COMPARISON OF WHITE-CLAWED CRAYFISH POPULATIONS IN IRISH AND FRENCH STREAMS, WITH COMMENTS ON ITS FUTURE SURVIVAL IN EUROPE

Abstract

White-clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes (Lereboullet) populations remain strong in Ireland across a range of river and lake habitats, but the species is in decline elsewhere in Europe where it is sympatric with alien species. From comparison of published French and Irish studies, we suggest that in the changed European context the long-term health and survival of this species requires the maintenance of Ireland’s no-go status for non-indigenous crayfish.

Keywords

• Austropotamobius pallipes
• stream habitats
• crayfish plague
• Ireland
• France
• conservation