Found cray fish pots

Thu 21 Dec 2017, 14:55

Katie; I have never trapped them. You don't need permission if you're not using a net or trap.

Wed 20 Dec 2017, 18:14

To finish off the Crayfish thread, John Lanyon reminded me of Rob Stepney's earlier poem about Crayfish and I thought I would reproduce it here. Of course you can obtain copies of our wonderful Town poets' latest efforts 'Words Come out to Play' from John at 3, Woodfield Drive in time for Christmas!

Rob: This was written after a crayfishing trip with Alan Fraser, which happened to coincide with the death of Reggie, one of the infamous Kray twins, gangsters who had terrified East London.

An adventure at dusk by Pudlicote Bridge
In a rising Evenlode mist
Humans and river crustaceans
In an annual Autumn tryst

A mesh of metal hung from a string
A pig heart wired to the grill
Bait for Ronnie and Reggie
Who would both be keen for the kill

As the grill's hauled up over forked stick
Dark scorpion shapes cling to the flesh
A fumbling attempt keeps them there
Until the bucket is under the mesh

Shaken off and imprisoned they scrabble around
Waving East End boxers' claws
Tangled feelers as long as themselves
And scavenging, gangster jaws
If there's nothing else, they'll eat each other

To all sense of morality numb
Primitive, but highly successful
And, by reputation, kind to their Mum

Sweet nuggets of flesh in the armoured tail
Are good, though nothing like lobster
But there's a scrap to be found in the pincers too,
And that's enough for a mobster.

Mon 18 Dec 2017, 08:59

Vicky, that may true informally, but technically you are supposed to apply to the EA for permission and they give you identification tags to put on your nets. It's free and you can apply here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/permission-to-trap-crayfish-eels-elvers-salmon-and-sea-trout
My authorisation came through v. quickly.

Mon 18 Dec 2017, 08:36

A friend of mine who was an environmental health officer, told me that they have absolutely no problem with any member of the public removing these invader crayfish. They are very tasty on a barbecue with garlic marinade! You need to get at least 20 to make it worthwhile though but that's easily done.

Sun 17 Dec 2017, 22:39

Native British crawdads are no different in feeding than N.American ones, so if you eat riparian roadkill via proxy, the more red crawdads in the pot the better! Billions of them though, we won't make much of a dent on the invader population though. Perhaps we should genetically engineer super whiteclaws capable of out competing the foreigners. Or import whatever keeps them down in their native range ... oh, hang on a tick, ain't one major actor mink...?

Sat 16 Dec 2017, 20:41

Tony rest assured there are no native Whiteclawed (native) Crayfish in the Evenlode, or Oxfordshire and hasn't been for over 20 years! The invader Signal Crayfish eliminated them all years ago, they don't co-exist. There are only a handful of Environment Agency protected 'ark' sites for native ones nationwide. I have done much research on Signals and they're horrific for UK aquatic eco systems, they are the equivalent of a plague of rats. I would not eat them for free let alone pay at restaurant / pub as they basically feed on anything dead, detritus and each other when they can't catch little fish, larvae etc! They are nasty, aggressive creatures that have no place in the uk and the EA have been powerless to stop them spreading. Best thing to do with any caught is stamp on them and it's actually illegal to put them back in the river - although it's academic as there are billions nationwide now. The poor inoffensive, harmless native one - that many of us older local residents used to enjoy catching under stones (in the then clearer running Evenlode!) is almost extinct.

Sat 16 Dec 2017, 16:16 (last edited on Sat 16 Dec 2017, 16:45)

Update, I've collected them and they are now at my house, so message me if you want to pick them up. I have also found the tag, buried in the net so will be contacting the EA so that hopefully they can be restored to their (legal) owner.

Sat 16 Dec 2017, 12:24

Some "posh" restaurants will buy these to put on their menu, so there may be a "business" going on.

Sat 16 Dec 2017, 10:52

Hi Tony. I've emailed you via this site.

Sat 16 Dec 2017, 10:51

I saw a young guy in a landrover pickup type of thing a few weeks ago who was emptying the traps all along that bottom field, so there is obviously a business of sorts going on, either that or some sort of environmental clearance scheme?

Fri 15 Dec 2017, 15:08

To re-assure Russell - I left the traps well out of the water, and the entrance size and design are small enough to prevent otters getting into them - as recommended by the EA

Fri 15 Dec 2017, 15:07

I don't think it's right to be providing (foreign-invader) crayfish with shelter and medicine. Perhaps tramps would make better use of such services?

Fri 15 Dec 2017, 15:06

It's an old Charlbury tradition. It warns others to keep away!

Fri 15 Dec 2017, 14:43

I don't think it's right to hang tramps from trees, Russell.

Fri 15 Dec 2017, 12:39

If they are cheap traps hang them in a tree because they are known to trap otters as well as crayfish

Fri 15 Dec 2017, 12:00

I don't think it's right to tag travellers, Russell.

Fri 15 Dec 2017, 11:54

This suggests that they were used without a licence. Hannen do you know any more about these young lads - who they were approaching etc. I had heard that some native crayfish had been found

Fri 15 Dec 2017, 08:45

Hi Russell, I know they should, but they don't have tags attached.

Fri 15 Dec 2017, 00:11 (last edited on Fri 15 Dec 2017, 00:44)

They should have tags on them. If you phone the environment agency they could reunite them with the owner.

Thu 14 Dec 2017, 19:15

Interesting. A few months ago I came across two young lads selling crayfish. "Travelers", I assume. Perhaps unfairly. Do we know of any traveler camps nearby? When I worked at Surrey County Council in the early 1980s we used to look after them, in a civic sort of way. Shelter, medicine, etc. All ended when Maggie came to power and abolished us, and I suppose, to some extent, them.

Thu 14 Dec 2017, 14:45 (last edited on Thu 14 Dec 2017, 14:45)

Out walking over Jubilee bridge just now, and retrieved two cray fish pots that had had got caught in tree debris that had been washed down in the melt water. If they are yours they are at the side of the bridge on the Watery Lane side.