Crayfish

[Vyvsdad]

Ok,

Does anyone really have any qualms (other than getting caught and the potential consequences) about catching and eating non native crayfish. They are after all easy to catch, easy to identify from the natives (should you catch one), plentiful, a pest, and good eating. I have known several water bailiffs in my time whos attitude was that everyone with a rod licence should also have a crayfish license and trap, catch what they can whilst fishing and the either kill or eat the crayfish, reckoning that that would make a dent in the numbers. I should point out that this was their 'in the pub having had a few sherberts' attitude, not there professional carefully considered opinion

I know its illegal to do without jumping through the right hoops, but how heavily would you really be punished if you got caught? A light ticking off or throw the book at you? After all, I might well have the attitude of 'By catching and eating these non native crayfish I'm helping you out and doing you a favour', but I doubt that they would share that exact same opinion.

What do you all think?

 

[Retired Member southey]

Considering there isn't a fee any more, why not just get a licence

 

[Vyvsdad]

Considering there isn't a fee any more, why not just get a licence

Because I've been in situations where I've had scraps that would make ideal bait and enough stuff to bodge a 'trap', but no permission from a land owner, and no official ticket, so to do so would have been illegal.

 

[Retired Member southey]

this forum doesn't promote illegal activities chap

 

[Bushwhacker]

Nothing to stop you from simply picking them up from the shallows in your hands as I've done on many occasions.

 

[Vyvsdad]

this forum doesn't promote illegal activities chap

Yet people seem to be quite open about wilderness camping without permission...

 

[Retired Member southey]

Okay chap, have a nice day

 

[EdS]

because the up to date thniking is that trapping isn't the answer.

Trapping tends to take the bigger more arressive males -a high % of their diet is other non native crayfish. Research has shown that trappnig can actually lead to an increase in invasive crayfish numbers. It also increase to movement of crayfish from other rivers stretches into the area, spreading the fungal disease that kills the natives.

You could always just catch them by hand.

 

[Compo Semite]

To be honest mate I really could'nt see any self respecting water bailiff having a problem with you clearing out some American crayfish. Try hand lining for them, all you need to do is tie a bit of old macral onto a piece of string and you'll end up with buckets full of the damned things! I remember years ago me and this old boy sat by the river Wey in Guilford town centre pulling dozens of them out of the water on after the other.