North Yorkshire Crayfish Forum
Our Vision: Saving/Protecting North Yorkshire’s endangered white-clawed crayfish.
Through collaboration, targeted action and education, we will ensure North Yorkshire is a resilient and thriving stronghold for white-clawed crayfish, supported by clean, healthy rivers which are celebrated by local communities.
Background
White-clawed crayfish (WCC) are the only native species of freshwater crayfish in the UK and have suffered a large population decline in recent years, due to many factors including the introduction of signal crayfish into river ecosystems and poor biosecurity. North Yorkshire is a stronghold for the endangered white-clawed crayfish, but the population is under threat and could disappear completely if no action is taken.
The North Yorkshire Crayfish Forum, hosted by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, was founded in 2019 and is made up of various organisations including government agencies, national parks and conservation charities, all with a passion to protect the remaining white-clawed crayfish populations in North Yorkshire. The forum meets at least 3 times a year to discuss information and progress on key common work areas. This facilitates the coordination of crayfish efforts across the county, promoting communication, collaboration, and partnership development.
Distribution of white-clawed and signal crayfish, 2023. For more information see the North Yorkshire Crayfish Forum’s interactive map.
Action
Since then, the forum has produced a Crayfish Strategy for North Yorkshire, detailing our aims and steps to achieve our vision and a 5 Year Delivery Plan (2022-2027). It has also secured funding from Yorkshire Water to employ a project officer to drive forward the delivery plan, assist in forum administration, conduct crayfish surveys across North Yorkshire, engage with key stakeholders and explore funding opportunities for crayfish conservation projects.
Contact Us
To find out more about the crayfish forum and what project work is happening across North Yorkshire, please visit: North Yorkshire Crayfish Forum (arcgis.com) or contact Vanessa Barlow, Crayfish Stakeholder Officer – vanessa.barlow@ywt.org.uk
