Trapping Signal Crayfish

[T.eddie]

Hi all,

Ive recently been approved to trap on a stream that runs through one of the farms I shoot on. When I spoke with the environment agency (EA) they advised that a licence would need to be obtained from natural England if I wanted to take the crayfish home while they are still alive (I would prefer to do this so that they can be cleaned/purged prior to being despatched).
I looked over the application and it seemed very much geared towards commercial enterprise. As this was for personal consumption I contacted Natural England for clarification, as watching people do this in the UK on YouTube / reading blogs for UK trappers it seemed many were not doing so legally from what I could make out of the rules.

To help others that may be looking into this, the response I received advised to the question "Can you take trapped signal crayfish home alive to despatch after purging (24hrs):

"Unfortunately this is not something Natural England would licence. Our licencing facilities are for business purposes only.

As the transport of live signal crayfish from area of capture is illegal without a licence, please read the further information below, which you could find of use for capturing and dispatch on site for personal consumption.

The invasive alien species (enforcement) order came into force in December 2019. this now restricts certain activities such as the keeping and transport and release of listed species. So individuals intending to hold and transport live signal crayfish for commercial purposes mist now apply to Natural England. If you are trapping just for personal consumption then Natural England would not be able to issue you a licence for this purpose. To emphasise, the keeping, transport and release of live listed crayfish species is an illegal activity which we are unable to licence you to do."

hopefully the above will help others out who are venturing to do this, with all things legal best to contact the Natural England and the Environment Agency if there are any questions/queries

Tom

 

[pob]

That's interesting and also a crying shame. It seems that they don't want your help controlling numbers.

Could you rig up a keep net/purging system onsite perhaps? I suppose it depends how often you visit site. I didn't purge the ones I caught, and that was an unpleasant experience.

 

[T.eddie]

That's interesting and also a crying shame. It seems that they don't want your help controlling numbers.

Could you rig up a keep net/purging system onsite perhaps? I suppose it depends how often you visit site. I didn't purge the ones I caught, and that was an unpleasant experience.

Very much a weird rule, I understand from a contamination and distribution perspective but if you have gone through the trouble of getting a licence then surely they should trust that you won't do anything illegal with it

I'll take a couple of large water vessels and a large cooler. Can then put the crayfish in, fill with water swirl around to clean the mud etc off, let drain and do again then despatch, devein and get home

 

[Milk no sugar please]

My brother has this licence for the river Lugg where there are plenty of them now sadly.

You should know if you take them away and leave them in a tub of water for 24h, they will all eat each other. You won’t be left with many other than a couple of the bigger ones.

 

[devon deer stalker]

Ridiculous rules, but correct.
As soon as they accept the white clawed native crayfish is doomed then we can get on with catching and eating the signal crayfish.
I went to a presentation night a couple of weeks ago, very depressing, and frustrating!

 

[T.eddie]

Ive got 5 traps and actually only wanted to be able to get them home to clean properly, happy that deveining will get the rubbish out of them but cleaning the outside and seams prior to despatch would to me make sense as to reducing the risk of bacteria. A very odd rule and only since 2019

 

[Morkai]

Well if you take them home in an icebox, alive, I wont tell anyone..

 

[User00053]

Just a case of un- natural england been thorough leaving no loopholes real fun bunch and in some cases( but not all )make our mr cwis a saint regarding shooting and conservation to many let their personal views influence decision making but can see their point with the crayfish as to cover themselves as always.

 

[T.eddie]

Just a case of un- natural england been thorough leaving no loopholes real fun bunch and in some cases( but not all )make our mr cwis a saint regarding shooting and conservation to many let their personal views influence decision making but can see their point with the crayfish as to cover themselves as always.

Yeah 100% get the need to reduce the spread further, though with reports on this bit going back to early 2000's I'd imagine the risk has all but been displaced and the spread inevitable

 

[User00053]

Yeah 100% get the need to reduce the spread further, though with reports on this bit going back to early 2000's I'd imagine the risk has all but been displaced and the spread inevitable

Can only say used to live half a mile or so from large still water rammed full of signals along with all the becks and tributaries which fed a major river, one beck running less than hundred yards from house with plenty small signals.
The large ones lived in the still water and were trapped by some locals to eat now and again all living in same water shed riddled with them, just seems silly not to be able to transport alive back home under new rules plus most of area mentioned a ssi. Was pushing twenty years back and still jumping with them don’t think folks bothered with a licence then.

 

[T.eddie]

Can only say used to live half a mile or so from large still water rammed full of signals along with all the becks and tributaries which fed a major river, one beck running less than hundred yards from house with plenty small signals.
The large ones lived in the still water and were trapped by some locals to eat now and again all living in same water shed riddled with them, just seems silly not to be able to transport alive back home under new rules plus most of area mentioned a ssi. Was pushing twenty years back and still jumping with them don’t think folks bothered with a licence then.

Yeah does seem a daft rule when you think about the need to try and remove as many as possible, people will not want to travel back with dead ones for fear of the bacteria. The bit I'll be doing it on also runs into an sssi so you would also think there would be a greater requirement to try and reduce them, but in all fairness I'll just be happy to get some hopefully

 

[User00053]

Yeah does seem a daft rule when you think about the need to try and remove as many as possible, people will not want to travel back with dead ones for fear of the bacteria. The bit I'll be doing it on also runs into an sssi so you would also think there would be a greater requirement to try and reduce them, but in all fairness I'll just be happy to get some hopefully

Have fun and enjoy

 

[T.eddie]

Have fun and enjoy

Thanks mate, I'm also taking my daughter to get her involved in the first attempt at getting her own food, she's 3 In July but has been hounding me to "go to the farm and catch crabs"

 

[Morkai]

@T.eddie i want to see some pics of Crayfish in the food porn section.

Smothered in butter, garlic powder, onion salt, cayenne and paprika.

 

[T.eddie]

@T.eddie i want to see some pics of Crayfish in the food porn section.

Smothered in butter, garlic powder, onion salt, cayenne and paprika.

I'll try, they have to cooperate first I've been hankering to do my own cajun crawfish boil so hoping I can turn that into a reality soon

 

[Morkai]

I'll try, they have to cooperate first I've been hankering to do my own cajun crawfish boil so hoping I can turn that into a reality soon

I was watching big Malcom Reed from HowToBBQRight do a big boil the other day, I think I could eat as many as was put infromt of me.

Lovely things.

 

[T.eddie]

I was watching big Malcom Reed from HowToBBQRight do a big boil the other day, I think I could eat as many as was put infromt of me.

Lovely things.

Funny enough so was I, absolutely mouth watering watching that

 

[shakey jake]

i caught a load a few years ago, once cooked saved all the shells and made a bisque. considering the shite they live it was incredable.
i didnt bother with purging

 

[tonyshooter]

My permit is for a Peak District river and the American Signal Crayfish that we catch must be killed and disposed of onsite.

 

[T.eddie]

i caught a load a few years ago, once cooked saved all the shells and made a bisque. considering the shite they live it was incredable.
i didnt bother with purging

That's good to know hopefully it won't cause any harm to any recipes I do then