Invasive non-native crawdads may impact the Rogue!

troutdude
troutdude
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May 13, 2022



Northern crayfish
Photo of a non-native Northern crayfish found in Ashland canal and submitted to the Oregon Invasive Species hotline. Michael Parker photo. Click to enlarge

CENTRAL POINT, Ore – Northern crayfish were found in the Ashland canal, marking the first documented existence of this non-native species in Oregon.


Native to the Midwest, invasive populations of Northern crayfish exist in California and Washington.


This discovery could be bad news for Oregon's native signal crayfish – Northern crayfish are much more aggressive. And as omnivores, they can prey on signal crayfish, the eggs of salmon and steelhead, and consume native vegetation.


Because Ashland canal leads to Bear Creek and the Rogue River, Rick Boatner, ODFW's Invasive Species Coordinator, says Northern crayfish have the potential to duplicate what rusty crawfish did in the John Day River Basin.


It is believed rusty crayfish were released in the John Day River near Mitchell by a school group about 42 years ago. These crayfish have since taken over most of the river from native signal crayfish and are predicted to enter the Columbia River by 2025. Signal crayfish are now displaced and rarely seen today.


Although the Ashland canal can have low stormwater levels, crayfish can burrow in mud and wait for higher water. They can also travel over land to other water bodies.


Boatner and his team will begin surveying selected areas of the canal starting above Emigrant Reservoir to Lithia Park and trapping any Northern crayfish found. If the species is established, Boatner says they are most likely here to say and will continue to spread in the Rogue River Basin.


If anyone knows of a crayfish release in the Ashland area, please contact Boatner at 503-947-6308. Schools are reminded that classroom specimens cannot be released into the wild; a permit is required to import non-native crayfish into Oregon. Aquarium fish and other pets are also not allowed to be released. These actions can cause significant harm to Oregon's native fish and wildlife species.


People are encouraged to report invasive fish and wildlife to https://oregoninvasiveshotline.org/
 
Thought this was an interesting article. I looked up signal crayfish and found they were imported to Europe quite a few years back and create a problem over there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signal_crayfish

Does anyone know the species of crayfish at Timothy Lake?
 
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Edibles ...
 
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Yes, definitely edible. We will be making a couple trips up there with traps ready to catch some of those bugs.
 
Yumm! Good luck!
 
Imma gonna be setting some traps at Diamond, in a couple of weeks. And hopefully harvesting some trout too boot!
 
Diamond Lake! They do grow some big trout there. Have a good trip.
 
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Irishrover said:
Diamond Lake! They do grow some big trout there. Have a good trip.
Thank you Lonn. It's been decades since I've been there. Am VERY excited to go again! Especially since I'll be hanging out with 3 buddy's that I've known for over 45 years!
 

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