A Versatile and Economical Trap for Capturing Wild Crayfish

ABSTRACT

We designed, built, and tested a trap for the capture of wild crayfish. Unlike some commercial crayfish traps, our design has smaller mesh that allows for the capture of a larger size range of crayfish. This trap can be built for one-third to one-eighth the cost of most commercial traps and this greater affordability can translate to an increased sampling effort. In a mesocosm experiment testing the ability of the traps to retain crayfish, we demonstrated that the typical tapered openings found in many wire traps allow crayfish to escape. Therefore, we modified our design to increase retention of trapped crayfish.