Pure Panic - I Have Illegal Species, What Do I Do?

[Spishkey]

after talking to some others on another forum about my newest addition, ive just been informed they are infact an illegal species and am in serious doo if im caught with them. what do i do??

i know this isnt a 'dying' emergency, but to me it is an emergency of sorts

 

[Hawkins]

what species is it?

 

[Spishkey]

marbled crayfish

these were the links i was sent

http/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-46...ies-plague.html

http/www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/...m.php?news=1298

dont say i have to kill them should i return them, call the relevant authorities or hide them and hope for the best?

 

[kewskills]

I say shut up, as long as you never allow it to escape, just look after it and love it as you would any other pet

 

[minxfishy]

Tough choice really - chances are they will reproduce and you will have no-where to home them. You could return them then no longer your problem, but if these are being sold on I suspect the best thing to do would be to tell the authorities as they could end up in your local river system and cause havoc!

Or keep schtum as suggested and hope for the best

 

[Spishkey]

Can this thread be deleted?

keeps quiet and promises never to release them, and if they get to overcrowded will feed babies to the oscars

 

[Saedcantas]

I'm confused, where does it say that keeping this species is illegal in Belgium, which appears to be your location???

Lotte*

 

[Hayleamorgan]

That is just what i was about to say.. I think it is just in England that they are illegal not belgium...

 

[Spishkey]

in the link it says they are banned/illegal in the EU. belgium is part of the EU?

 

[russogden1982]

it does say banned in the EU

 

[JenCliBee]

Trading of marbled crayfish is banned in EU countries because they carry the crayfish plague.

this is all it says about the trading..... doesnt say it's actually illegal 2 keep them

 

[pscl227]

I've done many crayfish surveys in the UK, never seen a markbled crayfish in our rivers, but thats not to say if it was released that it wouldnt be a problem. The "crayfish plague" is already existant in the UK white claw.

The problematic crayfish here is the american signal crayfish, thankfully it seems to be sticking to waterways in the south of england. If you get a signal crayfish in your river you can practically say good bye to the native species in that entire river system, this is not due to disease, it is due to non-native species out competing the native species. The signal was introduced into the UK back in the 60's when they farmed them for food.

Just a little on the UK situation!

My advice would be to contact you local authorities in Belgium and get advice on how to proceed from them.