Australian Crayfish Project
Code of Practice
for Collecting Freshwater Invertebrates
(Freshwater Crayfish & Shrimp)
Purpose of collecting
The Australian Crayfish Project involves full biological studies of the whole of Australia; no specific
locations can be given until after collection has occurred. Every effort will be made to investigate as much of
the whole of Australia as possible. The ACP will attempt to capture freshwater crustaceans from every creek,
stream, river, swamp, paddock and mountain in Australia. The ACP is primarily focused on Freshwater Crayfish
but any shrimp or other crustaceans captured during the project will also be catalogued and vouchered as part
of the collection. All crustaceans collected will be kept alive and returned to the Port Stephens region of
NSW and the following will occur.
- Specimens will be photographed (alive).
- Specimens will be preliminarily identified.
- Specimens will be weighed.
- Specimens will be measured.
- Specimens will be DNA tested to verify identification and relationships.
- Specimens will be euthanised by freezing.
- Specimens will be photographed (dead).
- Specimens will be vouchered.
The collection of samples by ACP collectors for preservation from natural populations of crustaceans is
essential for:
- understanding the biology of animals throughout their ranges and over time;
- the recording of biotic diversity, over time and/or in different habitats;
- the establishment and maintenance of taxonomic reference material essential to understanding the
evolution and phylogenetic relationships of crustaceans;
- for environmental status reports and impact studies.
Correct identification of the animals that are being studied is crucial to research and conservation
programs. Incorrect or unresolved identifications can lead to misleading or incomplete conclusions. Taxonomy
derived from studies of collections proved the identification basis for most types of biological research that
is being conducted (physiological, anatomical, biochemical, behavioural or some other aspect of the animal’s
biology), whether it occurs in the field or the laboratory. Conservation needs are impossible to assess without
the ability to recognise and differentiate species. Thus, identification although often taken for granted, is
fundamental to any animal-based study and particularly important when studying native animals. Collections
allow identification to be checked subsequent to the initial study, thus permitting verification or, if
required, correction. In addition, extension and elaboration of studies based on those specimens are possible
when new questions arise and/or new analytical techniques become available. An important element of collections
is the retention of voucher specimens, which allow problems to be addressed that cannot be resolved in the
field, particularly when there is no other means to verify identification and where the taxonomy of a group is
undergoing or expected to undergo change. Voucher specimens permit confirmation of the distribution and
occurrence of a species at a certain place at a certain time. Preserved collections enable multiple use of
specimens thus often reducing the need for repetitive collecting. A researcher wanting to study the anatomy,
taxonomy, reproductive biology or feeding habits of a particular species, can use specimens in the collection.
Availability of specimens in collections saves the time, expense and avoids conservation issues associated with
capturing fresh specimens. Once studied and returned to the collection the bank of knowledge for a particular
specimen or specimens increases the value of that specimen and the collection as a whole. Where possible the
ACP collections will attempt to cover the range of variation in animal structure, life history, form, and
distribution for as many species as possible in Australia.
General Principles
This code of Practice is consistent with other codes of practices developed for collecting animals. For
example the WORLDWIDE DRAGONFLY ASSOCIATION recognises the following 4 principles:
- To respect life, in the form of species, communities and habitats.
- To comply with existing regulations.
- To respect the need for scientific rigour.
- To show, and expect to receive, tolerance of differing attitudes towards collecting biological
material.
Those principles are broadly accepted here and expanded to include the following:
- Collection procedures are planned to avoid or minimise distress to the freshwater crustaceans targeted,
and will always be conducted so as to attempt to leave the habitat and other species as undisturbed as
possible consistent with sound research design.
- Collecting is targeted to fill biogeographical gaps, identify distribution and answer defined research
questions.
- The APC collector/s must have knowledge of all regulations pertaining to the crustaceans under study
(i.e. threatened or endangered species) and the proposed areas of collection, and must ensure all permits
necessary for carrying out collections are current. Collecting will be avoided in extremely public areas
and conducted quietly to avoid observation/interaction with the general public.
- ACP Collectors must have an understanding of the Animal Care & Ethics protocol with relation to
crustaceans and all specimens will be treated with care and consideration ensuring no undue stress or
injury. This is essential as all specimens collected will be returned alive for photography and can not be
injured or stressed.
- Collecting is planned with respect to the abundance of the species and the life-history stage involved
so that numbers of individuals collected will not constitute a significant percentage of the population of
any species in any bioregion. A total maximum of 12 specimens of any species/location is the limit.
- Where possible, collecting individuals of endangered or threatened taxa should be avoided. This can be
accomplished by appropriate selection of areas (habitats) and sampling methods.
