AMERICAN crayfish in the uk

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bombay_biorb

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 5, 2007
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Bristol,south west England
Well i dont have any crayfish in my fishtanks but i really like them does anyone reckon i could get some american ones out of a stream and keep them because they are pests to native english(smaller ones)crayfish???
:feedback:
 
Yes,you could.There pests,whats there to lose:)
 
Unfortunately, you will not be able to and do so legally. DEFRA say that the only freshwater crayfish that can be kept for ornamental purposes is the Australian Redclaw. Keeping of all other non-native and even native crayfish in the UK is not permitted.
 
You can't take them from the streem in some parts of the UK, if you're in the south you can (though check exactly where). I'm in the north 'tup 'ere its illegal to remove them, even handle them without a licence, which is stupid I think as theres tons near me, but I cant remove them from the stream, but say 50 miles south, and its perfectly acceptable.
 
Keep your eye on the laws for taking from streams. I believe they are about to change and ban all movement. With DEFRA it is anyones guess what will happen because they have just found two other species that should not be in the rivers, obvious releases from illegal aquarium trading.
 
I had a row with a DEFRA divvie cause I caught a Signal cray and had it on the bank to show the kids...started going on about illegal transportation....what a ****.
 
I am sure they are worried about the spread of the creatures from one stream to another. In Ontario, we had a HUGE problem with zebra mussels a while back. You had to disinfect your boat if you were going to go from one lake to another. Everyone was parinoid about the spread of these little buggers. It is unfortunit though that you couldn't catch them to bring them back to your home without getting the cuffs slapped on. What someone needs to do is make a good recipe for crayfish tails and claws, make it a delicasy...
 
It is a bit of a back flip considering it was the governing body that encouraged the farming of the signal crayfish and did not at least lay out some conditions for the farmers. Then the farming did not go so well and the ponds were just abandoned and these guys made it to local streams. The result is damaging the salmon industry, not to mention the damage to the ecosystems, river banks and practically wiping out the native white clawed crayfish...
 
dr_sudz;1300369; said:
I am sure they are worried about the spread of the creatures from one stream to another. In Ontario, we had a HUGE problem with zebra mussels a while back. You had to disinfect your boat if you were going to go from one lake to another. Everyone was parinoid about the spread of these little buggers. It is unfortunit though that you couldn't catch them to bring them back to your home without getting the cuffs slapped on. What someone needs to do is make a good recipe for crayfish tails and claws, make it a delicasy...
crawfish boil. boil onions potatoes and 4 halved lemons with boiling seasoming like oldbay when in full boil add crawfish then let steep for 20 minutes. drain and eat everything but soup and lemons.
 
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