Invasive non-indigenous crayfish species in Europe: Recommendations on managing them

Abstract

The expansion of non-indigenous crayfish in Europe and the damage caused by them on indigenous species and habitats is a cause for increasing concern. Yet there is a great deal of variation in the measures put in place to control introductions of crayfish in different countries in Europe and indeed within countries. Recommendations from a conference on the future of native crayfish in Europe were that there is a need for much tighter regulation on the sale of non-indigenous crayfish within Europe, including a need to prevent the introduction of more species via the aquarium trade. There is a clear need to identify the threats to remaining populations of indigenous crayfish regionally and nationally and to provide well-enforced biosecurity measures to help protect these populations. It was recognised that this can only be done with concerted efforts on education and information sharing, because without public cooperation, the on-going trend of decline in indigenous crayfish will continue.