Signal Crayfish

[torsen]

any rivers nearer to york where the signals are on the increase? just seen a feature on tv regarding the us invaders and how tasty they are. thinking about investing in a crayfish pot.
with regards the crayfish plague they spread - presume that wouldn't affect consumption?

cheers

[Dan Salter]

I guess we watched the same programme then? ( its still on) see my post above yours?

[torsen]

that we did. you must have posted while i was armwrestling with my super slow net connection. i think eating tasty crustaceans while doing my bit for UK wildlife is about as good as it gets.

do you have a link to the relevant environment agency page for the free license?

[Dan Salter]

No i havent looked yet i need to find out if i have the crayfish in my area first

[Airehead]

Take it easy folks, if it were so easy to live off the land we wouldn't have supermarkets.
Following is an extract from th EA web site. I suggest you get in touch and make sure you are on the right side of the law and any local angling clubs who ar paying for the fishing rights.

QUOTE:
Crayfish trapping advice packs are also available from the National Fisheries Laboratory 01480 483968.

A new byelaw for trapping crayfish in England and Wales came into force on the 1st of June 2005.

In the past only the Thames Region of the Environment Agency had the authority to allow this activity.

The byelaw changes restrict accidental or deliberate transportation of alien crayfish and ‘crayfish plague’, whilst still allowing the legitimate trapping of the crustaceans.

Permission to trap crayfish will be dependant on the local situation in particular the presence of the native white claw crayfish.


The byelaws are enforced through existing fisheries enforcement routes, i.e. un-consented use of traps may be reported to us by members of the public or detection may occur through routine fisheries enforcement patrols.

If people break the byelaw, the alleged offence will be investigated and action will be taken in line with the Agency’s prosecution policy.

If the offence were of sufficient severity then the matter would be taken to court, if found guilty the offender may have their traps forfeited by the court and/or a fine, of up to £2500, imposed on them.

[Dan Salter]

Thanks for that airhead ....very usefull but i would like to point out we both had no intention of breaking any laws and intended to get any license and permission needed....if all that is good and dandy then i plan to eat as many as possible.

[torsen]

many thanks airehead. i second what dan's saying. def have no intention of breaking any laws. dan - just been watching another programme : urban chef (i don't watch that much telly honest) and they mentioned the fact that you should always purge crayfish (leave em in buckets of fresh water and change daily) for a couple of weeks before eating. prob worth knowin'...

[Dan Salter]

Originally Posted by torsen

many thanks airehead. i second what dan's saying. def have no intention of breaking any laws. dan - just been watching another programme : urban chef (i don't watch that much telly honest) and they mentioned the fact that you should always purge crayfish (leave em in buckets of fresh water and change daily) for a couple of weeks before eating. prob worth knowin'...

Yes probably is....i didnt see Gordon Ramsey do it though? and he fed it to his kids ha ha..

Shouldnt be a problem though ...with the steady stream that can be caught just need some rotation sytem of a few buckets of clean water and eventually they make it to the plate while fresh monsters are coming in the chain at the other end...sounds fun to me.

[BM]

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

Yes probably is....i didnt see Gordon Ramsey do it though? and he fed it to his kids ha ha..

Shouldnt be a problem though ...with the steady stream that can be caught just need some rotation sytem of a few buckets of clean water and eventually they make it to the plate while fresh monsters are coming in the chain at the other end...sounds fun to me.

...... also probably best to figure out a way of sterilising the water used to house the crayfish so as not to spread the "plague" further. Maybe boil it? More info here.

Luckily we don't seem to get them in my neck of the woods yet.

[notbrazil]

oooooooooooooooo. Missed the programme. Never mind. EA kindly sent me a Identification Book on Crayfish in British Waterways. The missus is considering a divorce. She says I'm definately not the man she married.

Anyway, had a dive on Tuesday at another W Yorks river. The river was signal crayfish soup. Literally. Maybe the Americans & British should consider bringing home all the troops and sending this armoured army in instead. "Six insurgents and 14 crayfish from the W yorks batallion killed today in Basra..."

I have applied for a license. I am going to eat these all winter. I would not consider purging these in a bucket as eggs could be released. My advice is either freeze or eat immediately. If removing from a river be very careful. Make sure none get away. These things breed like cockroaches. They are free from toxins as they only inhabit clean water so good to eat straight away.