River Derwent: Agency removes illegal crayfish trap

The trap was one of a number recently found in the River Derwent

The Environment Agency has removed an illegal crayfish trap from the River Derwent in Derbyshire.

The net was taken from a stretch of the river at Darley Abbey on Sunday morning.

Fisheries officers said it was being used to capture non-native signal crayfish.

The agency said trapping the creatures was illegal because it could put native species of crayfish living in the river at risk.

The American signal crayfish is found in 80% of rivers in England and Wales

An environment agency spokesperson said: "We have found quite a few (traps) recently in the area between Derby and Darley Abbey and have put up noticeboards to inform the public that this is an illegal activity.

"Commercial trapping of crayfish for human consumption is not permitted, because it can cause the spread of disease, known as the crayfish plague, from invasive signal crayfish to native white claw crayfish.

"This is fatal to native white claw crayfish.

"Trapping also results in an increase in the population of signal crayfish, because it removes the larger crayfish which naturally predate on the smaller ones."