Marking Progress

• Rate of spread of Signal Crayfish upstream towards Gunthwaite Dam area slowed
• Populations of White-clawed Crayfish maintained
• Ponds used as ‘ark’ sites for White-clawed Crayfish

Maintaining and possibly increasing White-clawed Crayfish populations in the Barnsley area will be difficult but actions include:

What is being done:

• Annual surveys of tributaries to the river Dearne to the west of Barnsley.
• Daking Brook scheduled as a Local Wildlife site but not under positive conservation management for White-clawed Crayfish.
• Translocation, under licence, of White-clawed Crayfish to small isolated ‘ark’ pond at Cannon Hall. However population not sustained.

White-clawed Crayfish Action Plan

Key Objectives

• Raise awareness of the threat to our native crayfish from the crayfish plague and the invasive species, good practice when fishing, and the legal restrictions and protection for crayfish.
• Carry out annual monitoring surveys for the presence of White-clawed Crayfish, and the invasive Signal Crayfish, in relevant water bodies.
• Undertake positive conservation management of site(s) that support White-clawed Crayfish [see good conservation practice].
• Provide ‘offline’ refuges (‘arks’) to help safeguard the White-clawed Crayfish species.
• Ensure any sites (including ‘ark sites’) are given protection through designation or other means.

Proposed actions

• Publicity to promote good practice when accessing water bodies eg for fishing, and on the legal restrictions for crayfish.
• Promote good management and avoidance of pollution incidents near known White-clawed Crayfish site(s)
• Continue annual monitoring surveys for White-clawed Crayfish, and invasive Signal Crayfish, in relevant water bodies.
• Promote conservation management of Daking Brook LWS sites supporting White-clawed Crayfish /
• Establish one or more ‘ark’ ponds for White-clawed Crayfish in catchment of Daking Brook.

Roles:

Riparian land owners, particularly in the Daking Brook catchment

• follow best practice in reducing or stopping the expansion of Signal Crayfish
• follow best practice in managing site(s) to support and increase any existing White-clawed Crayfish populations

Barnsley Council as planning authority:

• take into consideration records of White-clawed Crayfish presence in the planning process
• set conditions in relevant planning applications to ensure that relevant habitat features for White-clawed Crayfish are maintained and enhanced.

Voluntary groups and volunteers:
(subject to required licensing)

• provide records of White-clawed Crayfish
• help with information about condition of sites supporting White-clawed Crayfish  
• help with measures to support White-clawed Crayfish, eg: habitat management.

White-clawed Crayfish