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Post by blademanx on Sept 6, 2016 19:54:27 GMT
Hi all.
Been in touch with EA regarding a problem with Signal Crayfish on the Rother around Woodhouse Mill area.
They are becoming a nuisance and a possible threat to future fish populations.
Unfortunately there is nothing they can do other than advising anglers to kill them.
Trapping is not allowed on Yorkshire rivers.
Wonder if this problem has escalated to other Yorkshire rivers?
At least the chub are getting big on them lol...
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Post by crofton blade on Sept 7, 2016 8:39:10 GMT
Lots on the Dearne where I fish.Make a nice crunch under your boot. Bailiffs caught a Lithuanian a couple of weeks ago trapping them- and for some reason reported him to the EA! Should have let him carry on.
Not caught any at all on the Don or the Calder although they are reckoned to be there.
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Post by blademanx on Sept 7, 2016 11:51:30 GMT
Strange laws that you can't trap them in Yorkshire but are allowed to in the Midlands..
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Post by nick88 on Sept 7, 2016 16:02:20 GMT
Solid with them on the Calder around huddersfield and big ones too. The perch and chub seem to enjoy them tho!
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Post by bof on Sept 27, 2016 20:58:15 GMT
Should mean a bit of a growth spurt for the bigger fish then, but a bit of a fry survival problem later when those big old fish eventually die off.
BOF  |
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Post by blademanx on Sept 28, 2016 17:32:19 GMT
The Rother around Woodhouse Mill, upstream to Beighton and downstream to Catcliffe has some really big chub and barbel present.
The chub must be eating the Crayfish to get so big.
There's a gravel bar that they both spawn around every year nearby.
Seen in excess of 40-50 fish at a time.
My dad used to run a local fishing club years ago.
He proposed to members that the club should buy the stretch as the pit was closing and the river would be cleaned up with no more waste etc being pumped in from the pit.They laughed at him.
The river is perfect now ...my dad chuckles about it now saying that they knew nowt.
The stretch is free to fish now and great roving river.
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Post by rayner on Sept 29, 2016 12:03:47 GMT
One particular swim above Woodhouse mill sees a lot of 10mm liver pellets and has done for a good few years.
This may have helped.
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Post by luckatme on Sept 30, 2016 9:10:46 GMT
Calder where it splits in mirfield town centre, Newgate! The place is full of them
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Post by zathras on Sept 30, 2016 23:00:20 GMT
From what I have read etc. in the last year or so, it is illegal to trap or kill them. DEFRA and the EA have designated them an INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES and are endangering the indigenous Freshwater Crayfish AND all fish species (destruction of the eggs). BUT !!!! unless you apply for a trapping licence you are not allowed to take or kill them  ??.
The one upside is - apparently they taste good - they were originally brought in for the Catering Trade, but like Mink and Coypu they were dumped by ignorant moneygrabbers because they were prolific breeders & eaters. You never know the Mitten Crabs might remove them when they arrive up here from the 'Deep Sarff' |
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Post by crofton blade on Oct 1, 2016 6:43:59 GMT
It doesn't stop my right welly falling on them though Les, they make a nice crunching sound!
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Post by zathras on Oct 1, 2016 18:58:37 GMT
Very true young Rich !!!!
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Post by rayner on Oct 4, 2016 12:08:35 GMT
From what I have read etc. in the last year or so, it is illegal to trap or kill them. DEFRA and the EA have designated them an INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES and are endangering the indigenous Freshwater Crayfish AND all fish species (destruction of the eggs). BUT !!!! unless you apply for a trapping licence you are not allowed to take or kill them ??.
The one upside is - apparently they taste good - they were originally brought in for the Catering Trade, but like Mink and Coypu they were dumped by ignorant moneygrabbers because they were prolific breeders & eaters. You never know the Mitten Crabs might remove them when they arrive up here from the 'Deep Sarff' If there was a proliferation
If there was a proliferation of water bailiff then I suppose it could be risky trapping them, there's not.
I haven't seen a bailiff for 20 odd years. When locals where I live fish unchecked through the close season I doubt the EA have time to see where I put a few kray traps. I can see them on my bbq anytime soon. |
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Post by zathras on Oct 7, 2016 1:36:41 GMT
I agree Rayner - it was mainly a rant against 'the institution'.
These people justify their well paid comfy jobs and spout rules and regulations (including a load of c**p from the load of c**p that is the EU) - but then say 'oh dear it's naughty to do anything about it unless we approve and you pay for the privilege' - typical double standards !!!!
