Netherlands: A method of clearing American crayfish will be tested

The red American crayfish is causing problems in the Krimpenerwaard. The wetland polders appear to be a very suitable habitat for exotic species, as a result of which the number of crayfish has increased sharply in recent years, especially in the Krimpenerwaard. Due to this large amount of lobsters, the water quality and biodiversity have deteriorated sharply. The crayfish feeds on small aquatic animals and cuts up many of the submerged aquatic plants that keep the water clear. Once the aquatic plants have gone, all the nutrients in the water become available for algae and blue-green algae, resulting in cloudy and smelly water. In addition, the digging behavior of the lobster leads to unstable banks and restoring these banks is expensive. Reason enough to start a trial. It is still unclear whether and how the nuisance of the lobsters can be tackled. In the coming years, the Schieland and Krimpenerwaard Water Board will conduct a pilot study to determine whether intensive capture ...