Another invasive species can be added to the list
Published 7:55 am Thursday, October 24, 2013
About the time I thought I had identified all the invasive species in local waters, I learned about another invasive. This one I am sure you have not heard about and on the surface it might seem to be quite harmless.
While growing up, I can remember going to small streams and looking for crawfish. I and some childhood friends were just fascinated with those small beautiful creatures. I do not remember anyone proposing to eat one or even use one for bait. They are known in some parts of the country like where I grew up as crawfish, in other parts as crayfish and in even other places as crawdads.
In this article, I will use the more universally accepted name crayfish. Crayfish are freshwater crustaceans that are related to lobsters, crabs and shrimp and approximately 550 species of crayfish have been identified. Crayfish are considered a delicious food to many and anglers also use them for fish bait in certain parts of the country. I understand they are quite tasty but I have yet to try them on my plate.
In my many years living on Lake Sinclair and angling in Lake Sinclair and Lake Oconee, I have only seen a couple of crayfish and those were being consumed by blue herons. From those two events, I assumed there were at least some crayfish species in area waters but had no idea how many or what kind.
Through information provided to me by Chris Skelton who works in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences at Georgia College and State University (GCSU), I now know that both Lake Sinclair and Lake Oconee as well as several rivers and streams in the area have populations of several different native crayfish species and some of those waters have at least one invasive crayfish specie.
That invasive crayfish is the Kentucky River crayfish. As the name implies the Kentucky River crayfish is native to certain waters in Kentucky. However, the Kentucky River crayfish can now be found in several areas outside its normal range and can cause problems for native crayfish species.
Skelton and students at GCSU who are studying the local crayfish populations have found Kentucky River crayfish in the upper reaches of Murder Creek and Little River including areas in Lake Sinclair around Twin Bridges. “The Kentucky River crayfish can now be found in numerous North Georgia bodies of water and that could also include Lake Oconee as well as Lake Sinclair,” said Skelton.
You might be asking yourself why anyone would be concerned about a little crayfish. “The Kentucky River crayfish is very aggressive and due to its aggressive nature, it could replace some native populations of crayfish already in local waters,” said Skelton.
Native populations of crayfish in local waters include the Variable crayfish, the Ambiguous crayfish, the White Tubercled crayfish and possibly the Ornate crayfish. According to Skelton, it is also likely that the Red Swamp crayfish which is native to areas around Louisiana but is already found in North Georgia can likely be found in local waters.
The Oconee River system has as many as seventeen different species of crayfish and seventy different species of crayfish can be found in Georgia. Seventeen species of crayfish found in Georgia occur nowhere else in the world.
Invasive crayfish like those of other invasive species were likely brought to this area by anglers using them for bait or they were bought for consumption and then released into local water. Unfortunately this is happening over and over again as invasive and non-native species are being found throughout the United States in places they should not be found.
“We do not know the long term impact the Kentucky River crayfish will have on native crayfish species at this time but we are studying area waters to determine total populations and species of all the crayfish,” said Skelton.
Lake residents can assist Skelton and his study team by volunteering to place crayfish/minnow traps in waters around your dock and then notifying Skelton when crayfish are trapped. Skelton will identify the crayfish and who knows you may trap a unique crayfish specie in your trap.
The crayfish/minnow traps are available commercially for around ten dollars. If you would be willing to participate in this program or have questions about the study being conducted, contact Chris Skelton at chris.skelton@gcsu.edu or visit www.gcsu.edu/crayfishes for more information.
I have now added another invasive non-native species to my growing list and unfortunately I am sure there are still more to be discovered right here in the local area. Never release any specie of anything into the water unless that specie is native to that body of water. Good fishing and see you next week.
Bobby Peoples can be reached by e-mail at brpeoples@windstream.net.