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Post by darran77 on Oct 7, 2016 20:49:41 GMT
Crayfish trapping using fyke nets (with or without leaders or wings), drop nets, crayfish traps, pots 1 to over 500 Free To find out about net licences to fish for salmon and sea trout call your regional net licensing officer on 03708 506 506 (see call charges). Crayfish trap authorisation You must not trap non-native crayfish without written consent from the Environment Agency (EA) in England or Natural Resources Wales in Wales. Application to trap crayfish (PDF, 301KB, 2 pages) You also need permission from the landowner and any relevant angling clubs. If you trap crayfish without written permission you could be prosecuted. If your application is approved you’ll get: permission to trap using approved traps, see the application form for details identity tags for each trap, these must be attached to traps a catch return form, use this to keep a record of crayfish you catch It takes 10 to 20 days to process your application. It may take longer if the water has a conservation designation such as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). In some areas you also need a licence to keep non-native crayfish alive after trapping. Apply for a licence to keep non-native crayfish www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/287562/Application_to_trap_crayfish.pdfIf you are a fish farm owner or fish farm employee you don’t need consent to trap non-native crayfish but you must comply with trap rules. Native crayfish Native crayfish are a protected species – you can only trap them for scientific purposes and not to eat or sell. To do this you need to register with Natural England and follow instructions on the class licence for white clawed crayfish. In Wales contact Natural Resources Wales. Crayfish trap rules There are strict rules about the design and size of crayfish traps because they can harm other wildlife. If traps are the wrong size or design your application will be refused. Traps must: be no longer than 600mm be no wider than 350mm at the widest point have an entrance no more than 95mm wide have mesh no bigger than 30mm at its widest point have EA identity tags You must: tell EA or NRW about crayfish you trap using a catch return form (you get the form when you’re authorised) return species not covered by consent to the water they came from |
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Post by darran77 on Oct 7, 2016 20:51:37 GMT
So who has made an application out eh!.
daz
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Post by rayner on Oct 8, 2016 12:07:38 GMT
So who has made an application out eh!. daz Nope not me, I'll go down the clandestine route. |
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Post by Sam Vimes on Oct 9, 2016 20:53:33 GMT
The situation with regards to crayfish is convoluted and full of strange contradictions.
On a national level, it's illegal to return a signal crayfish to the water and it's technically illegal to transport them live. To remove/kill them you need a trapping licence.
At a local level, you won't get a licence to trap them in the Yorkshire region. I understand that it's because of the presence of native white claw crayfish in many of our rivers.
As I understand it, the way things stand, you can't help but break the law if you are in Yorkshire. A fine example of the law being an ass.
Thankfully, none of the stillwaters I currently fish have signals present. Though they are present lower down, the upper-mid section of my local river is too rocky to support signals in numbers. I hear plenty of tales of them, but I've never seen them. I did find a small tributary beck with a good number of white claws in the past week. Good to see as I've rarely seen more than the odd one for the past thirty years or so.
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Post by darran77 on Oct 11, 2016 11:22:11 GMT
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Post by darran77 on Oct 11, 2016 11:33:40 GMT
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Post by zathras on Oct 12, 2016 22:56:05 GMT
I cannot understand the logic in not being allowed to trap them in Yorkshire. Unless you own a trawler surely it is easy enough to grab your trap and upend the crayfish to sort which are indigenous and which are red around the claws!
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Post by Sam Vimes on Oct 13, 2016 23:17:22 GMT
Perhaps, but maybe not. They used to issue trapping licenses. I'm not sure exactly when things changed, but it's relatively recently. I doubt that too many people ever bothered with a trapping license anyway. There have been plenty of newspaper articles, websites and videos published that make no mention of a license being required. I cannot understand the logic in not being allowed to trap them in Yorkshire. Unless you own a trawler surely it is easy enough to grab your trap and upend the crayfish to sort which are indigenous and which are red around the claws! The rationale that I've heard given is that they are concerned that many won't make any distinction between the species. |
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Post by darran77 on Oct 14, 2016 21:16:11 GMT
Just watched a Scott Rea U tube video www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9mD_x-mnvA where there is a bit regarding licensing where you apply to the EA with the place you wish to trap map location, grid ,name etc and they will tell you yay or nay. Ok he is south of Doncaster and the rules may be different depending on the problem but it might just be worth giving it a go. daz |
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Post by jayduke84 on Sept 27, 2019 14:36:32 GMT
Was wondering if non native crayfish are in the river dearne |
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Post by crofton blade on Sept 27, 2019 16:59:44 GMT
Was wondering if non native crayfish are in the river dearne Yes they are, in numbers! |
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