Surveys of White-clawed Crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes in Selected Lakes and Special Areas of Conservation

Tender description

White-clawed Crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes is the only indigenous crayfish species in Ireland. The species is threatened throughout its global range by the twin threats of non-indigenous crayfish species (NICS) and Crayfish Plague caused by Aphanomyces astaci. In most of its range these threats are acting in combination, the NICS being asymptomatic carriers of the Crayfish Plague which, when it infects White-clawed Crayfish, causes 100% mortality of the infected individuals. White-clawed Crayfish (WCC) is protected by national and European legislation including listing on Annex II and Annex V of the EU Habitats Directive. Part of each member state’s responsibility under the Habitats Directive is that it must report every six years on the conservation status of the species. In the last reporting cycle covering 2013-2018 and published in 2019, WCC was assessed as Unfavourable-Bad. This assessment was based largely on the impact of Crayfish Plague which has been detected in at least seven Irish rivers since 2017. The population and range of the species were both reduced in the areas affected by disease outbreaks and future prospects were also assessed as poor as the disease will be very difficult to control. Responsibility for the species under the Habitats Directive rests with National Parks and Wildlife Service. The Marine Institute has responsibility for Crayfish Plague as a notifiable disease under animal health regulations. NPWS works with the Marine Institute in responding to disease outbreaks and supporting a programme of e-DNA testing of rivers and lakes throughout the range of the WCC to determine the presence or absence of this species, Crayfish Plague and non-indigenous crayfish species (NICS). There may be times when Marine Institute staff will coordinate sampling during this tender. This will be arranged to suit both parties if needed. See RfT document for full technical specification