A REVIEW of the FRESHWATER CRAYFISH (AUSTROPOTAMOBIUS PALLIPES Lereboullet, 1858) in YORKSHIRE

1

A HISTORICAL GAZETTEER

OF THE WHITE-CLAWED CRAYFISH

(AUSTROPOTAMOBIUS PALLIPES Lereboullet, 1858)

IN WATSONIAN YORKSHIRE

C. A. HOWES

Introduction

In Europe, the White-clawed Crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes was formerly widespread in France, Spain and Italy, but populations are now confined to a diminishing number of areas and it is classed as Globally Threatened by IUCN and WCMC.

In Britain the white-clawed crayfish is our only native crayfish and is our largest freshwater invertebrate. It lives in clean, relatively hard, mineral-rich waters with a pH of between 7 and 9 and calcium concentrations above 5mgL -1. It is widespread in clean, calcareous streams, rivers and lakes in England but many populations have been lost since the 1970s.

Due to this decline, in the UK the white-clawed crayfish achieved legal protection in 1986 through its addition to Schedule 5 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (in respect of taking native crayfish from the wild). It is also covered under Schedule 9 of this act, making it an offence to release into the wild, or allow to escape, all three species of non-native crayfish in the UK.

In 1992 the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora (92/43/EEC) (the Habitats Directive) listed white-clawed crayfish in Appendix II requiring, amongst other things, Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) to be set up to protect it. Further international recognition of its vulnerability has resulted in its inclusion in Appendix III of the Bern Convention.

Within Britain, to help protect the species from the damaging consequences of the introduction of alien crayfish species, DEFRA (formerly Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries & Food) introduced the Prohibition of Keeping of Live Fish (Crayfish) Order 1996, which designated “nogo” areas for alien crayfish farming and banned the unlicensed keeping of Pacifastacus leniusculus in no-go areas.

The Conserving Natura 2000 Rivers protocol led to the Life in UK Rivers project which developed methods for conserving the wildlife and habitats of rivers – this project includes the monitoring the white-clawed crayfish.

The White-clawed Crayfish has now been identified as a priority species in the Biodiversity Action Plans of at least 12 planning Authority in the Yorkshire region.

As a result of the above mentioned legislative and conservation protocols the YNU has provided records and data on former distribution of the White-clawed Crayfish in Yorkshire waters to a large number of planning authorities, statutory organisations, conservation bodies, academics and ecological consultancies.

Within the last decade the White-clawed Crayfish has been the subject of numerous site and river catchment surveys within the Yorkshire region, the results of which are being collated the Environment Agency.

The following Gazetteer and Bibliography is made available here to provide background information for current and future studies and to help provide a baseline against which status changes can be compared.

Abbreviations :

AA = Angling Association

AC = Angling Club

EA = Environment Agency

NRA = National Rivers Authority (Now the Environment Agency)

YWA = Yorkshire Water Authority

RIVER TEES AND TRIBUTARIES (NY/91;92. NZ/01;10;21;31)

1983 Mansfield (NZ/2214) per Darlington Museum and Stockton AA (Thomas 1938).

Summerhouse Beck (NZ/21)

00.06.1984  Crayfish mortality was observed over a 50m stretch of Summerhouse

Beck close to its confluence with the River Tees at (NZ/209160). In subsequent search no crayfish, live or dead were found in a 500m stretch of this beck (Lowery et. al. 1986).

2003 Summerhouse Beck (NZ214158) EA electrofising (Priestley 2003).

How Beck (East Briscoe) (NY/984198)

2003 Large population (Priestley 2003).

Lance Beck (NZ/019194)

2003 Small population (Priestley 2003).

Scur Beck (NZ/038174)

2003 (Priestley 2003).

Scale Gill Beck (NY/966208)

2003 Small population (Priestley 2003).

Deepdale Beck (NZ/045166)

2003 (Priestley 2003).

