The White-clawed Crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) is one of the UK’s largest freshwater invertebrates and our only native crayfish. Once widespread and common in English and Welsh rivers, the White-clawed Crayfish is fully protected, and now classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is declining globally.

View more information

Quick Facts:

- Name of Project: Midlands Crayfish Partnership
- Duration of Project: June 2024 – August 2027
- Location of Project: Midlands
- Species benefiting from Project: White-clawed Crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes)
- Project funded by: Funding for The Midlands Crayfish Partnership has been provided by the West Midlands Combined Authority Community Environment Fund (West Midlands project area only), the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Marjorie Cootes Animal Charity, Northwick Trust, Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust and HDH Wills Charitable Trust.
- Project Partners: Buglife (lead), Sea Life Centre, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Birmingham City Council, Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust, National Trust, Severn Rivers Trust, RSPB, Wildside Activity Centre

Many populations of the White-clawed Crayfish have been lost in the UK due to water pollution, habitat degradation and the invasive, non-native American Signal Crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus). The American Signal Crayfish out-compete the White-clawed Crayfish for food and carry deadly crayfish plague – a fungal infection to which American Signal Crayfish are immune but is deadly to White-clawed Crayfish.

What will this project do?

Since the pilot stage of the project has been successfully completed, we are currently focussing on the main project, to halt the decline of the White-clawed Crayfish in the Midlands. This includes rescues, translocations and reintroductions. We have identified ark sites, which will provide safe havens where new populations of White-clawed Crayfish can be established. These are currently being tested in readiness for populating with crayfish from the donor sites next year.

We will also survey the area to map all native and invasive, non-native crayfish and incidences of crayfish plague. By doing this we can carry out targeted rescue missions for at-risk populations of White-clawed Crayfish and relocate them to safe ark sites.

White-clawed Crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) resting in repurposed brick © Liz Oldring

In tandem with this, we will work to engage people with the plight of the White-clawed Crayfish and encourage communities to take interest in their rivers, streams and aquatic invertebrates through pond-dipping sessions, walks and talks. Integral to these sessions will also be raising awareness on bio-security protocols amongst river users and spreading the ‘Check, Clean, Dry’ message.

We will work closely with other projects throughout the Midlands to share best-practices, information and expertise through the Midlands Crayfish Partnership.

How can you get involved?

Communities can get involved through a series of opportunities including volunteering, attending walks and talks and by being responsible river users, following the Check, Clean, Dry protocol.

To find out more about getting involved in the Midlands Crayfish Partnership, please contact Liz Oldring (Conservation Officer) at [email protected].

Conservation Officer Liz rescuing an at risk population of White-clawed Crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) © Karim Vahed

The Midlands Crayfish Partnership is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Many thanks to National Lottery players, and to our other funders, the West Midlands Combined Authority Community Environment Fund (West Midlands project area only), the Marjorie Cootes Animal Charity, Northwick Trust, Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust and HDH Wills Charitable Trust.