European Crayfish, Red-footed Crayfish, European Crayfish, Broad-clawed Crayfish, Red-clawed Crayfish

Astacus astacus reach sexual maturity during their fourth year of life, and they  breed between October and November. The female carries the fertilized eggs, attached to her legs until May when they hatch and disperse (Well et al. 1983).  At maturation, males normally mate each year, but females are typically restricted to a single year of fertility with periods of sexual inactivity in between (Souty-Grosset et al. 2006).

Noble Crayfish feed on worms, aquatic insects, molluscs and plants.Their main predator is the common eel, however they also face small scale predation by mink, perch, otter, wading birds, and cannibalism (Souty-Grosset et al. 2006). Astacus astacus are vulnerable to the crayfish plague carried by the North American Signal Crayfish, Pacifastacus leniusculus, which are threatening Astacus spp. populations in their native range (Edsman et al., 2010). Pacifastacus leniusculus, have also been found to directly outcompete Astacus astacus (Souty-Grosset et al. 2006).

    Potential pathway(s) of introduction: Stocking/Planting or escape from recreational culture
    Astacus astacus has historically been consumed as a delicacy throughout its native range, particularly in Scandinavia (CABI, 2014). They are commonly cultured in Nordic, Baltic, and Alpine regions for stocking as a food source (Skurdal and Taugbøl, 2002). However, there are no reports of them being cultured in the United States. They are not reported to hitchhike or foul gear, boats or trailers, and they are not readily available for sale in the US.

Astacus astacus has a low probability of establishment if introduced to the Great Lakes (Confidence level: High).
    The native range of the Noble Crayfish has winter temperatures and abiotic conditions similar to those in the Great Lakes Region. However, Astacus astacus is vulnerable to preyfish plague which can be carried by crayfish native to the United States. A. astacus populations in their native range are threatened by competition with species introduced from North America. Additionally, there are no reports of A. astacus becoming invasive elsewhere in the world.

Summary of species impacts derived from literature review. Click on an icon to find out more...

Environmental

    There is little or no evidence to support that Astacus astacus has the potential for significant Socio-Economic impacts if introduced to the Great Lakes.
   
    Noble crayfish do not pose a threat to human health. They have not been reported to damage infrastructure. They have been demonstrated to transfer infectious pancreatic necrosis virus to economically important salmonid species in a laboratory setting (Halder and Ahne, 1988). However, there are no reports of A. astacus transmitting IPNV to salmonid species in the wild. They have not been reported to affect recreational activity or the perceived aesthetic of the areas it inhabits.
   
    Astacus astacus has the potential for high beneficial impacts if introduced to the Great Lakes.

    Noble Crayfish are a popular food source in their native range, and they are commonly cultured for stocking as well as consumption. The Fish and Wildlife Service (2014) also notes that A. astacus are commonly used in zoological study, although this application is not reported to be of high priority. A. astacus have not been reported to act as a control agent for non-indigenous organisms. They do not significantly improve water quality or act as a biological control.

  
    Physical
    Intensive trapping is a common method used to control crayfish (Moorhouse et al., 2013; Peay, 2001) . However, trapping has not been found to completely eradicate established crayfish populations.
  
    Chemical
    Cypermethrin is a commonly used piscicide for crayfish control (Hyatt, 2004).
  
    Other
    There are no known other control methods for this species