Latest news with #crayfish
BBC News
14 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Birmingham and Fazeley Canal's illegal crayfish traps removed
Several illegal crayfish traps which could have been dangerous to other wildlife have been removed from a canal by Agency Midlands said the seven unauthorised traps were removed from the Birmingham and Fazeley canal after a tip-off and added: "These traps catch not only fish and crayfish but other wildlife such as water voles."The UK's native crayfish, also known as white-clawed crayfish, and water voles are protected UK species is under threat due after the spread of the invasive North American signal crayfish, the BBC has previously reported. Government regulations on crayfish trapping say people must not trap or remove native and non-native crayfish in England without written permission from the Environment agency did not say where on the canal the traps were removed. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
CBC
07-06-2025
- Science
- CBC
2 new species of crayfish identified in Pacific Northwest — and they're already at risk
Social Sharing Two new species of crayfish have been identified in the Pacific Northwest region of North America, and researchers say both species are vulnerable to extinction. One of those crayfish is called the "misfortunate crayfish," found primarily in central Oregon, according to biologist Eric Larson. The other, the Okanagan crayfish, is found in, well, B.C.'s Okanagan Lake. Both were previously mistaken for the signal crayfish, the most common species of crayfish on the West Coast, Larson said. "They are brand new species. It's the first time anyone has called this animal the Okanagan crayfish," Larson told CBC's Daybreak South host Chris Walker. The easiest way to differentiate the signal variety from the other two is a distinctive white mark on the signal crayfish's claw. "If you find that absent or really reduced, that might suggest you're looking at the Okanagan crayfish," Larson said. Eric Taylor, a professor of zoology at the University of British Columbia, said it's important to identify different species, even if they appear very similar, for several reasons. "There's sort of an inherent value in knowing," he said. "Humans like to know about the world around us, which includes the natural world, so it's important for an accurate understanding of the level of biodiversity we have." Additionally, it helps researchers better understand the ecosystem in which these species live. Thirdly, identifying individual species gives conservationists an idea of how widespread the species is. For example, Taylor said, there could be a stronger effort to protect a species if it's only found in one small area, as opposed to across a region. At risk of extinction Okanagan and misfortunate crayfish are already considered at risk of extinction, according to Larson. Taylor said this is no surprise, given that these are smaller groups of what was once thought to be a larger population. "The smaller an area an animal or plant lives in, the greater the chance that if something bad happens, it's going to go extinct," he said. The Okanagan crayfish is of particular concern, Taylor said, because it's located in Okanagan Lake — an area of "high human impact." Larson hopes the situation will inspire conservation action. "Crayfish don't get along that well," he said. "We have moved crayfish around for centuries," Larson added, pointing to stocking lakes with crayfish, using them as bait and even classrooms releasing them into the wild. They can also catch a ride to a new location on boats, similar to invasive mussels. Larson said that, in particular, scientists worry Okanagan crayfish will be displaced by invasive virile crayfish, while misfortunate crayfish could disappear due to invasive rusty crayfish. That's a much bigger risk for the misfortunate crayfish in Oregon that has the rusty crayfish from eastern North America spreading really rapidly in its native range. But for the Okanagan crayfish, we kind of wanted to discourage movement of other crayfish into its populations. Not only can invasive species be harmful to those native to the Pacific Northwest, they also feed on fish eggs and destroy aquatic plants, Larson said, as well as damage infrastructure like irrigation canals and dams. Invasive crayfish can also carry disease, according to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
RNZ News
27-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Ban on taking crayfish from Northland's east coast on the cards
Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says a ban on taking crayfish from Northland's east coast is on the cards as warnings grow about the species' "perilous" decline. Jones said consultation on the proposal would start soon and would be controversial. The details were still being worked out, but it would likely entail a closure from a point south of Mangawhai to the Muriwhenua area at the top of the Far North. The ban would apply to both recreational and commercial fishers. "I know that closing down crayfish over the Christmas holiday period will be quite a controversial decision, so the engagement is going to be very, very tricky," Jones said. "The challenge will be, if recreational users are denied crayfish as it recovers, then should similar rules apply to tangata whenua through the kaimoana permit system that was agreed to in the Sealord settlement in 1992? I've already attracted quite a lot of adverse commentary from Northlanders about this, but it's a trade off … The resource genuinely is under extreme stress." Crayfish could be off the menu on Northand's east coast this summer as the population plummets. Photo: Supplied The minister said measures to protect the species were necessary both because of "legally adverse" decisions against the Crown, and the dire state of the crayfish population. "The scientists have advised me that it's in a perilous state, and despite my status as an industrial champion of the fishing industry, it does get perilous if we're not following the best scientific advice. But I accept that for a lot of holiday makers and a lot of stakeholders in Northland, it will be a significant change," he said. "These decisions are not for the faint hearted, but sometimes you've got to act and make very harsh calls, and I fear this may be one of them." The inner Hauraki Gulf , just south of the proposed new ban, had already been closed to crayfish harvesting for a period of three years starting from 1 April this year. Jones said local concerns about declining crayfish numbers in the Hauraki Gulf had been backed up by independent research. "A number of recreational stakeholders are fearful that closure will never, ever be removed, but the scientists continually tell me that things are perilous." Jones said the ban would apply to red crayfish, also known as spiny rock lobsters, the species best known to Northlanders. It would not apply to the packhorse cray because its population was not as threatened. It would also not include Northland's west coast, where most commercial crayfish harvesting took place. The "legally adverse decisions" Jones referred to include a High Court ruling in February this year on the government's revised quota management plan for crayfish in Northland. The court found the plan did not do enough to address "an urgent marine crisis" unfolding off the region's east coast. Photo: EnviroStrat_ Kinamonics Jones has also embarked on law changes to encourage increased harvesting of kina, or sea urchins. Kina are an important food source for crayfish and large snapper, but the predators' decline has led to an explosion in kina populations. That has caused the proliferation of "kina barrens", effectively underwater deserts where large numbers of kina have stripped away anything edible and reduced the seabed to bare rock. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
BBC News
18-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Invasive crayfish will never be eradicated says water firm
The eradication of an invasive crayfish from a Devon reservoir will "never happen", South West Water has comes as the firm revealed a new plan to reduce numbers of the problematic American signal crayfish at Burrator reservoir by tackling its spawning West Water has tried many tactics over the years to remove the non-native crayfish including using dogs. Kate Hills, South West Water's biosecurity and invasives manager said: "We will never be able to completely eradicate the crayfish – the aim is to reduce the population to a level where it will impact less on the native wildlife and the fishing." Ms Hills said she believed it was the first time a spawning ground trial had been carried out in Great American signal crayfish - which are like small, freshwater lobsters - were originally brought to the UK 50 years ago to be farmed for European the population soared after the species escaped into the wild. They carry a disease that has had a devastating impact on the endangered native white clawed well as being voracious predators, the American crayfish burrows can cause river bank West Water said the drought of 2022 presented an "increased problem with the signal crayfish, but also an opportunity to manage them".Since 2022 about 14,000 crayfish have been removed from the West Water said it also planned to start a management programme at Roadford reservoir.
RNZ News
07-05-2025
- RNZ News
Social housing for crayfish
We're heading to the Bay of Plenty where a special project is underway to restore marine life. Huge sediment plumes caused by severe weather events like Cyclone Gabrielle, have destroyed marine habitats across part of the motu. In Tauranga moana - Tauranga Harbour, port dredging has also played a part. Tua Karalus runs commercial dive company Deep Dive Division - he's part of a team creating artificial reefs, so hundreds of marine creatures have a new place to call home - he thinks of it as social housing for crayfish.
