Crayfish

[SaggyOldClothCatPuss]

Ok. Im new here, and Im sure its been done many times before, but bear with me...
Could anyone tell me if I need a license to catch crayfish with a string and bacon rind, and does anyone know any good spots (and is willing to share) In the Dedham/Ardleigh/Manningtree Area of North Essex?
Id be interested in trapping them too, but Im not sure where to start with the whole licensing issue. Do you need to find out where they are before applying? Ive also heard that it is very hard to actually get a license.
I recently met a forager, who reckoned that the string/bacon method was VERY sucessful.

 

[udamiano]

Hi and welcome to the forums,

as far as I understand you do indeed need a license to fish for crayfish, if you have a look around; there was a thread posted before christmas on the same said issue

 

[Adze]

You need a licence to trap, but not to fish for, them.

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

 

[Urban X]

Plenty of info on catching those buggers here:

Environment Agency

And a bit here

The Field - How to Catch Crayfish

I don't think it'll be hard to get a license if they are a problem in your area or you're trapping on private water.


Si

 

[axspike]

hi,
i have been tring to get a licence to trap crayfish in somerset...taunton/crewkerne/ilminster/yeovil area, i have been told by the enviroment agency/ southwest water that i need to get the landowners permission so i can get a licence,but they wont be able to tell me where i can find the crayfish in order to get permission from the landowner without a licence. im stuck!

Angus

 

[JAG009]

So why do you need a license to catch a pest ? its not as if they look anything like our native ones


Jason

 

[Adze]

So why do you need a license to catch a pest ? its not as if they look anything like our native ones

Jason

Simple answer... you don't. There's no licence requirement to catch them whatsoever - only if you use TRAPS or other fixed engines (e.g. fyke nets) do you need a licence.

 

[Chiseller]

String /bacon is good, string/chicken leg is better gives a real buzz once you've caught a few using your hand to grab em :thumbup:

Sent from my HTC Explorer using Tapatalk 2

 

[JAG009]

Simple answer... you don't. There's no licence requirement to catch them whatsoever - only if you use TRAPS or other fixed engines (e.g. fyke nets) do you need a licence.

Thanks for the info ,so you can catch them the same way you catch crabs with a line with some baits a few at a time ,which would hardly make a dent in there numbers ,but as soon as you put a net or trap of some sort which has a chance of lowering there numbers , you need a license ...now that seems nuts to me
These critters are pests which are seriously damaging fish stocks in our rivers which are just recovering from the polution we had been pumping into them for years

Jason

 

[Vulpes]

I've been looking into this too and thinking about possibly casting out some bicycle wheel nets. There was a survey map on concentrations of all sorts of species somewhere...just can't find it at the moment, but I found that alot of them are pretty close to home. Closer to the sea than I thought they'd get too. My Mum's partner is a carp fisherman and says the fisheries are riddled with them and that they eat all the bait.

Aren't they more active at night being that kind of predator?

I wonder too that if we eat up all the big ones, it's only half the problem solved because what about the smaller ones in the larval stages, etc? Perhaps some sort of larvae eating, steroid pumped super fish is necessary

 

[Big Stu 12]

Ok. Im new here, and Im sure its been done many times before, but bear with me...
Could anyone tell me if I need a license to catch crayfish with a string and bacon rind, and does anyone know any good spots (and is willing to share) In the Dedham/Ardleigh/Manningtree Area of North Essex?
Id be interested in trapping them too, but Im not sure where to start with the whole licensing issue. Do you need to find out where they are before applying? Ive also heard that it is very hard to actually get a license.
I recently met a forager, who reckoned that the string/bacon method was VERY sucessful.

Hi, good to see a new local member, If your interested theres a group up and nearly crawing near you

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84745&page=10

 

[troutman]

As others have said, should be fine to catch them without a licence providing you don't use a tunnel type trap or net. If you can make sure you keep only the larger (and tastier) American Signal crayfish as these are the invasive species!

 

[ScoobySnacks]

So if I set a trap for, say, eel and accidentally catch a few crayfish, is that illegal?

 

[EdS]

So if I set a trap for, say, eel and accidentally catch a few crayfish, is that illegal?

Yes. As it is also illegal to trap eels. Any traps going it a water course need appropriate license

 

[Expat]

Why not get in touch with your local (coarse) fishing club(s)...?

Edited to say this was meant for axspike....

 

[Adze]

Thanks for the info ,so you can catch them the same way you catch crabs with a line with some baits a few at a time ,which would hardly make a dent in there numbers ,but as soon as you put a net or trap of some sort which has a chance of lowering there numbers , you need a license ...now that seems nuts to me
These critters are pests which are seriously damaging fish stocks in our rivers which are just recovering from the polution we had been pumping into them for years

Jason

No, that's not what I said. You can fish for them with a net, just not a fixed net from which they, or more importantly anything else which might get accidentally caught in it, cannot escape. A trap is something from which self release is difficult or impossible or which is typically left unattended - this poses a danger to other, non-target, species some of which might be endangered themselves. It doesn't take very many accidentally caught and drowned water voles, otters, kingfishers etc. etc. etc. to totally undermine any potential positive from catching signal crayfish.

I've used drop nets plenty of times, I once had 14 crays in under 5 minutes and they're just as effective, when used correctly, as a trap.

Cheers!