Waterway users urged to be alert for invasive shrimp species
7th Dec 2010
Waterway users are being urged to watch their local canals, rivers and lakes for a destructive non-native species of shrimp, which has been identified in three UK locations recently.
Dikerogammarus villosus is sometimes known as the ‘killer shrimp’, because it is a voracious predator, killing native species and causing severe damage to ecosystems. The Environment Agency (EA) has confirmed its presence in Grafham Water, Cardiff Bay and Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir in Port Talbot.
The species is described as up to 30mm in length, with striped or spotted markings and large mandibles. Any further sightings should be reported, along with a photograph and details of where it was seen, to the EA at: alert_nonnative@ceh.ac.uk.
There are no risks to humans from the shrimp’s presence, but, due to its impact on native habitat, the EA are taking steps to try to ensure it does not spread further. Sailors, kayakers and anglers should thoroughly inspect and clean their equipment after use.
Caroline Price, of boating organisation the RYA, said: “The killer shrimp can be spread around the country in a number of ways including on the hulls of our boats and associated kit. It is really important that we boaters do our bit to limit any further spread.”
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You cant weigh these in...........!!!!!
You cant weigh these in...........!!!!!
From Pole Fishing...............
Killer Shrimp On The Loose! - 06/01/2011
Anon-native species of shrimp has caused massive concerns after being found in UK waters for the first time.
Dikerogammarus villosus originates from eastern Europe and has been coined the killer shrimp, such is its potential to cause mass harm to waterways. The killer shrimp belongs to the same family as our native freshwater shrimp but is larger (adults are approximately 30mm) and has much stronger jaws. This gives the alien a clear advantage when feeding, plus it will attack and eliminate native shrimps. It is an insatiable hunter that will kill young fish as well as invertebrates and made its first appearance in the UK at Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire, last September. It has now spread to two sites in Wales and there is huge concern from anglers and conservationists because it has the capacity to devastate fish and invertebrates throughout the country’s rivers, lakes, reservoirs and canals if not contained and destroyed.
The Angling Trust’s CEO, Mark Lloyd, commented: “The future of the £3.5 billion angling industry is at stake, along with the beloved pastime of millions of anglers and the country’s aquatic biodiversity. We must all take rigorous steps to ensure that this pest is not allowed to spread any further and wreak havoc on the nation’s water environment. This little shrimp has the potential to do far more damage to fisheries than signal crayfish and other invasive species.”
In an effort to help contain the spread of this invasion, please report any unusual-looking shrimps to the Environment Agency straightaway and ensure that you clean and dry your tackle thoroughly before each fishing trip.
Just a thought, bet you could guess what i was gunna ask
Killer Shrimp On The Loose! - 06/01/2011
Anon-native species of shrimp has caused massive concerns after being found in UK waters for the first time.
Dikerogammarus villosus originates from eastern Europe and has been coined the killer shrimp, such is its potential to cause mass harm to waterways. The killer shrimp belongs to the same family as our native freshwater shrimp but is larger (adults are approximately 30mm) and has much stronger jaws. This gives the alien a clear advantage when feeding, plus it will attack and eliminate native shrimps. It is an insatiable hunter that will kill young fish as well as invertebrates and made its first appearance in the UK at Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire, last September. It has now spread to two sites in Wales and there is huge concern from anglers and conservationists because it has the capacity to devastate fish and invertebrates throughout the country’s rivers, lakes, reservoirs and canals if not contained and destroyed.
The Angling Trust’s CEO, Mark Lloyd, commented: “The future of the £3.5 billion angling industry is at stake, along with the beloved pastime of millions of anglers and the country’s aquatic biodiversity. We must all take rigorous steps to ensure that this pest is not allowed to spread any further and wreak havoc on the nation’s water environment. This little shrimp has the potential to do far more damage to fisheries than signal crayfish and other invasive species.”
In an effort to help contain the spread of this invasion, please report any unusual-looking shrimps to the Environment Agency straightaway and ensure that you clean and dry your tackle thoroughly before each fishing trip.
Just a thought, bet you could guess what i was gunna ask
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Waveney_One
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- Joined: July 27th, 2010, 7:21 pm
You cant weigh these in...........!!!!!
No harm to humans? Wouldn't want one down your willy though would you?
You cant weigh these in...........!!!!!
No harm to humans? Wouldn't want one down your willy though would you?
It wasnt that Waveney One You cant weigh these in...........!!!!!
Just saw your posting on a 'similar' subject elsewhere Waveney One - you answer what I was gunna ask but thought I might have to put my tin hat on 
And given legislation and various controls, yep I'm amazed too............
Creepy crawleys.......
And given legislation and various controls, yep I'm amazed too............ Creepy crawleys.......
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Waveney_One
- Full Member
- Posts: 197
- Joined: July 27th, 2010, 7:21 pm
You cant weigh these in...........!!!!!
TK, I think it was some Amazonian minnow that is reputed to swim up mens willies. Why they don't make the same intrusive invasion into what to me at least are the much more pleasant parts of ladies I have no idea!
We have very strict laws on what can and what cannot be imported into this country. I know because on the post about B&J elsewhere I did some research so that I could categorically the state the law. In fact there are so many many rules and regulations that I gave up after an hour or so of being led from one DEFRA page to another. I never did find anything specific.
We also have very strict laws on the release into the wild of 'alien' species. That is why we cannot legally put back into the water any signal crayfish that we catch.
That being the case how on earth we are 'allowed' to import B&J from outside the EU and then chuck 100's of gallons of the stuff into our lakes, canals and rivers every week is beyond me. Presumably as someone else said on the post you refered to, the answer is that the authorities do not know that it is happening!
By the way, it is not so much the B&J that I fear being brought into the country but the sundry creepy crawlies that are to be found in your little newspaper parcel. At least there were some when I was using it myself. Some you could put down to dragon fly larva and freshwater shrimps but others were unidentifiable. However I am sure that if you asked the authorities if you could import tens of millions of midges from the artic tundra into the UK and let them go I think the answer would be a firm NO!
But yes, tin hats may now be required. I would point out that I have used the stuff fairly frequently in the past but I tend to be able to catch plenty of fish around here without using it so I am unlikely to be using it again in the near future.
We have very strict laws on what can and what cannot be imported into this country. I know because on the post about B&J elsewhere I did some research so that I could categorically the state the law. In fact there are so many many rules and regulations that I gave up after an hour or so of being led from one DEFRA page to another. I never did find anything specific.
We also have very strict laws on the release into the wild of 'alien' species. That is why we cannot legally put back into the water any signal crayfish that we catch.
That being the case how on earth we are 'allowed' to import B&J from outside the EU and then chuck 100's of gallons of the stuff into our lakes, canals and rivers every week is beyond me. Presumably as someone else said on the post you refered to, the answer is that the authorities do not know that it is happening!
By the way, it is not so much the B&J that I fear being brought into the country but the sundry creepy crawlies that are to be found in your little newspaper parcel. At least there were some when I was using it myself. Some you could put down to dragon fly larva and freshwater shrimps but others were unidentifiable. However I am sure that if you asked the authorities if you could import tens of millions of midges from the artic tundra into the UK and let them go I think the answer would be a firm NO!
But yes, tin hats may now be required. I would point out that I have used the stuff fairly frequently in the past but I tend to be able to catch plenty of fish around here without using it so I am unlikely to be using it again in the near future.
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joffmiester
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You cant weigh these in...........!!!!!
yah they seamed to be a few white creatures in mine at the weekend