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Shellfish in freshwater.... in ireland???

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  • 18-03-2009 11:12am
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15


    Hey folks,i've fished for all my life (nearly 30 yrs) on the shannon -south of athlone! Recently moved into an apartment with a river out the back, i went perch fishingin it on sunday andit was quiet enough then i got the fright of my life, i pulled in what i can only describe as a crayfish!!!in amoment of panick i threw it back in cos this absolutely freaked me out...anyway i said i'd give it another shot yesterday and wouldyou believe it but i landed another one,i got this one in a bucket of water, dont know what to do with him! Has anyone ever come across anything like this before?
    I reckon this cant be good news!
    P.S This is a tributary of the shannon!


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 14,166 ✭✭✭✭Zzippy


    1. Its great news. The freshwater crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) is a sign of good water quality. Don't be freaked out, its great to see them.

    2. They are a protected species. Take it out of the bucket and put it back in the water. Now!


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,166 ✭✭✭beer enigma


    tikprik wrote: »
    Hey folks,i've fished for all my life (nearly 30 yrs) on the shannon -south of athlone! Recently moved into an apartment with a river out the back, i went perch fishingin it on sunday andit was quiet enough then i got the fright of my life, i pulled in what i can only describe as a crayfish!!!in amoment of panick i threw it back in cos this absolutely freaked me out...anyway i said i'd give it another shot yesterday and wouldyou believe it but i landed another one,i got this one in a bucket of water, dont know what to do with him! Has anyone ever come across anything like this before?
    I reckon this cant be good news!
    P.S This is a tributary of the shannon!

    Providing they are the freshwater crayfish & not the signal crayfish

    Which one of these looks closer.....?


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 16,397 ✭✭✭✭Degsy


    I used to catch them accidendntally in the Camelin in longford..i was vaguely concerned about thier effect on fish eggs etc but they were never big enough to eat.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 15 tikprik


    I dunno, i'll have to try get another to have another look... i caught 2 more yesterday! My thoughts are more towards the signal crayfish, if i get a proper picture of one, i'll stick it up!


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,166 ✭✭✭✭Zzippy


    tikprik wrote: »
    I dunno, i'll have to try get another to have another look... i caught 2 more yesterday! My thoughts are more towards the signal crayfish, if i get a proper picture of one, i'll stick it up!

    The signal crayfish is a lot bigger, and the coloration on the claws is quite distinctive, its where it got the signal name from. If you do catch some can you take photos and post them?


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  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 3,455 Mod ✭✭✭✭coolwings


    I'd rather you don't catch some. They wipe out native crayfish wherever they go.
    UK rivers has a big problem that will never go away ... the trouble with alien invasives .... no cure.


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,166 ✭✭✭✭Zzippy


    coolwings wrote: »
    I'd rather you don't catch some. They wipe out native crayfish wherever they go.
    UK rivers has a big problem that will never go away ... the trouble with alien invasives .... no cure.

    To clarify, I meant if he caught any crayfish to post pics so we could ID the species. I too would much rather he didn't catch any signals - we have enough problem with invasive species already! :mad:


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,316 ✭✭✭ButcherOfNog


    If you do catch signal crayfish, feel free to kill them and
    1. Use them as bait
    2. Eat them (apparently they're yummy)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,332 ✭✭✭Cormdogg


    If theyre white claw, find out how to recognize them and throw em back,if theyre anything but, Stick em in the pot and save the last bastion of european crayfish!

    http://www.invasivespeciesireland.com/mostunwanted/detail.asp?id=11


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,920 ✭✭✭Dusty87


    I caught them in the brosna. Its infested. I cant remember the claws but they were definately the colour of the signal. I Brought it home to show the brother (hes interested in that) but it died. Dont feel so bad now that it did, but ive thrown back loads:mad:


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