Crayfish Tails

[Snape]

The actual must be here somewhere http://www.legislation.gov.uk/
The references to crayfish I can find are in the wildlife and countryside act 1981 but doing about using it for bait.

[Olly]

Little did I know this would stir up such a hornets nest!

Below are the National Fishing rules. These rules are included in Regional Bylaws.

https://www.gov.uk/freshwater-rod-fishi ... ou-can-use

""Freshwater rod fishing rules
Lures, bait and tackle
In England and Wales you must not:
use crayfish as bait
use another fish you’ve taken as bait unless you’re doing so on the same waters where you caught it
keep fish you’ve foul hooked (caught with a hook puncturing anywhere but the fish’s mouth or throat) - these must be returned alive
use a gaff (a pole with a large hook at the end) or a tailer (a loop of cable or wire at the end of a pole)""

South East Regional Fishery Byelaws:-
You may not use crayfish of any species, whether alive or dead, (including any part of a
crayfish) when fishing for salmon, trout, freshwater fish or eels in any waters. This is a national
byelaw.

Unfortunately the National & Regional bye-laws seem to be an ass when it comes to human food products being used for bait! It does mention - "crayfish of any species". However I have been led to believe that a bait making company was banned from using real crayfish in its fishing baits.

I seems anglers need EA clarification regarding this to evade possible prosecution!

[Reedling]

As quoted above by Olly.... You may not use Crayfish of any species, whether dead or alive(including any part of a Crayfish) when fishing in any waters. That seems to be clear enough to me, to help protect our wildlife.

[Luga00]

Wow, The rules are so vague as to be misleading.

Eg. "Use another fish you’ve taken as bait unless you’re doing so on the same waters where you caught it"

Er.. does this include mackerel, sprat etc.? This would have the piking fraternity scratching their heads for sure.

[Olly]

Once you start reading and questioning the National & Regional bylaws there is no limit.

My local ones have been amended in the last few years - and parts left out in the amended version! Which theoretically now allows angling where previously it was NOT allowed!! They seem to have been written by a non-angler.

The local bylaw on livebait in my area is as follows - much clearer:-
"You may not take any fish for use as live bait unless the fish are retained at and used only in
the water from which they were taken or you have already obtained the Environment Agency's
consent to introduce live bait at another water. This is a national byelaw"

[Stour Otter]

Well gents.
This has certainly opened up a can of worms. I don't live bait or used any living thing on the hook and haven't for many decades, this includes maggots, slugs (yuk) and worms. It's not that I'm a Buddhist, it just that is doesn't sit well on my mind to kill something to catch something to put it back. Bread, cheese paste, luncheon meat, sweetcorn, wheat, pearl barley and marshmallows have served me well for the past 45 years. But I will miss Lidl's shop bought crayfish tails (cooked and peeled) in paprika!

Stour Otter

[Tizer]

Well that's the end of that then,My local Lidl's said they had them a couple of months ago and then won't be having them again,just my luck, they did have the lobster tails mentioned earlier but at £10 a packet.No thanks.

[Santiago]

Perhaps the EA told Lidl stocking crayfish tails was against their byelaws!
I would be surprised if your regular EA bailiff could tell the difference between a crayfish tail and the tail of a king prawn.

[Barbulus]

I think I shall stick to shrimp.......

[Olly]

I bet he can when I am salmon fishing!