[thedoc (OP)]

Native white-clawed British crayfish are in trouble.  Weakened by a parasite, this endangered species is being driven out of waterways by the North American signal crayfish.  Richard Hollingham discovers more about this American invasion...
Read a transcript of the interview by clicking here

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[Andrew K Fletcher]

Could we promote some excellent recipes for the signal crayfish, together with techniques for capturing them and how to distinguish them from our own species. We could then become their natural predators, maybe even start up a business that supplies the blighters to restaurants?

[Bored chemist]

Could we promote some excellent recipes for the signal crayfish, together with techniques for capturing them and how to distinguish them from our own species. We could then become their natural predators, maybe even start up a business that supplies the blighters to restaurants?

They are quite easy to distinguish from our own species.  We live on land, have hair, fewer limbs etc.

However, apart from that bad joke, I have to say I agree. Eating them is probably a fairly good solution- the trouble is that it would be difficult to guarantee you got them all.

[Mazurka]

Nice idea, although i don't think it would be terribly practical - or if we start with one species where does it stop?

Furthermore, it was eating them that got us into this problem in the first palce.  Signal Crayfish were more suited to farming (as they were less susceptible to crayfish plague) which is why they were delibnerately introduced in the first place - unlike the mitten crab - which is though to have migrated from China via ships ballast and as well as being able to tolerate really quite dirty water, whilst underminning river banks with its burrowing they will happily predate signal crayfish... 

[Monox D. I-Fly]

So... What is the difference between crayfish, shrimp, and lobster?

[VeceGremi]

I think funding needs to be applied more to R&D then just producing / purchasing at this point. Re: gov. funding.

[Avesruher]

We can and should save the coral reefs and we have laws to do that.  We don't need the green new deal to save the inhabidents of the ocean, the reefs.  We need to stop ocean noise pollution. Or to stop killing of whales dolphins and the like.