Dalton Beck (Throstle Gill) (NZ/115081)

2003 Small population (Priestley 2003).

Baydale Beck (NZ/254139)

Date unknown (Priestley 2003).

Middleton St George Storage Reservoir (2000) (NZ/342138)

2000 (Priestley 2003).

RIVER EDEN (NY/62)

1929 Temple Sowerby below the 'Red Cliff' (NY/6127) (Procter 1929).

Lake Gormire (SE/5083)

pre. 1907 Known to occur by B. S. Rowntree (Stebbing 1907).

00.09.1931 Specimen found during Yorkshire Fishery Board inspection (Smith 1932a).

15.10.1931 Thousands of crayfish seen amongst the weed-beds in the shallows

during period when water level lowered by 2ft (Smith 1932a).

04.01.1932 4 gravid females collected and some young successfully hatched

(Smith 1932b).

04.09.1932 Several 6" specimens collected during British Association site visit

(Smith1932b).

1935 Quite plentiful (Smith 1935).

RIVER DERWENT AND TRIBUTARIES (SE/76;75;77;87;98;99)

1929 Allegedly present (Stevenson 1929).

1931 In some of the small tributaries (Clarke 1931 Smith 1932b).

1931 Remains found in stomach of trout (Clarke 1931 Smith 1932b).

(Source to Ayton)

1931 Hackness (SE/9690) 'occurs sparingly' (Clarke 1931, Smith 1932b, Kemp 1956).

1929 Forge Valley (SE/9885) 'occurs sparingly' (Clarke 1931 Smith 1932b,

Kemp 1956).

1980s Langdale End (SE/9491) downstream to West Ayton (SE/9884)

per C. I. Massey (Thomas 1988).

1980s Forge Valley (SE/9885) per Derwent Anglers (Thomas 1988).

21.9.1984 Forge Valley (SE/985866) 5 caught (YWA 1987).

28.5.1985 Forge Valley (SE/985866) 2 caught (YWA 1987).

15.9.1986 Forge Valley (SE/985866) 10 caught (YWA 1987).

02.11.1987 Forge Valley (SE/985866) 4 caught (YWA 1987).

02.03.1990 Forge Valley (SE/985866) (NRA 1992).

00.9.1990 Forge Valley (SE/985866) (NRA 1992).

1991 Forge Valley (SE/985866) (NRA 1992).

21.08.1997 Saw Beck, Wykeham Forest (SE/939900) alt. 76m D.T. Richardson.

21.08.1997 Wykeham (SE/950900) alt. 70m A.H. Heaton, det. D.T. Richardson.

(Ayton to Malton)

9.4.1932 Yedingham (SE/894794) ‘several found’ (Smith 1932b, Kemp 1956).

1980s Old Malton (SE77972) per Malton AC (Thomas 1988).

21.09.1984 Yedingham (SE/8979) 1 caught (YWA 1987).

23.09.1985 Yedingham (SE/894794), 2 caught in fry seine net (NRA 1992).

(Malton to confluence with Ouse)

1937 Scrayingham (SE/7360) ‘caught on a 'gentle' by rod & line’ (Smith 1937).

1980s Stamford Bridge area (SE/7155) per T.M. Clegg (Thomas 1988).

Scalby Beck (SE/98)

1977 Scalby Beck and the Mowthorpe Cut (SE/98) (Thompson 1978).

River Hertford (TA/08)

1931 Very common (Kemp, 1956).

1936  Flixton (TA/0381). Mr. Brewster informed W.J. Clarke that he could at any time take a dozen crayfish from the Hertford (Smith 1937).

RIVER RYE AND TRIBUTARIES (SE/58;67;68)

00.06.1929 Helmsley (SE/68) 250 crayfish (200 'ripe' females and 50 immatures) from Surrey were introduced by the Earl of Faversham (Smith 1932).

