Kevin Thornton
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So, one of the last remaining strongholds of the White Clawed Crayfish is under threat following the discovery of Red Signals in the Rivers Wansbeck and Aln. It’s a good thing the Environment Agency has discovered them now before it’s too late. Let me tell you, it’s already too late and the emergency measures that the EA have put out won’t have any effect at all!
The EA states, the following emergency measures.
The bid to stop the spread of the signal crayfish into rivers which are home to the smaller, native white-clawed crayfish, includes:
Disinfection procedures. This can be as simple as ensuring angling equipment is thoroughly dry when moving between rivers. (Good advice but this will only help prevent the spread of crayfish plague, it won’t stop the spread of Red Signals).
A halt to the transfer of fish from the Derwent to catchments which are home to native crayfish. (Again, a sensible measure, but this probably means that no licences to trap fish will be issued, and, as we know, in the eyes of the EA, for fish, read crayfish. The Red Signals will be allowed to remain where they are!)
Informing everyone about the problem and how to prevent the spread to important crayfish rivers (Enough said I think!)
The EA states, the following emergency measures.
The bid to stop the spread of the signal crayfish into rivers which are home to the smaller, native white-clawed crayfish, includes:
Disinfection procedures. This can be as simple as ensuring angling equipment is thoroughly dry when moving between rivers. (Good advice but this will only help prevent the spread of crayfish plague, it won’t stop the spread of Red Signals).
A halt to the transfer of fish from the Derwent to catchments which are home to native crayfish. (Again, a sensible measure, but this probably means that no licences to trap fish will be issued, and, as we know, in the eyes of the EA, for fish, read crayfish. The Red Signals will be allowed to remain where they are!)
Informing everyone about the problem and how to prevent the spread to important crayfish rivers (Enough said I think!)