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crayfish


magnetman

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This isn't a recipe but I'm following a suggestion to include methods of obtaining free food in this section.

 

Catching crayfish

 

Shopping basket with a wire lid with 3" holes in it. Get some tins of cheap cat food and stab holes in them. place in the basket lower it into the water and the crayfish will fill it pretty quickly. Oxford is a good place, on the river, needs to be somewhere chalky I think, for the crayfish shells to grow correctly. Not bad to eat not my favourite but they can be used to make interesting dishes. Is it legal ( :P )

Edited by magnetman
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I read somewhere that you should keep them for a week after you catch them in some kind of tank with running water circulating through, this will remove any bad stuff they have ingested in the canal/river. I'm a bit sceptical about that myself asI would have thought it would take a lot more than a week to remove anything that would be bad for us.

If it can be done safely, crayfish taste fantastic so I may well have a go myself when our boat arrives :P

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I read somewhere that you should keep them for a week after you catch them in some kind of tank with running water circulating through, this will remove any bad stuff they have ingested in the canal/river. I'm a bit sceptical about that myself asI would have thought it would take a lot more than a week to remove anything that would be bad for us.

If it can be done safely, crayfish taste fantastic so I may well have a go myself when our boat arrives :P

 

I would think that the ones in the canal may have some nasty toxins but a good river like the Thames with a little bit of flow is probably alright. I haven't eaten canal crayfish and yes filtering them first might be an idea but very tricky to do for a week with flowing water.

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I would think that the ones in the canal may have some nasty toxins but a good river like the Thames with a little bit of flow is probably alright. I haven't eaten canal crayfish and yes filtering them first might be an idea but very tricky to do for a week with flowing water.

 

and you need a licence I think.....

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Have a look at this...

http://www.efishbusiness.co.uk/formsandgui...uneedtoknow.pdf

 

its a PDF from the E.A.

 

Crayfish trapping – what you need to know

The trapping of crayfish can be used to achieve a number of things, however there are

risks associated with it. You should be aware of these risks before undertaking any

trapping operation, this information sheets explains what these risks are and the

potential benefits of trapping as well as the various permissions you may require to

undertake such an operation

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I would think that the ones in the canal may have some nasty toxins but a good river like the Thames with a little bit of flow is probably alright. I haven't eaten canal crayfish and yes filtering them first might be an idea but very tricky to do for a week with flowing water.

 

There was a scare a few years back when it was discovered that prawns sold in US supermarkets had ingested high levels of human sewage - I doubt if crayfish can be much worse than that . . .

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I think you need to to apply to the local enviroment agency to get a permit to catch crayfish.I see plenty of people messing about in oxford having a go though.I think there main concern is that you can differenciate between a british [endangered] crayfish, and the big yank ones which are killing them off with a parasite they carry.I would also tend to agree that its a good idea to let them clean through in clean water for a few days so they can crap everything out.

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I think you need to to apply to the local enviroment agency to get a permit to catch crayfish.I see plenty of people messing about in oxford having a go though.I think there main concern is that you can differenciate between a british [endangered] crayfish, and the big yank ones which are killing them off with a parasite they carry.I would also tend to agree that its a good idea to let them clean through in clean water for a few days so they can crap everything out.

 

You are absolutely right

 

You need a license to trap crayfish - from the environment agency I think

 

If the indigenous species of crayfish are present in the water you intend to trap you will not be given a licence

 

If you are caught trapping without a licence you will get done

 

Link

 

Loads of traps on e-bay

Edited by Bazza2
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I've PM'd Daniel to ask him to delete this thread if he thinks it is inappropriate.

 

I didn't realise it was illegal, I did have a :P at the end of my initial comment.

 

 

PHEW!!!

 

I did this before 2005... What a relief...

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I've PM'd Daniel to ask him to delete this thread if he thinks it is inappropriate.

 

I didn't realise it was illegal, I did have a :P at the end of my initial comment.

PHEW!!!

 

I did this before 2005... What a relief...

 

I don't see why it should be deleted - It's perfectly alright to trap American Signal Crayfish - if you have a licence

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I don't see why it should be deleted - It's perfectly alright to trap American Signal Crayfish - if you have a licence

 

Are we sure you need a licence for those American critters? They are a pest and are out-competing the native version

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Are we sure you need a licence for those American critters? They are a pest and are out-competing the native version

 

You need a licence to trap anything at all - it's a way of preventing the trapping the the indigenous species which are becoming rarer by the day

 

mostly, apparently, because of the disease carried by the Signal Jobby

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I've PM'd Daniel to ask him to delete this thread if he thinks it is inappropriate.

 

I didn't realise it was illegal, I did have a :) at the end of my initial comment.

PHEW!!!

 

I did this before 2005... What a relief...

I reckon it's OK for the thread to stay. It doesn't incite anyone to break the law, and supports a balanced discussion which also directs people towards sources of further information from the relevant authorities.

 

Allan

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I reckon it's OK for the thread to stay. It doesn't incite anyone to break the law, and supports a balanced discussion which also directs people towards sources of further information from the relevant authorities.

