Has Anyone Caught Any Signal Crayfish Anywhere?

[Capt.Golightly]

Has anyone encountered American Signal Crayfish anywhere? there is supposed to be an invasion of them underway but as they are so delicious I fully intend to do my part in the fight against them.

[BenC]

Southern Grand Union and London. Lots of them. There is a guy that brings his kids to the lock near our mooring once a week and catches a bucket full and takes them home (I don't think you're supposed to release them once caught).

[Bobbybass]

There are huge regulations regarding the catching of these...despite them being a pest.

You will need a license..and can only license for one area and thus cannot really move about on a boat.

You will need to 'tag' your 'pots' with the license tags that they give you...(or not)

 

The 'area' assigned is to protect our native species..and also the possibility of catching voles in the pot..hence the regulation on pot type. If you were on a boat and moved your pot there is a chance you will spread the virus.

 

As they carry a virus dangerous to our native species...if caught CANNOT be put back..neither should they be washed in your boat sink.

Get it wrong..there are big fines. Some guy a few years back mistook our native crayfish for sgnal..and his nice sandwich cost him £4000 !!

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1265806/Environmentalist-fined-4-000-catching-wrong-kind-crayfish.html

 

Look up the Environment Agency site...it has all the regulations.

I have only put his here as guidance as ;'what I think I know'.

 

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/fishing/38045.aspx

 

Bob

Edited July 17, 2013 by Bobbybass

[by'eck]

My partners son many years ago studied prawn catchers used by local fishermen whilst on holiday in France. On return he made two from bits obtained at a garden centre and gave us one.

 

Plastic hoops formed a frame that was covered in netting to form a 4 foot long 18" diameter tube. Each end had an inverted conical end with small hole to allow entry of prawns. A centrally located cross tube with access panel allowed bait to be introduced and catch removed.

 

We tried it in Falmouth harbour just hanging underwater over the edge of the town moorings pontoon. Every day we had enough for a meal for two - just 6 minutes in boiling water had them a lovely red colour.

 

It was so successful when we left for a weekend away local fishermen stole it, although it was later confiscated and returned to us by the harbour master.

[Bee]

The Thames, most of it.

[Barry]

My brother catches them on the Oxford canal near Bicester

[mrsmelly]

Ive caught and barbied bucketfuls on the Oxford and the cherwell.

 

Tim

[paul68]

This is typical of the EA, they admit signal crayfish are pests(that's putting it mildly) yet they put all these barriers in the way of normal folk who want to catch them for the pot or whatever and in doing so would help to eradicate this menace. They do a tremendous amount of damage to our native crayfish and spawning fish.

They should focus their efforts more on illegal fishing that is taking place on a wide scale.

[mark99]

You must not use a drop net on a rope, or a wire cage fashioned from chicken wire baited with a tin of cheap catfood (stabbed to release the flavour) in canals infested with signals.

 

If you come across some-one insisting on doing this make sure he checks each crayfish and takes only the great big ones with red claws just in case he has (unlikely) caught a native rare small crayfish in amongst those invader species.

Edited July 17, 2013 by mark99

[paul68]

You must not use a drop net on a rope, or a wire cage fashioned from chicken wire baited with a tin of cheap catfood (stabbed to release the flavour) in canals infested with signals.

 

If you come across some-one insisting on doing this make sure he checks each crayfish and takes only the great big ones with red claws just in case he has (unlikely) caught a native rare small crayfish in amongst those invader species.

Thanks Mark, I will do that, I mean check if I see anyone else doing it...

[mrsmelly]

You must NOT type in " Crayfish nets " on Ebay where unscrupable people may find some !! ( Loads actualy, and very cheap )

 

Tim

[jenlyn]

Boiled then fried in garlic butter............... so I've heard

[craftycarper]

Has anyone encountered American Signal Crayfish anywhere? there is supposed to be an invasion of them underway but as they are so delicious I fully intend to do my part in the fight against them.

kennet and avon around hungerford was the first place i ever saw one i have not caught and eaten loads of them from the gravel pits at south cerney were the thames rises from the ground and know they were not delicious...THE LAW IS AN ASS MR BUMBLE .

