Crayfish (Astacidae)

Crayfish, we all love Crayfish they are relatives of the lobster, and have five pairs of walking legs. The front pair feature large pincers for catching prey. They can be found in most streams and rivers and have plenty of hidey holes under rocks or vacant holes in the bank. There are more than one species of crayfish in Britain. In the 70s the American Crayfish (Pacifastacus lenusculus) was introduced to the UK for the restaurant trade.

Our native White-Clawed Crayfish, has a creamy-white or peach colouring under the claws with a brownish body and grows to about 10cm, they like to eat Snails Aquatic Insects and small Fishes. These native British crayfish breed from the age of three-four years. The females produce up to 200 eggs, and the young hatch between May and June, and are protected.

The invasive American Signal Crayfish can be identified by bright red colouring under the claws and white patches on claw joints. They can breed from the age of one, and the females produce up to 500 eggs. The young hatch between April and May. They are more aggressive than our native crayfish. They have also taken over the territories of a lot of our native species and there are only a few places that have not succumbed to these invaders....It is the deadly Fungal Disease or Crayfish Plague that has virtually wiped out our native White Clawed Crayfish that lives on the American one without harming them and though they are very nice to look at the American Variety is high on my list of good things to eat.

I have a particular fondness for the sweet tasting flesh of the signal variety and will take every one I can find in an attempt to stop them spreading....I have just invested in some Crayfish Traps that fold flat and cost less than a fiver each and on the land that I have permission will be using them to a large extent this summer, on one river stretch alone I counted several dozen large ready for eating individuals that were just out of reach, but the traps will ensure they don't stay that way for long.

I would encourage everyone to try crayfish as they do taste fantastic and are very easy to prepare....I catch them and put them in a large water butt with slow running water to purge them for a couple of days, then using a small knife I cut the spinal chord just behind the head and crack the middle vertebrae on the tail to remove the gut canal, then I boil them in salted water for a few minutes until they turn pink...with a good garlic mayonnaise or butter for dipping they are a joy to eat, but with a nice crisp cold white wine they are heaven.

A couple of links to like minded reading...magickcanoe.com Blog   or watch Ray Mears on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F36zxp8l_Kw             click or copy and paste.       www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/risottowithcrayfisha_81004