tees signal crawfish

[Huahin]

Hello xxxxxx I am sorry to hear you are having so much trouble with signal crayfish when angling.

Unfortunately, the crayfish are present in the Tees from Middleton in Teesdale all the way down to at least Stockton area.

Once a breading population is present in an area it is almost impossible to eradicate them and when they are in the numbers that are in the Tees, there is nothing that can be done short of killing everything off in the river and starting again. However, this has been tried in a river system in Scandinavia and a lake in Scotland but even this extreme method did not work as the crayfish returned after a short time.

Trapping may reduce he population size, but the Environment Agency do not allow trapping or any other form of removal to be used.

It is a frustrating situation and I wish there was something we could do about it, but unfortunately, at this moment in time there isn’t. My hope is that someone may come up with a targeted biological control at some point, but there is nothing on the horizon that I am aware of.

Not a response that you would be hoping for I know. All I can suggest is that you contact the E.A. in case they are involved with any research work that we do not know about.

Best regards,

 

[Huahin]

signal crawfish

signal crawfish

tees

 

[waco]

Hello xxxxxx I am sorry to hear you are having so much trouble with signal crayfish when angling.

Unfortunately, the crayfish are present in the Tees from Middleton in Teesdale all the way down to at least Stockton area.

Once a breading population is present in an area it is almost impossible to eradicate them and when they are in the numbers that are in the Tees, there is nothing that can be done short of killing everything off in the river and starting again. However, this has been tried in a river system in Scandinavia and a lake in Scotland but even this extreme method did not work as the crayfish returned after a short time.

Trapping may reduce he population size, but the Environment Agency do not allow trapping or any other form of removal to be used.

It is a frustrating situation and I wish there was something we could do about it, but unfortunately, at this moment in time there isn’t. My hope is that someone may come up with a targeted biological control at some point, but there is nothing on the horizon that I am aware of.

Not a response that you would be hoping for I know. All I can suggest is that
you contact the E.A. in case they are involved with any research work that we do not know about.

Best regards,
Tees Rivers Trust
Fished short period during a summer flood 6 casts 6 crawfish came home very nice stretch of river ruined ,I've fished middleton,gainford winston egggleston barnard castle area all the same with bait used to get double figure numbers of trout all returned now nothing

was watching a cookery programe the other night and james martin reckons there are loads in our river s and are nice to eat so there you a possible solution , trap them and eat them mebbe

 

[Davey1970]

was watching a cookery programe the other night and james martin reckons there are loads in our river s and are nice to eat so there you a possible solution , trap them and eat them mebbe

you can only cook and eat the american crawfish, watch you don't take our native crawfish, which are protected. But they do taste nice.

 

[Huahin]

cooking crawfish

cooking crawfish

like prawn

 

[waco]

you can only cook and eat the american crawfish, watch you don't take our native crawfish, which are protected. But they do taste nice.

cheers ok, but a only repeat what the chef said and could not be bothered any way lol

 

[Huahin]

trapping

trapping

not allowed

 

[Davey1970]

not allowed

wrong.

 

[Huahin]

an offence to keep any craw fish I'm right

an offence to keep any craw fish I'm right

Under the Wildife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), it is an offence
to release, or allow to escape, any non-native species into the wild in the UK
except under licence.
The Prohibition of Keeping of Live Fish (Crayfish) Order 1996 (as amended),
made under the Import of Live Fish (England and Wales) Act 1980, makes it
an offence to keep any crayfish in England and Wales, except under licence
(with specific exemption areas for signal crayfish).

 

[Davey1970]

So James Martin, Rick Stein and HFW are above the law then...!....

 

[Huahin]

no trapping update

no trapping update

wrong.

Dear xxxxxxx

Tel: +4420 847 46558
M. +447717 356784

 

[Huahin]

update tees

update tees

Dear xxxxxxxx

 

[Davey1970]

so you agree then, the celebrity chef's on tv are above the law.....!......

