnser.

[Caprifool]

Are the signal crayfish fair game? Just wondering because i like them so much myself.

[jelunga]

Are the signal crayfish fair game? Just wondering because i like them so much myself.

Not sure about in Sweden, but here you have to get a netting permit from the Environment Agency, specifying where you will be placing your net, have a net that meets the specifications, record how many you catch where and report the number to the EA at the end of the 12 month period. They consulted about making a charge for the permit, but fortunatley listened to sane people who said it was stupid to have to pay to catch them aince we were doing the EA's job for them.

[RLWP]

Not sure about in Sweden, but here you have to get a netting permit from the Environment Agency, specifying where you will be placing your net, have a net that meets the specifications, record how many you catch where and report the number to the EA at the end of the 12 month period. They consulted about making a charge for the permit, but fortunatley listened to sane people who said it was stupid to have to pay to catch them aince we were doing the EA's job for them.

 

Point of order. That is true, if you use a net

 

What about pots?

 

Richard

[Guest wanted]

Make sure that you get a UK legal trap and or fit an otter guard.

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/fishing/38051.aspx

[ditchcrawler]

Point of order. That is true, if you use a net

 

What about pots?

 

Richard

Same thing, the term is " engine" and don't ask me why. I got the forms and decided it wasn't worth the bother. You have so much info to fill in about where you are fishing, riparian owner, etc I just gave up on the idea. If they made it like a fishing licence it would have been easy.

[Caprifool]

I would have thought the signals would be considered a pest, that you could fish as many as you want.

[RLWP]

I would have thought the signals would be considered a pest, that you could fish as many as you want.

 

The issue is around collateral damage

 

For instance, the nets kill otters if not used responsibly

 

Richard

[MtB]

So I wonder how the requirement to report the number of signal crayfish caught helps protect otters...

 

And what possible difference the ID of the riparian owner makes.

[luctor et emergo]

Big brother is watching you. But with the unexpected rise in the population, he needs a bit of help...

 

Thanks. Dinner sorted.

 

[jelunga]

So I wonder how the requirement to report the number of signal crayfish caught helps protect otters...

 

And what possible difference the ID of the riparian owner makes.

They like to know where and how many to track their spread. They will also not issue the permit fir places where they know the natives ( a protected species) still are prevalent

 

So far as J remember thay just ask for location and whether you have permission

[Caprifool]

Ok, I would have thought the signals would be considered a pest, that you could fish as many as you want with an otter/vole safe trap/net. I forgot, that we have unique laws here that we are tought in kindergarten already. So most of us are responsible and don't need to report our doings. Because we have been properly indoctrinated and are trusted to inform our selves and do it right.

 

The laws are kalled Allemansrätten "All mans rights" and covers almost everything about the use of the land, rights to walk and camp on private land, what you may pick, fish, cut down, or not...... And so on. And miraculously, most of us respect them.

[jelunga]

Ok, I would have thought the signals would be considered a pest, that you could fish as many as you want with an otter/vole safe trap/net. I forgot, that we have unique laws here that we are tought in kindergarten already. So most of us are responsible and don't need to report our doings. Because we have been properly indoctrinated and are trusted to inform our selves and do it right.

 

The laws are kalled Allemansrätten "All mans rights" and covers almost everything about the use of the land, rights to walk and camp on private land, what you may pick, fish, cut down, or not...... And so on. And miraculously, most of us respect them.

That is because you are Swedish and think further than the end of your nose, sometimes. (Saab is not a good example of yr national sense).

That is why in the 18 or 19 th. centuries you introduced the law about cut one tree plant two. You were running out of wood to build warships. Has certainly helped your paper industry today. .

[Caprifool]

Two of our oldest laws cover the rights of hazelnuts and bee swarms The bee swarm one is quite funny. Written in very old Swedish, it says that a bee swarm on anyone's land belongs to the person who first spotted it. You mark it by placing a personal belonging under the cluster and scurry back home for an empty hive, box or sack the catch them with. And if you take someone else's swarm, and miss the finders shoe, belt or hat lying under it you are in deep shit!

 

I drive a 1993 Saab 900i, so I know what you mean. Funny enough, I get most of my spares on eBay.co.uk. And seldome have to wait more than 3-4 days. Here it takes 2-3 weeks. Ok, getting grossly OT now........ Sorry.

[Tigerr]

Signals are a pest but apparently their numbers are increased by catching them. A key part of adult crayfish diet is baby crayfish. When you take out the big ones to eat then the small ones numbers increase. The small ones predate everythiung else, before eating each other, which damages local crayfish and fry, larvae etc.

They also carry a nasty virus that is spread by nets & pots if they are not sterilised.

Hence the restrictions on netting and potting.

Thats what I've been told anyway.

My friend catches his at night since its not allowed.

[Phil Ambrose]

I would have thought the signals would be considered a pest, that you could fish as many as you want.

 

 

Here in the Fens they are a reportable pest and the EA are keen to eradicate them so I would be inclined to help by eating as many as I could lay hands on, reckon they would turn a blind eye to catching Signal Crayfish but not so the native ones.

 

Phil

[steelaway]

Hi

 

I was just about to ask a question about Crayfish as I have been cursed by them all this year. They must be on the increase and at the detriment of the fish.

I fish almost every evening and from Bugsworth Basin (which seems to over run with them) and all the way down the Macc I have been catching crayfish.

We then went down the Caldon Canal and bugger me, it's just as bad.

They seem to eat anything, so no matter what you use for bait they will have it.

I must admit I have been killing them all, mainly because unless they are the red ones, I don't know which are protected.

 

Crayfish

 

 

Any tips on and how to avoid catching them would be much appreciated.

 

Alex