03.04.1932 Shaken Bridge (SE/5588) 5 Specimens introduced (Smith 1932b).

1983  Helmsley area (SE/68) and most of the small tributary streams per Ryedale Anglers and T.M. Clegg (Thomas 1988).

20.09.1988 Nunnington (SE/664794) (NRA 1992).

Costa Beck (SE/87;77)

1936 nr. Confluence with the Rye (SE/8076) one taken by 1lb eel (Smith 1937).

23.07.1987 Kirby Misperton (SE/788796) 1 caught (YWA 1987).

River Dove (SE/78)

1983 per Ryedale Anglers and T. M. Clegg (Thomas 1988).

Hodge Beck (SE/68)

1983 Ryedale Anglers and T.M. Clegg (Thomas 1988).

Elphin Beck (SE/57)

11.10.1990 Coxwold (SE/530764) (NRA 1992).

Marrs Beck (SE/67)

24.07.1991 Beech Tree House (SE/688778) (NRA 1992).

Pickering Beck (SE/78)

1983 per Ryedale Anglers and T.M. Clegg (Thomas 1988).

River Severn (SE/78)

1983 per Ryedale Anglers and T.M. Clegg (Thomas 1988).

Thornton Beck (SE/88)

1983 per Ryedale Anglers and T.M. Clegg (Thomas 1988).

RIVER OUSE (SE/65)

River Foss (SE/65)

09.05.1928 Half a dozen specimens were transferred from Semerwater to a garden pond in Hewerth by the River Foss, York. (Smith 1930).

16.09.1936  12 specimens caught near Copgrove by RH Ward were introduced into garden pond at residence of S.H.Smith, Heworth, York (Smith 1937).

WOLDS

Millington Beck (SE/85)

Pre. 1907 Nr. Pocklington (SE/8251), known to occur by B.S. Rowntree (Stebbing 1907).

Gypsy Race (TA/16)

1930s nr. Thorpe Hall (TA/1167) (Holdich & Reeve 1987).

RIVER SWALE AND TRIBUTARIES (NZ/10. SE/28;29;39;48;49)

1930 'No crayfish have been reported as occurring in the main stream' (Smith 1930).

Bedale Beck (SE/28)

1980s Leeming (SE/2989) to confluence with the Swale (SE/3190)

per Black Ox AC (Thomas 1988).

16.07.1991 Floodbridge Farm (SE/282882) (NRA 1992).

Cod Beck (SE/48)

1931 Thirsk (SE/4282) 2 specimens caught (Sheppard 1931, Smith 1932b).

1932 Thornton-le-Street (SE/4182) specimen caught (Smith 1932b).

1938 Some reported (Smith 1938).

1939 Small numbers above Thirsk (SE/48) (Smith 1940).

1980s South Kilvington (SE/4283) per Darlington Museum and YWA (Thomas

1988).

21.07.1988 Boville Park (SE/4496), 1 electro-fished (NRA 1992).

Dalton Beck (NZ/10)

14.08.1991 Dalton Grange (NZ/125088) (NRA 1992).

17.07.1990 Dalton (NZ/116085), 1 electro-fished (NRA 1992).

Skeeby Beck (SE/29)

1939 Brompton-on-Swale (SE/2198) (Smith 1940).

07.09.1984 Brompton-on-Swale (SE/212998) 5 caught (YWA 1987).

Smelt Mill Beck (NZ/10)

13.07.1990 Hartforth (NZ/168060), 1 electro-fished (NRA 1992).

14.08.1991 Hartforth (NZ/169060) (NRA 1992).

Sour Beck (SE/29)

23.10.1983 Brough Hall (SE/214979) 1 caught (YWA 1987).

5.10.1990 Hipswell (SE/192976) (NRA 1992).

Tunstall Beck (SE/29)

1930  Catterick (SE/2397) sparsely (Smith 1930).

1939 In the tributaries around Catterick (SE/2397) (Smith 1940).

RIVER DOE (SD/77)

Pre. 1907 Has long tenanted the Doe .. above the Beezley Falls (SD/7074) per

R. R. Balderston (Stebbing 1907).

RIVER URE AND TRIBUTARIES

(General)

16th century Camden (1590) in his Britannia, reported the introduction of crayfish to

The Ure by Christopher Metcalf (1513-1574).

pre.1907 'In considerable numbers' per H.C. Abbs (Stebbing 1907).

