Monitoring the development of crayfishery

Goals of the project

Monitoring the development of the Finnish crayfish industry is a part of the national crayfish strategy. The project aims to construct a database of crayfish occurrences with the help of stocking registers and observation registers. Occurrence databases can be combined with, for example, water quality databases, lake registers and river registers. Thus it is possible to produce and classify information on the occurrence, stocking success, catches and production of both crayfish species in varying conditions. The database will provide valuable background information for different research projects, support the management of crayfish waters and stocks and will be in government decision-making.

Current situation

An examination of the register data on crayfish stockings during the period 1989-2004 reveals that crayfish stockings were concentrated in the mid-1990s. At the moment, signal crayfish stocks have already been harvested, but we are still awaiting the development of noble crayfish stocks based on the effective management period. Current information on the distribution area of noble crayfish has also been updated. Recent stockings and occasional observations in the North are not included in the distribution map.

Distribution areas and stocking points.

Crayfish stockings for the period 1989-2004.

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