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Crayfish

Quality mark Cultivation
/Keurmerk Wild
Green
Second choice
Avoid
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General

Lobsters and crayfish

Lobsters live in saltwater whilst crayfish live in freshwater habitats. Lobsters and crayfish are most often caught using pots or traps. Most lobsters are equipped with ten legs and two scissors as front legs. With these scissors, they are able to grab, cut or crack their food. Did you know lobsters and crayfish, just lie snakes, change their skin because their shell does not grow with their bodies? After changing their shell the animal grows fast and increases in weight.

There are many different lobster species. Most common are the American lobster in the north-western Atlantic ocean, and the European lobster in the north-eastern Atlantic ocean. Lobsters have a relatively slow growth rate and reach sexual maturity at a late age. Another frequently consumed lobster is the Norway lobster. This species is way smaller than the American and European lobster. This species occurs in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean and parts of the Mediterranean sea.

 

 

Crayfish

The native European crayfish has mostly disappeared from our waters. This is due to a disease that was spread after the introduction of the American crayfish. These exotic red crayfish are very common in the Netherlands and are seen as an infestation.  

Crayfish

Procambarus sp.
Origin

Spain and Portugal

Farming- / Catch method

Pots and traps, Fykes

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Fish stocks and fishing pressure
Ecosystem effects
Fishery management
Final assessment
Explanation assessment

The red swamp crayfish is native to Louisiana. The crayfish have been introduced in many countries, like China and Spain. The drawback is that the crayfish have escaped on a large scale and spread to the environment and has even become a pest in Europe and China.

Crayfish are mainly caught with fykesfykes:
A fishing technique where fish are attracted into a fyke. Fykes are pots or traps made of, for example, wire mesh.
, [pots and traps] or by hand. These methods are selective and do not damage the habitat.

The invasiveInvasive:
Invasive species is a biological term indicating a species that has located outside its natural range.
crayfish are a pest and could maybe be controlled by a well managed fishery. In Spain there is a large industry that keeps the crayfish at bay, and strict regulations make management of the local crayfish population possible.

Crayfish

Procambarus sp.
Origin

North America, inland waters (FAO 2)

Farming- / Catch method

Pond systems (aquaculture)

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Source usage
Impact on the environment
Management
Final assessment
Explanation assessment

The red swamp crayfish is native to Louisiana. More than 95% of the total production from the USA is coming from there. Crayfish get their food from the natural environment in pond culture. This means that there is no need to give them feed from an external source and therefore there is minimal fertilization of the ponds. The farming of crayfish in the USA has barely damaging effects on the environment and can as such be deemed sustainable.

 

Crayfish

Procambarus sp.
Origin

Netherlands

Farming- / Catch method

Pots and traps

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Fish stocks and fishing pressure
Ecosystem effects
Fishery management
Final assessment
Explanation assessment

The red swamp crayfish is native to Louisiana. The crayfish have been introduced in many countries, like China and Spain. The drawback is that the crayfish have escaped on a large scale and spread to the environment and has even become a pest in Europe and China.

Crayfish are mainly caught with fykesfykes:
A fishing technique where fish are attracted into a fyke. Fykes are pots or traps made of, for example, wire mesh.
, [pots and traps] or by hand. These methods are selective and do not damage the habitat.

The invasiveInvasive:
Invasive species is a biological term indicating a species that has located outside its natural range.
crayfish are a pest and could maybe be controlled by a well managed fishery. In the Netherlands management of crayfish could be better, however thanks to market demand the fishery on crayfish has been growing the past few years.

Crayfish

Procambarus sp.
Origin

China (FAO 4)

Farming- / Catch method

Pond systems (aquaculture)

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Source usage
Impact on the environment
Management
Final assessment
Explanation assessment

The red swamp crayfish is native to Louisiana. The crayfish have been introduced in many countries, like China and Spain, to farm and this was such an economic success that China has become the largest producer of crayfish worldwide. The drawback is that the crayfish have escaped on a large scale and spread to the environment and has even become a pest in Europe and China.

Crayfish often don’t need feeding in ponds because they can find the food themselves in the pond. The pond then only needs to be fertilized, so there is not wild-caught fish needed to let the crayfish grow, and that is sustainable. Currently however, additional food is sometimes used, which reduces the sustainability. Next to the escapes, the problem is that there is no or little data on the effect on the environment.

 

ASC label

Fish with the ASC label is farmed in a sustainable manner.

MSC label

Fish with the MSC label is caught sustainably.

Good fish

This fish is not being overfished or is being responsibly farmed, with minimal impact on the environment.

Second choice

This fish is a second choice. There are still some improvements to be made in this fishery or fish farm.

Avoid

Do not buy this fish. It's being overfished or the way it's farmed or caught has a negative impact on the environment.

Welfare

There is fish available of this species that is farmed or caught using high welfare standards.

GlobalG.A.P.

GlobalG.A.P. certified farms are doing a step in the right direction in terms of sustainability. A few species with this label are getting a better score on the VISwijzer.

Organic

Organic standards are the strictest when it comes to fish feed. They also require certain measures for animal well-being.