- When positive identifications can be made in the field and it is not necessary to retain all or part of
the collection, live specimens can be DNA tested and released back at the original site of capture.
Methods
Collection methods are chosen with consideration of the above principles.
Methods used by ACP collectors are listed below:
Scoop and plankton nets, traps, meat on string, hand collecting.
Scoop nets
ACP collectors use hand held scoop nets. These nets are 6 mm mesh and approximately 320 mm diameter on a
wooden handle.
PLUS – They are hand held and only utilized in a selected area. Larger mesh nets (6 mm) can allow selective
capture without by-catch. When non selective capture is utilised non targeted by-catch species captured can be
returned without injury.
MINUS – None targeted species may be captured accidentally;
INDICATED – For capture of small crustaceans in weedy or muddy areas (cannot be captured by other means).
CONTRAINDICATED – Only for capture of specimens greater than 6 mm. Smaller specimens will not be
captured.
Plankton nets
ACP collectors use hand held scoop and plankton nets. These nets are 100 micron approximately 320 mm
diameter on a wooden handle.
PLUS – They are hand held and only utilized in a selected area. Once used they are non-selective – catches
everything in the selected arm reach scoop area with selection by size, rather than taxon. Enables capture of
larvae and small juveniles. These suffer extremely high natural mortality and are very abundant, so capture of
large numbers of larvae or juveniles has negligible impact on populations of adults. Non target species can be
returned with acceptable injury or mortality.
MINUS – With 100 micron mesh it is not possible to target particular tax; there will be a by-catch of non
targeted fish and invertebrate zooplankton; as these are hand held nets most of the delicate fish larvae will
survive capture by the plankton net and can be returned, however some injury and mortality will occur to small
delicate animals.
INDICATED – For capture of larvae and small juveniles (cannot be captured by other means).
CONTRAINDICATED – For capture of small live specimens in difficult habitat region Areas with uneven bottoms
(like sharp rocks) or with snags/branches.
Traps
ACP collectors use small bait traps for freshwater collecting. They are baited and left for a designated
period of time.
PLUS – Passive collecting – may be set in areas difficult to sample by other methods and samples
invertebrates that are difficult to sample by other methods. May be left while other tasks are performed or
overnight. Animals are caught alive and can be returned to the water. No habitat disturbance.
MINUS – If left too long animals can be dead upon retrieval. Ghost fishing possible if trap not recovered.
Possible capture of snakes or other air-breathing aquatic animals with associated drowning.
INDICATED – Streams, rivers and swamps.
CONTRAINDICATED – Where large numbers of air-breathing aquatic animals maybe subject to capture.
Meat on String
Capture of freshwater crustaceans by meat or fish on string is an accepted practice of recreational fishers
and the preferred method for ACP collectors.
PLUS – Meat on String only capture the target species. Individual specimens that take the meat can be
selected or rejected without stress to the animal. Can be used to capture medium to large freshwater
crayfishes and shrimps that are often not collected using other techniques. Little weight involved in
carrying materials long distances to remote locations.
MINUS – Non selective. Fish and eels may be attracted to the bait.
INDICATED – Can be used in any aquatic habitat, including those with poor visibility, macrophyte cover,
snags etc.
CONTRAINDICATED – Not suitable for terrestrial crayfish habitats. (Engaeus species)
Hand collecting
Hand collecting is used for smaller juvenile and small species.
PLUS – Sampling is very selective and only the target habitat or species is collected. Another preferred
method for ACP collectors as valuable information on habitat and burrows is also accumulated.
MINUS – Requires high level of fitness and increase the danger from injury from non target species (spiders
snakes) also as with closer interaction with freshwater crayfish allows greater chance for injury to collector
by targeted species. Habitat disturbance.
INDICATED – Can potentially be used in any suitable aquatic habitat.
CONTRAINDICATED – Difficult to use in areas with large rock and large water flows.
Conclusion
The Australian Crayfish Project involves collection of every species of freshwater crayfish in Australia.
The project has multiple aspects that all revolve around the increase in the knowledge base of Australian
Freshwater Crayfish and their protection and conservation. One of the key aspects of this project is
identification of species as there has been some confusion in the past and new species are being identified
every year. It involves the photography of every species to give a full colour high resolution image of every
species. The project also involves full DNA testing of every species in Australia which will ultimately produce
a full DNA data base of all species in Australia. Information collected on habitats, behaviour and distribution
of species will be invaluable in the future. This is a major project with offshoots like the Field Guides
adding to the long list of benefits.
Robert B McCormack
Project Leader 2009
Australian Crayfish Project |
