Photo: DPA

US crayfish invaders spreading plague in German rivers

Published: 11 Aug 09 13:50 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/sci-tech/20090811-21171.html

An immigrant population of crayfish from the United States has invaded the waters of the northern German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, threatening the local population with a crustacean plague.

The American species, Orcanetes limosus, is native of the US east coast and can be found from Maine to lower Virginia. It’s also a carrier of a lethal crayfish disease, which it has an immunity to, but the German species, Astacus astacus, does not.

Biologist Ines Podszuck said the German crayfish are already considered a vulnerable species and the spread of the American invaders is increasing the threat to their existence. She explained how the Orcanetes limosus has been moving up the Barthe River two kilometres a year. Already, it can be found in a 35-kilometre stretch of water from the small towns of Hövet to Starkow.

An older resident of Hövet recalled when the Barthe River was so full with the native crayfish that children took their buckets to the river and made a meal out of their catch. Now, pesticides and fertilizers have already decimated the population and Podszuck warns it could be wiped out completely by the crayfish plague.

In order to combat their spread, crayfish farmer and researcher Steffen Teufel is advocating the building of low-lying fences that would keep the crayfish in the rivers they have already populated but are permeable for other fish and wouldn’t disturb the canoeing tourists. However, no state funding is available and now Teufel is looking for private sponsors for the project.

The North American crustacean, known as the spiny-cheek crayfish, has been in German waters since 1890, when sport fishermen introduced it to the country's rivers. Since then, the native species, which can be found across northern Europe, has been repeatedly infected by the crayfish plague.

DDP/The Local (news@thelocal.de)

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#1
19:51 August 11, 2009 by gunsmith
You should do what the people of the U.S.do with them. EAT THEM. A little salt in the water, bring it to a boil, throw in Crayfish, and let them cook for several minutes. Tastes like Lobster. Only eat the tail though. That is a good way to eliminate hunger, and the crayfish problem all at one time.
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#2
21:59 August 11, 2009 by Portnoy
In fact, Gunny, Americans learned about eating crawfish from Europeans.

However, I wonder why the European ladybugs are getting killed by the Asian ones and the European crawfish can't keep up with the American ones? Darwinism, I say.
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#3
00:26 August 12, 2009 by MJTinNOLA
I agree with you Gunsmith. As a Louisiana boy, I certainly know what to do with a crawfish (you need much more than just salt my friend). When I move back to Germany in October I will have to have crawfish parties. Anyone need recipes? By the way, you know the Flußkrebs is the Wappentier of Cottbus, maybe I should open a crawfish restaurnt there.
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#4
16:36 August 12, 2009 by legal_alien
A fiend of mine lived on a canal boat in England and used to keep a crayfish pot off his barge. He said they were delicious, and even though he was a vegan he thought it was his duty to eat as many as he could.
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#5
16:58 August 12, 2009 by Steven192
Odd sort of vegan.

Mind you I suppose I could be a vegan who also eats bacon butties?
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#6
17:57 August 12, 2009 by legal_alien
Odd sort of vegan.

Mind you I suppose I could be a vegan who also eats bacon butties?
He was an organic vegetable grower who had almost no dealings with normal agri-business. He and some friends were in a meat club; They would meet once a month and take it in turns to provide a big slab of meat and they knew all about tha animal's life and death.
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#7
09:21 August 13, 2009 by Steven192
He was an organic vegetable grower who had almost no dealings with normal agri-business. He and some friends were in a meat club; They would meet once…
A vegan who is a member of a meat club?

Seems we have a different idea of what the word vegan means. To me a vegan is someone who tries not to use or consume animal products of any kind.

http://www.merriam-w...ictionary/vegan

What do you (and your friend) think it means then?
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#8
11:45 August 13, 2009 by lilplatinum
You should do what the people of the U.S.do with them. EAT THEM. A little salt in the water, bring it to a boil, throw in Crayfish, and let them cook …
You have to put spices in there, along with some corn and potatoes and maybe some sausage. Only eat the tail? Sucking the heads is how the real eaters do it.

Are crayfish and a crawfish the same critter?
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#9
12:44 August 13, 2009 by legal_alien
Stephen, I don't remember but maybe he never reffered to himself as a vegan, but rather someone who ate no dairy foods, wore no leather and ate no meat from factory-like farms. Perhaps I stuck that vegan label on him. I think there are lots of different people who don't fit a standard labeling system out there but the closest one for him is vegan-who-eats-crayfish-he-catches-and-meat-he-or-one-of-his-friends-has-raised-and-killed.

What you eat should be your own choice, not governed by some system of rules.
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#10
13:17 August 13, 2009 by Steven192
Stephen, I don't remember but maybe he never reffered to himself as a vegan, but rather someone who ate no dairy foods, wore no leather and ate no…
I like that one.

Would be easier to say he was an ethical omnivore perhaps?

I agree with your last bit and was just a bit confused at the "vegan who eats meat" bit as all the vegans I know are most strict about that unlike the vegetablists some of whom seem to eat as much meat as anyone else.
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