The crayfish came in two by two....

[Melonfish]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8219610.stm

interesting article on the bbc news site, anybody got any large bodies of water they can donate to this cause?

although i reckon the environment agency could do us all a favour and declare open season on all signals and perhaps provide us with up to date data on how widespread they are.
i know that if i had signals local i'd trap as many of them as i could (after appropriating the correct licences etc)
pete

 

[EdS]

problem with trapping is that is takes a disproportionate number of large males. The normal food for these males is other crayfishb (more than trapping will take) - trapping can lead to a population increase as the natural control population is removed

 

[Melonfish]

perhaps something akin to miniature depth charges then? not sure what else we can do to combat this tasty menace?

 

[spamel]

Nothing much. I suppose some boffins in a lab could concoct a disease to wipe out the red signals and release it into the waterways without thoroughly testing it first and then we'll see disgusting side effects in other creatures or the signals something akin to Mixymytosis! Failing that, introduce a predator from another country that has no natural predators here and swap one problem for another!

 

[Melonfish]

there was an old lady who swallowed a fly....

 

[bothyman]

How are they going to keep the bad ones out ???

Good idea, but after the money has gone who is going to look after it ??

MickT

 

[stevesteve]

Failing that, introduce a predator from another country that has no natural predators here and swap one problem for another!

How about some large toads with poisonous skins... I hear the Aussies have some they'd like to shift

It's very difficult to shift a species when it moves in to a new environment. A small, abundant species such as the Signal Crayfish doubly so. It is here to stay I suspect.

BTW in the 'Rivers' series Gryff spoke to a couple of likely lads who were 'crabbing' by leaning over a wall with a baited drop net. Not 'trappping' as such but they did haul up an occaisional crayfish. Anyone know whether this is allowed?

Cheers,
Steve