 

Allan

 

 

Another victory for common sense!!!!

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From the PDF mentioned above

 

Within England and Wales there are a number of permissions that you may require to

trap and/or remove crayfish species, these include:

  • The consent of the Environment Agency to use a trap to remove crayfish from any inland waters. To apply for this consent an application form (FR2) needs to be completed and sent to us for determination. Available from the efishbusiness website.
  • A licence from English Nature (EN)/Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) for handling our native white clawed crayfish. Available from EN/CCW, we would also ensure that this licence was in place before issuing consent to trap native crayfish.
  • The permission of the land owner and/or owner of the fishing rights.
  • If you wish to hold and keep live non-native crayfish you may also require a licence from the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).Available from the efishbusiness website.

 

An awful lot of phaff and paperwork! I wonder how Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall could do his "Cook on the Wild Side" series now? He'd starve waiting for the paperwork to come through! :)

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From the PDF mentioned above

 

Within England and Wales there are a number of permissions that you may require to

trap and/or remove crayfish species, these include:

  • The consent of the Environment Agency to use a trap to remove crayfish from any inland waters. To apply for this consent an application form (FR2) needs to be completed and sent to us for determination. Available from the efishbusiness website.
  • A licence from English Nature (EN)/Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) for handling our native white clawed crayfish. Available from EN/CCW, we would also ensure that this licence was in place before issuing consent to trap native crayfish.
  • The permission of the land owner and/or owner of the fishing rights.
  • If you wish to hold and keep live non-native crayfish you may also require a licence from the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).Available from the efishbusiness website.

 

An awful lot of phaff and paperwork! I wonder how Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall could do his "Cook on the Wild Side" series now? He'd starve waiting for the paperwork to come through! :)

 

THIS APPLIES TO AMERICAN SIGNAL CRAYFISH ONLY.

No need to get a license to catch them,simply dont trap them. If the reggies are in sufficient numbers to warrant trapping them just throw a few bits of chopped fish or whatever into the margin and this will attract them in large numbers. Then the fun starts. Get a stick with a bit of string attached and tie a piece of fish or bacon rind to the end ,lower to the bottom and if they are present it wont be long before one grabs hold. Very gently lift out of the water and you will find the greedy begger will refuse to let go and he's yours, simple. Now you are in possesion of a crayfish where do you stand ?Well anglers catch 1000s of these reggies where they are present on bait intended for fish.Once landed it is illegal to return them to the water or to use any part as bait so in order to comply with the law they have to stamp on them and leave them where they are on the bank. Make of it what you will but most people I know eat the evidence.

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Interesting. I've had them out before on pike spoons and lures, as the thing drags along near the bottom it picks them up. Also they like to live in scaffold poles which come out on the magnet. There must be masses of them. Would it be legal to use a wet n dry vacuum cleaner to get hold of them? :)

Edited by magnetman
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Interesting. I've had them out before on pike spoons and lures, as the thing drags along near the bottom it picks them up. Also they like to live in scaffold poles which come out on the magnet. There must be masses of them. Would it be legal to use a wet n dry vacuum cleaner to get hold of them? :cheers:

 

Hmm would that be 240v or 12v :)

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  • 1 year later...
Interesting. I've had them out before on pike spoons and lures, as the thing drags along near the bottom it picks them up. Also they like to live in scaffold poles which come out on the magnet. There must be masses of them. Would it be legal to use a wet n dry vacuum cleaner to get hold of them? :lol:

 

 

Hi all,

 

I'm not yet a boat owner but have used boats and fished many venues.

 

I am about to apply to the Environmental Department for a FR2 licence giving me legal permission to fish for and take away Signal Cray Fish for my own consumption.

 

My home is close to the Grand Union Canal at Greenford and I would be obliged if any of you good 'boaters' can confirm whether or not this part of the canal, or close by, contains loads of cray fish.

 

Many thanks in advance,

 

geoff

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Hi all,

 

I'm not yet a boat owner but have used boats and fished many venues.

 

I am about to apply to the Environmental Department for a FR2 licence giving me legal permission to fish for and take away Signal Cray Fish for my own consumption.

 

My home is close to the Grand Union Canal at Greenford and I would be obliged if any of you good 'boaters' can confirm whether or not this part of the canal, or close by, contains loads of cray fish.

 

Many thanks in advance,

 

geoff

I can't answer you specifically but I'd be very surprised if there aren't loads. There are plenty up at Braunston and I believe they're invading from the south (probably sold their london bedsit for mega-bucks and are heading for a Yorkshire mansion, with no mortgage).

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  • 2 weeks later...
I can't answer you specifically but I'd be very surprised if there aren't loads. There are plenty up at Braunston and I believe they're invading from the south (probably sold their london bedsit for mega-bucks and are heading for a Yorkshire mansion, with no mortgage).

 

And no licence as well I bet! :lol:

 

Seriously though, if we end up at the arse end of the Avon this would seriously attract us, did the licences cost much. Bagpuss is thinking recipes already.

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