[MtB]

I've caught them in the Thames and in the Kennet at Reading.

 

 

MtB

kennet and avon around hungerford was the first place i ever saw one i have not caught and eaten loads of them from the gravel pits at south cerney were the thames rises from the ground and know they were not delicious...THE LAW IS AN ASS MR BUMBLE .

 

So how does one prepare them? I've heard people say they need to be kept for 24hrs in clean tap water before slaugter. for reasons I don't quite understand. Sounds a right faff to me!

 

Just asking out of acedemic interest, obviously....

 

 

MtB

[Starcoaster]

Matty caught one in my weedhatch and scared me half to death...

[tillergirl]

They are in the Caldon Canal as well

[Ricco1]

Macclesfield Canal, lots of them.

 

I once caught one from the nearby river Goyt while I was fly fishing for Grayling, I kid you not!

[craftycarper]

not at alll mike the boilerman straight from the water into a pot of boiling water very strange they even smell like they come from the sea when cooking and taste like a large prawn you only eat the tail and claws touch of 1000 island dressing to dip them in and good to go

[nipper]

 

You can see em climbing up the gates on the Basingstoke Canal, and some lock aprons are strewn with crayfish shells. maybe it's mink that catch em.

I, of coarse, wouldn't catch them, cus its illegal without a license!

Nipper

[mark99]

They 'aint clever either.

 

I watched some people catching them individualy out of the Basingstoke using a twig, some twine and a strip of bacon rind.

 

The signal catch the rind with claw and the chaps lifted them out with the twig - the critters did not let go of the rind until it was too late.

[Higgs]

 

You can see em climbing up the gates on the Basingstoke Canal, and some lock aprons are strewn with crayfish shells. maybe it's mink that catch em.

I, of coarse, wouldn't catch them, cus its illegal without a license!

Nipper

 

 

That picture reminds me of a kitchen I used to have to suffer, in Spain. Cockroaches.

[steelaway]

Macclesfield Canal, lots of them.

 

I once caught one from the nearby river Goyt while I was fly fishing for Grayling, I kid you not!

 

Bugsworth Basin is so full of them that you cant fish - (for fish!)

 

Alex

[Capt.Golightly]

Thanks for all the replies, very useful indeed, especially from "bobbybass" as to its legal implications, of which I was ignorant. I suppose the part about spreading the virus makes sense but surely the tiny creatures attaching themselves to my hull would do this anyway as I cruise about? anyway I shall NOT be catching any at all (even in vole safe pots) without the necessary presumably massively expensive license. You may have thought that the environment agency in recognising the level of threat to the indigenous species would welcome the hungry attentions of the water-borne community to the little rascals...but no! their greed kicks in once more and they coin life into money again!...the very reason I wish to "drop out" to an extent.

Edited July 18, 2013 by Capt.Golightly

[Bobbybass]

Thanks for all the replies, very useful indeed, especially from "bobbybass" as to its legal implications, of which I was ignorant. I suppose the part about spreading the virus makes sense but surely the tiny creatures attaching themselves to my hull would do this anyway as I cruise about? anyway I shall NOT be catching any at all (even in vole safe pots) without the necessary presumably massively expensive license. You may have thought that the environment agency in recognising the level of threat to the indigenous species would welcome the hungry attentions of the water-borne community to the little rascals...but no! their greed kicks in once more and they coin life into money again!...the very reason I wish to "drop out" to an extent.

Hey...don't pick on me !

I just thought I'd post the official view....and appeal to your sense of 'doing the right thing'

 

I know everyone here...will do the right thing..like I do.

 

I have NO...pot in my bow area.(on the end of some car wire) ...and no punctured packs of cat food.

I would like to emphasise that.

 

If I caught one..by accident..I would (of course) report it straight away..and then ask forgivness.

 

Take care out there..!..

[Caprifool]

They are about £40 a kilo over here in the autumn when we have our traditional crayfish parties.