1929 One or two caught in Wensleydale (Clarke 1929).

1929 Present (Procter 1929 Stevenson 1929)

(Source to Middleham) (SD/89;98;99)

pre.1907 Found at Hawes (SD/8790) per. W. D. Roebuck (Stebbing 1907).

1930 Upper reaches small numbers above Hawes (Smith 1930)

1931 Upper reaches (Smith 1932a).

1935 Upper reaches (Smith 1935).

1936 Hawes (SD/8790) Fair numbers seen (Smith 1937).

1937 Good numbers in the upper reaches of the Ure (Smith 1938).

1937  Askrigg (SD/9590) hundreds washed onto riverside fields by winter floods. Gulls fed ravenously on them before they could return to the river. (Smith 1938).

1939 Large numbers observed in the upper and middle reaches (Smith

1940).

1939 Hawes (SD/8790) (Smith 1940).

1980s Bainbridge (SD/9390) per Stockton. AA (Thomas 1988)

1980s Hawes (SD/ 8790) per Stockton AA (Thomas 1988)

1980s From Bainbridge (SD/9890) to confluence with Widdale Beck

(SD/8590) per Hawes and High Abbotside AA (Thomas 1988).

1980s Confluence with Hardraw Beck (SD/8690) per Hawes and High

Abbotside AA (Thomas 1983).

1980s Confluence with Cotterdale Beck (SD/8491) per Hawes and High

Abbotside AA (Thomas 1988).

1980s Aysgarth (SD/998887) (YWA 1987).

05.08.1986 Hawes (SD/887904) 1 caught above sewage works (YWA ).

05.08.1986 Hawes (SD/887904) 12 caught below sewage works (YWA ).

05.08.1986 Bainbridge (SD/9890) 2 caught (YWA 1987).

05.08.1986 Aysgarth (SD/9988) 1 caught (YWA 1987).

14.08.1986 Worton (SD/960904), several electro-fished (YWA 1987).

10.09.1986 Up stream of Duerley Beck (SD/876905), 3 electro-fished (YWA 1987).

24.07.1987 North of Brown Moor (SD/877904), a few electro-fished (YWA 1987).

24.07.1987 South of Askrigg (SD/9490), several electro-fished (YWA 1987).

29.07.1987 North of Brown Moor (SD/877904), a few electro-fished (YWA 1987).

30.09.1988 Nappal (SD/960904), a few electro-fished (NRA 1992).

02.08.1989 Stream on Thornton Rust Moor (SD/965876) alt. 350m D. Millward.

04.08.1989 Redmire. Stream 45m from R. Ure. (SE/059899) alt. 120m A.E.

Metcalfe.

04.05.1990 Bainbridge (SD/933907) (NRA 1992).

04.05.1990 Up stream of Hawes sewage treatment works (SD/877904)

(NRA 1992).

27.06.1990 Up stream of Shaws Beck (SD/793945) (NRA 1992).

02.08.1990 Appersett (SD/859909) (NRA 1992).

02.08.1990 Appersett (SD/959907) (NRA 1992).

02.08.1990 Aysgarth (SD/998887) (NRA 1992).

02.08.1990 Bainbridge (SD/933907) (NRA 1992).

08.11.1990 Aysgarth (SD/998887) (NRA 1992).

11.04.1991 Bainbridge (SD/933907) (NRA 1992).

20.04.1992 Appersett (SD/959907) (NRA 1992).

22.04.1992 Up stream of Hawes sewage treatment works (SD/877904) (NRA 1992).

(Downstream of Middleham) (SE/18;27;28;37)

1888 Masham (SE/2281) preyed on by otters (Carter 1888).

1898 Occurence noted in the Leyburn (SE/1188) area (Horne & Storey 1898).

1897  Near Masham (SE/28) 'formerly abundant ... when otters were persecuted, while now that the otters are preserved, crayfish have become scarce' per J. Carter (Stebbing 1907).

