Student Article
American Crayfish Trapping Strategy Fails to Control Invasive Species
Invasive (adjective): Tending to spread quickly and in a way that harms native species.
Plague (noun): A serious disease that causes widespread damage, especially to populations of animals.
Biosecurity (noun): Measures to prevent harmful organisms or diseases from entering new areas.
You may have heard that trapping American signal crayfish could help protect native British crayfish. But recent research shows that this method is not only ineffective but could actually make things worse.
Most crayfish are too small to catch
Researchers from UCL and King’s College London found that trapping these invasive crayfish doesn’t lower their numbers. In fact, the majority of crayfish are too small to be trapped using common methods. These tiny crayfish can still reproduce and continue to spread, making trapping an unhelpful solution.
Trapping might spread more harm
Additionally, trapping American crayfish can unintentionally introduce harmful species to new areas. The research also found that the trapping process increases the risk of spreading crayfish plague, a deadly fungal disease that threatens native European crayfish populations.
What scientists recommend instead
Scientists suggest focusing on other ways to manage the problem, such as improving water safety and raising awareness among the public about how invasive species spread. Their research calls for a shift from trapping toward better biosecurity measures and better long-term planning to handle the crayfish invasion.
© Mark Rowe / Our Media
Invasive (adjective): Tending to spread quickly and in a way that harms native species.
Plague (noun): A serious disease that causes widespread damage, especially to populations of animals.
Biosecurity (noun): Measures to prevent harmful organisms or diseases from entering new areas.