Are These Legal?

rocknurworld2006 · Mar 13, 2011

Are these crayfish legal in uk? i thought there was only one species we could have the common blue lobster you see. I have seen somewhere selling the following two species are they legal??

CAMBARELLUS PATZCUARENSE
Procambarus Allenii

Carlovel1 · Mar 13, 2011

It is illegal to keep non-native crayfish in England and Wales without a licence, with a few exceptions.

Davo86 · Mar 13, 2011

rocknurworld2006 said:
CAMBARELLUS PATZCUARENSE
Procambarus Allenii

These two are both 'officially' illegal to own in the UK but are still being imported,
Cambarellus patzcuarensis is even being sold in some maidenhead stores i have noticed

cherax quadricarinatus is the only legal species

emma12321 · Mar 13, 2011

agreed with davo theres even an article just out in practical fish keeping about them

Dudfield · Mar 13, 2011

can i ask a noob question....

why are they illegal

Carlovel1 · Mar 13, 2011

They get released into the wild and kill Britain's natural wildlife?

Dudfield · Mar 13, 2011

right, that makes sense

MBOU · Mar 13, 2011

Might find the MAs have had the Lobsters dumped on them, rather than importing them? Can hardly expect a shop to permanently house every species that gets dumped on them...

That said

Any Lobsters or Crayfish etc are illegal to own because of the risk of them getting into the British Waterways. Look at what the american?? Crayfish has done to the UK native species, its all but wiped them out, killing them and stealing their food and reproducing rapidly. There arent many UK Crayfish around any more... its such a shame but can you imagine the damage that COULD happen if yet another species of lobster/crayfish ended up in the rivers??? Would finish off all our native species!!

And with half the muppets that think they are capable of keeping these critters... you can guarantee a load would end up dumped in rivers and ponds!

---

I went out crayfishing close to midnight on the Rye in Wycombe, for te American pesty crayfish and none were released, they were all kepts and cleaned for a few days and ended up as dinner for a lot of people! Harsh but.... so is life!

With the aid of a few torches, some kiddy rockpool nets and a fair bit of alcohol, we managed to catch over 60 large crayfish in 2 hours!!

It was great fun and we got to see sooooo many fish!! All the great big pike, all the tiddlers and the b_ _ _ _ cant remember their names but having a mind blank! Bout 1.5 - 2ft!! All fast asleep lol.

Sad thing was the number of goldfish we saw swimming past and followed by the red bellied terrepins...

rocknurworld2006 · Mar 13, 2011

who do i report it to?

MBOU · Mar 13, 2011

Barbel... thats the fish i couldnt think of...

Erm... DEFRA i would assume?? am close to finding the right page...

MBOU · Mar 13, 2011

Section 14: Introduction of new species
Subject to the provisions of this Part, if any person releases or allows to escape into the wild any animal which:

•is of a kind which is not ordinarily resident in and is not a regular visitor to Britain in a wild state; or
•is included in Part I of Schedule 9, he shall be guilty of an offence.
Subject to the provisions of this Part, if any person plants or otherwise causes to grow in the wild any plant which is included in Part II of Schedule 9, he shall be guilty of an offence.

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Guide to the Act

http

/www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/wildlife/management/non-native/documents/section-14-guidance.pdf

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Realised this is all for species being released.. not what you want!

MBOU · Mar 13, 2011

I am sooo loving the DEFRA website, its so fascinating LOL

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

Prohibits the release into the wild of any species not native to Great
Britain. This means that you can import some non-native species but
you must ensure that they are securely contained to prevent their
escape. Enquiries to:

Defra, Wildlife Species Conservation Division
First Floor Temple Quay House,
2 The Square, Temple Quay,
Bristol, BS1 6EB.
Tel: 0117 3726154
Fax: 0117 3728688
E-mail: species@defra.gsi.gov.uk

And finally....

"Any questions on the legislation concerning the keeping and trade in crayfish should also be directed to the FHI on 01305 206673 or email fish.health.inspectorate@cefas.co.uk"

I couldnt remember whether it was DEFRA, CITES or CEFAS that would be the answer, typically the one i know least about. lol

rocknurworld2006 · Mar 14, 2011

thanks spoke to the crayfish expert for fish inspectorate there away to sort this now!
and they can find out from ebay the sellers details and track him down
hope they catch him
by the looks of it they have plenty of these illegal species going