14.09.1929 Masham (SE/2281) ' exceedingley common' during YNU visit

(Smith 1931).

1930 Masham (SE/2281) (Smith 1930).

1930 Middleham (SE/1188) (Smith 1930).

1967-8 Fragments in otter diet remains (Simms 1971).

1978  Mickely (SE/2576) to Slenningford (SE/2878) fragments in otter diet remains (YNU unpublished reports).

1980s Tanfield (SE/2678) per Tanfield AC (Thomas 1988).

1980s Plaster Pits Farm (SE/308752) (YWA 1987, Thomas 1988).

1980s West Tanfield (SE/270787) (YWA 1987, Thomas 1988).

19.07.1986 West Tanfield (SE/2778) (Deaton 1988).

02.08.1986 Masham(SE/2281) (Deaton 1988).

06.08.1986 Mickley New Weir (SE/253771), 1 electro-fished (YWA 1987).

1987 Stream at High Batts Nature Reserve (SE/2975) (Deaton 1988).

04.05.1989 Down stream of Kilgram Bridge (SE/193860), 2 elecrofished (NRA 1992).

12.11.1990 Kilgram Bridge (SE/191860) (NRA 1992).

Badger Beck (SE/19)

06.08.1991 Up stream of Sand Beck (SE/167997) (NRA 1992).

Bardale Beck (SD/88)

26.07.1989 In stream running into Semerwater (SD/897861) alt. 305m

K. Butterworth.

Bishopdale Beck (SD/98; SE/08)

13.11.1990 Aysgarth (SE/026888) (NRA 1992).

13.11.1990 Thoralby (SE/002864) (NRA 1992).

07.06.1991 Up stream of Walden Beck (SE/015877) (NRA 1992).

07.06.1991 Swinacote (SD/994861) (NRA 1992).

03.03.1992 Aysgarth (SE/026888) (NRA 1992).

Brough Beck (SE/29)

16.08.1990 Catterick (SE/240979) (NRA 1992).

Burton Beck (SE/19)

04.04.1990 Constable Burton (SE/167910) (NRA 1992).

16.06.1990 Finghall (SE/187904) (NRA 1992)

28.06.1990 Constable Burton (SE/167910) (NRA 1992).

10.09.1990 Constable Burton (SE/167910) (NRA 1992).

03.03.1992 Constable Burton (SE/167910) (NRA 1992).

Capple Bank Beck (SE/08)

22.09.1989 West Witton (SE/067883) alt. 170m. A. E. Metcalfe.

Colber Beck (SE/26)

1983 (SE/2564) (Deaton 1988).

Cotter Beck (SD/89)

27.06.1990 (SD/850916) (NRA 1992).

Cragdale Beck (SD/98)

21.08.1986 Marsett (SD/910858), few electro-fished (NRA 1992).

Duerley Beck (SD/88)

02.08.1990 Gayle (SD/871892) (NRA 1992).

1991 Gayle (SD/871892) (NRA 1992).

Fossgill Beck (SD/89)

24.07.1984 Hardrow (SD/867911) (NRA 1992).

Gayle Beck (SE/88)

1939 Many (Smith 1940),

Hambleton Beck (SE/05)

05.06.1990 Bolton Bridge (SE/071529) (NRA 1992)

Haw Beck (SD/98)

23.07.1989 Aysgarth Moor (SD/999873) alt. 260m. A. E. Metcalfe.

Harmby Beck (SE/18)

15.08.1986 Harmby (SE/1289), several electro-fished (NRA 1992).

Holbeck (SE/36)

30.05.1991 Copgrove (SE/337628) (NRA 1992).

Nichol Beck (SD/89)