Ecological Risk Screening Summary - Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) - High Risk

Document - application/pdf
Ecological Risk Screening Summary - Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) - High Risk

Species that are considered high risk have a well-documented history of invasiveness in at least one location globally, and a high or medium climate match to the contiguous United States.

P. clarkii is known to outcompete native crayfish and rapidly take over habitat where it invades. It is an agricultural pest and has been shown to reduce populations of native macrophytes, amphibians, mollusks, macroinvertebrates, and fish. Furthermore, it alters the ecosystem it inhabits, changing water quality and sediment characteristics. P. clarkii is a vector for multiple OIE-reportable diseases. In the US, this species is an extremely popular food item, and has escaped from aquaculture in many areas. Climate match is high for every state in the contiguous US, and as this species is known to have adverse impacts, the overall risk is high.

Attachments
Publication date
Type of document
High Risk
Program
Juvenile Northern Pike in aquarium at Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery, South Dakota
The Fish and Aquatic Conservation program leads aquatic conservation efforts for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We are committed to tackling the nation’s highest priority aquatic conservation and recreational challenges to conserve, restore, and enhance fisheries for future generations.
A half dozen large silver fish jumping out of the water to a height of six feet.
Aquatic invasive species cause tremendous harm to our environment, our economy, and our health. They can drive out and eat native plants and wildlife, spread diseases, and damage infrastructure. We work to protect our waterways and the communities that depend on them from the threat of invasive...
Subject tags