Published: Friday, 21st July, 2006 11:50
Crayfish in Tweed fear
By David Knox and Hannah Jefferson
Print Article
A RENEWED threat to the multi-million pound salmon fishing industry has been found in a river near Innerleithen.
Borders biologists fear for Tweed salmon after an American Signal Crayfish was seen in the Leithen Water.
And another was caught and killed at pools just up from Innerleithen Golf Club.
Experts warn that the discovery could be bad news for the Peeblesshire fish population.
The deadly invaders were first discovered in a Tweed tributary more than two years ago, on the upper reaches of the Ettrick Water.
River bosses pulled out all the stops to control the crayfish, which can eat young salmon and take over spawning grounds.
And they had been keeping their fingers crossed that the lobster-like creatures had not traveled the 20 miles downstream to the Tweed after a river-wide survey didn’t locate any evidence of movement.
But last month fishermen spotted two of the creatures in a shallow part of the Leithen Water – and experts believe it is inevitable that they will find their way down to the Tweed and other spawning grounds, if they are not there already.
Tweed Foundation biologist Ronald Campbell told the Peeblesshire News: “We have no idea how they got into the Leithen Water
“Crayfish have been introduced to this country by humans but they can breed very successfully in the wild.
“Scotland has no native crayfish so establishment of this American species in any Scottish waters represents a fundamental change in freshwater ecology.
“They compete with native fish for food and cover.”
The Borders fishing industry supports around 500 jobs and hooks more than £20 million for the local economy each year.
It is not known how the crayfish reached the Leithen Water, and if the discovery is linked with the Ettrick Water colony.
Dr Campbell added: “At present we are unsure how the Signal Crayfish arrived there, although human introduction is the most likely explanation.
“Further investigations are being carried out by fisheries biologists to find out how widespread the problem is.”
Brothers Kester and Arron Brunton, both from Innerleithen, captured one of the crayfish on the Leithen water whilst out fishing.
The teenagers’ mum, Anna, told us: “The boys had seen posters in the fishing shops about the crayfish, so they knew what to do.
“They trapped it between two stones and killed it.”
It is believed the Ettrick crayfish escaped from a private pond close to the Ettrick Marshes, although no prosecution has ever been brought.
It is highly illegal to dispose of the species, which were originally bred as delicacies for restaurants, into water sources.
Since they arrived in the Clyde and River Dee around twenty years ago they have depleted fish stocks.
Around 55,000 of them have been trapped in the Clyde in recent years as the battle goes on to eradicate them.
The Tweed Foundation is appealing for anyone who spots a crayfish to contact them immediately.
The Tweed Foundation number is 01896 848271.
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