 

[Boga]

Under the Wildife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), it is an offence
to release, or allow to escape, any non-native species into the wild in the UK
except under licence.
The Prohibition of Keeping of Live Fish (Crayfish) Order 1996 (as amended),
made under the Import of Live Fish (England and Wales) Act 1980, makes it
an offence to keep any crayfish in England and Wales, except under licence
(with specific exemption areas for signal crayfish).

There's a difference between "keeping" and "catching" crayfish

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/permission-to-trap-crayfish-eels-elvers-salmon-and-sea-trout Here you can apply for a licence to trap them.

And yes I know this thread is old, but information is power

 

[Wasabi]

You cant get a permit for the tees.

 

[MickMcC]

I have often seen foreign migrants setting creels for crayfish in Greatham Creek off Cowpen Bewely ecology park and the authorities don't seem to bother them. They think you don't know what they are doing. They speaky no Englise when asked. Same as Cockle collectors at the South Gare.

There is a legit way to trap Signal Crayfish but as usual the powers that be have made it so onerous that its not worth the effort. If these crayfish were on open licence then at least they could be kept in check as opposed to just taking over the country with no hindrance. I fished Grassholme reservoir earlier this year and its knee deep in them, you can't even leave your catch in the water to cool as your catch bag is full of crayfish in 20 mins. Every bait comes back full of claw marks or missing in minutes and the sea anglers tell tale twitch of nipping crabs is constant.

Only a matter of time before Signal crayfish have replaced our native white clawed crayfish, then it will be too late.

 

[Alfie]

River Blyth is now full of them. Gamekeeper put a dead grey squirrel in a keepnet and next day it was full. He's applied for a license to catch them and told it could take 2 years. What a farce.

 

[Boga]

Under the Wildife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), it is an offence
to release, or allow to escape, any non-native species into the wild in the UK
except under licence.
The Prohibition of Keeping of Live Fish (Crayfish) Order 1996 (as amended),
made under the Import of Live Fish (England and Wales) Act 1980, makes it
an offence to keep any crayfish in England and Wales, except under licence
(with specific exemption areas for signal crayfish).

Here's the full quote.

"guidance notes
It is an offence under section 3(1) of the Import of Live
Fish (England and Wales) Act 1980, under which the
Prohibition of Keeping of Live Fish (Crayfish) Order 1996,
as amended, is made, to keep non-native crayfish without
a valid licence, with the exception of signal crayfish kept
in exempted areas (see below).
No licence is required to keep signal crayfish (Pacifastacus
leniusculus) in areas of England and Wales where extensive
feral populations have become established. "

Maybe that makes it a little clearer.

 

[Boga]

River Blyth is now full of them. Gamekeeper put a dead grey squirrel in a keepnet and next day it was full. He's applied for a license to catch them and told it could take 2 years. What a farce.

That's odd, it states -

"We require 20 working days to process your application. However, we will aim to do it within 10 days. This may take
longer if the water you plan to trap on has a conservation
designation such as an SSSI, as we may need to consult with
other organisations. "

 

[Boga]

Here is the official response I received today from the Environment Agency.


"The trapping of crayfish is only allowed depending on a number of factors; including, location and reason for trapping.

Trapping in the North of England & Wales

The use of traps to catch crayfish in the North of England & Wales (unless for scientific research, conservation, or fishery management) will normally be refused for the following reasons:

Increased risk of spreading crayfish plague and other fish diseases

The risk of capture and or harming native crayfish

Small scale trapping of Signal crayfish has been shown to increase rather than

decrease their population size*

*Scientific evidence shows large males are preferentially attracted to traps, while females and small males are trap-shy. As large male signal crayfish cannibalise juveniles they have the effect of keeping total population numbers down. In areas where trapping has occurred, the removing of these large males has resulted in a dramatic increase of overall signal
numbers in the years after trapping.

Trapping in South of England

The use of traps in southern England to catch crayfish for personal consumption or as a business enterprise is likely to be approved. However, our preference is for members of the public to use a rod and line because:

Traps can impact on non-target species – water voles, otters, amphibians

Rod licence revenue is invested into improving angling and fisheries management"



There it is folks, it makes sense to me.