invasive species

Subject: invasive species Thu Feb 10, 2011 7:08 pm

hi all
why does one have to obtain a crayfish licence to remove crayfish from my local thames trib when the species are turkish, swamp and american signal which are aliens. in 2003 they travelled about 10 miles to avoid the pursuing pollution and being more mobile than the fish that can never be replaced. the ea did put gudgeon sized barbel in the upper reaches and we fished these out dead at over 5lbs. they would not be fished out for profit but for human consumption and any not consumed would be destroyed. they chop the heads of lobworms and remove any soft baits from the hair or hook. i rake out loads in the summer with my weed rake and they never go back.

Subject: Re: invasive species Thu Feb 10, 2011 7:40 pm

Think it`s [the law ] been brought in to try to prevent accidental taking of natives [yea like we have any left ]and stop unscrupulous people moving the signals around to other waters .
We have a licence to trap them on our mooring on the Kennett and they are very nice but never tried the Turkish ones ,Are they very widespread? Steve

Subject: invasive species Thu Feb 10, 2011 9:10 pm

i dont know how widespread they are steve. a while back i went on the ea web site and indentified the 3 species. it was just my luck on the thames 7pm-7am T.A.C match i caught one of them crabs. I was told crayfish eat fish eggs but i have only seen a perch waiting for 4 pairs chubb to spawn to get the eggs.

Posts : 2435 Join date : 2010-01-28

Andy what I'm going to say isn't gospel but an 'educated' guess based on what I've learned whilst being with the EA Fisheries team. I'll clarify and get back to you with confirmation I'm right or not.

Andy its partly what Steve A. said and partly because if you licence it, you can specify what traps, or as the EA call them "instruments" are laid.

Now eels are afforded some protection by European legislation, I think traps need to be used that can allow eels to escape. Other fish too. I think they also need to have otter guards incorporated, so otters don't get in, get tangled and drown.

Subject: Re: invasive species Fri Feb 11, 2011 7:54 am

Steve Holmes wrote:: Andy what I'm going to say isn't gospel but an 'educated' guess based on what I've learned whilst being with the EA Fisheries team. I'll clarify and get back to you with confirmation I'm right or not.

Andy its partly what Steve A. said and partly because if you licence it, you can specify what traps, or as the EA call them "instruments" are laid.

Now eels are afforded some protection by European legislation, I think traps need to be used that can allow eels to escape. Other fish too. I think they also need to have otter guards incorporated, so otters don't get in, get tangled and drown.

Steve most on our island use the collapseable type of trap with a small bait pouch and zip to get your prey out ,Last year i forgot i left my trap in and went back to the boat a couple of days later to find half the Crays cut in half and eaten by there bigger bretheren and alongside them a massive eel ....well 4 and a bit pounds so a fair lump anyways which of course i released .
Didnt get a pic as i had forgoten how difficult to hold the slippery bugeers are oops Steve

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