Crayfish trapping

[triumph coupe]

Watching tv just now and some chaps are cooking crayfish.

I've done some reading up of crayfish trapping before and it seems that the non-native signal crayfish is a problem in our waters and trapping them is a good idea. Although you need a licence.

It seems like its good for the native crayfish to catch non-native signals. It is good eating and is apparently easy.

Turns out that the environment agency that licences it all is just down the road from me also.

Do any of you lot have a licence? Is it involved to get? Any down sides of crayfish trapping? (I can't think of any except the thought of an eel in the net!)

Share your crayfish stories!

[number2]

Invasive signal red crayfish are as you say non native, the EA do issue permits tho they are understandbly strict on the type of trap used as water voles, otters and our own native crayfish must not be trapped, just like you i want to do my bit to eat my way through the problem, but apparently its not so black and white, the signal red crayfish is a canibal that will happily eat its own young, so by catching a bag full of these buggers you are actually reducing the predation of the youngsters, thereby increasing the population doh!
Keep me up to date on your permit progress, as i gather they are brilliant boiled, then the meat fried in garlic butter, recipes welcome.

[seadog1408]

A cOuple of friends have licences for quite a few stretches of waterways up the country, I have eaten crayfish a few times and they are very bland (being freshwater) so good flavourings amuse.
any ideas they are like prawns/ lobster to the palate is sadly mistaken!!!!


Mike

[number2]

A cOuple of friends have licences for quite a few stretches of waterways up the country, I have eaten crayfish a few times and they are very bland (being freshwater) so good flavourings amust.
any ideas they are like prawns/ lobster to the palate is sadly mistaken!!!!

Mike

Oh bu***r!

[Backward point]

So garlic would appear to be the answer, then. Or chilli. Or both.

[Saint-Just]

A cOuple of friends have licences for quite a few stretches of waterways up the country, I have eaten crayfish a few times and they are very bland (being freshwater) so good flavourings amuse.
any ideas they are like prawns/ lobster to the palate is sadly mistaken!!!!


Mike

Crayfish are actually just as good as prawns, better in fact as they are more delicate but you are quite correct they need added salt compared to sea crustaceans.

You can try and sauté them with a chopped onion in salted butter to start with; You can then peel the tails, add a little saffron, a squeeze of lime juice and a dollop of double cream; reduce a little, put the mixture in an oven proof dish, add grated gruyere and put 10 min in a hot oven and you have a lovely gratin.

With the rest of the crayfish (please do not throw away),add a cup or 2 of fish stock, a good squeeze of tomato puree and put it through a food processor, then filter through a chinois, squeezing as much liquid as you can; if you still have little bits, repeat after lining the chinois with a paper filter.

Add a drop of whisky or cognac, a good tablespoon of creme fraiche, season to taste and you have a superb bisque to go with your gratin.

The trick is not to overcook the tails in the first place. And to taste for seasoning regularly.

SJ, always willing to do his bit to help mother Nature to cope with those invading species :)

[AndyMilts]

Blimey did not know you needed a license I take the kids they love it. A couple of bamboo canes with a stone covered in bacon or the old bicycle wheel covered in netting and a mesh bag full of bacon. Both work although with the kids the cane in more fun. See one on there lift out slowly and try and get a net over it before it notices and swims off. Catch about 10-20 an hour depending on time of year, time of day and spot. Works best when the water warms up, too cold at the moment.

Then wash well and leave in clean water for at least a couple of hours to flush them and better overnight. Lift them out by the sides of the shell, mind the claws, get hold of the centre fin/ scale on the tail at the end twist hard it cracks then pull and you will remove the entrails and poo chute perfect. Boil for 15 minn remove head and split the tail down the middle on the underside and open up, then on the BBQ brushed with garlic and chili oil great but you will need a lot and decent sized ones to be worth while.

But of course I have never tried as I did not know you needed a license

[triumph coupe]

But of course I have never tried as I did not know you needed a license

I understand it is an offence to trap a native crayfish. I hope you have not eaten any without knowing!

[Carlton-Browne]

So garlic would appear to be the answer, then. Or chilli. Or both.

No, I think this requires Aquavit. I had the pleasure of being in rural Sweden during the crayfish season and they wash it down with litres of the stuff.

[DavidL]

I have a trap I've never used! I need to sort out a licence and find the nearest "public" stretch of water. Free shellfish sounds good to me.

[learningtofly]

What? You're going to eat me?

[mrpgkennedy]

it's easy to get a licence but there are rules about the trap and you need to give them grid references where you'll be fishing

i've happily spent an afternoon pulling them out with a bit of bacon ( or road kill) on a line dangling in shallow water and just scooping them out with a kids fishing net. It's shocking how many there are, they just keep coming

[fornowagain]

Any good sites in North Yorkshire? I've read the River Wharfe near Bolton Abbey or Grassington are likely spots.

[GraniteQuarry]

Crayfish? Crawfish etouffee is deluxe, cajun at its finest. Was one of the redeeming points of a southern ex of mine!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Étouffée