Report on Qianjiang Hubei Province Red Swamp Crayfish Fisheries

Report on Qianjiang Hubei Province Red Swamp Crayfish fisheries

A Technical Review Document for the Development of a Fishery Improvement Project

SAI Global Marine Office Dave Garforth Senior Consultant, Seafood

SAI Global /Global Trust Quayside Business Park, Mill Street Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland T: +353 (0) 42 932 0912 M: +353 (0) 87 7978480 E: [email protected] http://www.saiglobal.com

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Contents

1. Background ...... 3 1.1 Responsible fishery management practices in the Red Swamp Chinese Crawfish (Crayfish) Fishery ...... 3

2. Hubei Province Crayfish Fishery Review ...... 5 2.1 Geography of the Hubei Province ...... 5 2.2 Biology and Habitat of the Species ...... 6 2.3 History and Production of Crayfish fisheries in China and Hubei ...... 8 2.4 Crayfish fishery Systems ...... 9 2.5 Chinese Fishery Management ...... 12 2.6 Habitat and Environmental Interactions of the Fishery ...... 15 2.7 Commerical Development of the Fisheries in these Provinces ...... 19

3. Summary and Scope of a FIP ...... 21 3.1 Summary ...... 21 3.2 FIP Objectives ...... 24 3.3 Specific to Enhanced Relay Crayfish fisheries ...... 26 References ...... 27 Appendix 1: FAO Ecolabeling Guideline Criteria for Inland Fisheries (2011) ...... 30 Photographs Taken During the Site Visit ...... 37 Photographs taken during site visit 37

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1. Background

1.1 Responsible fishery management practices in the Red Swamp Chinese Crawfish (Crayfish) Fishery

The Big Prawn Company commissioned a study visit and initial technical report of the sustainability parameters and to establish the responsible management credentials of the Chinese Red swamp Crawfish (Procambarus clarkia) fishery in the Hubei Province of China, focusing on the Qianjiang region.

This report provides a first technical overview of the fisheries in this region.

The Purpose of a FIP

The purpose of a FIP is to provide a transparent and credible process that supports the sustainable development of a fishery and demonstrates this to interested parties. The Hubei Province Red swamp crayfish FIP will lead to:

- Better documentation of the operational characteristics of the fishery

- Improvement in data collection and use across the key areas of data deficiency and thereby,

- Allow for better informed management decisions that will lead to it’s long term sustainable development

Work conducted and presented in this report identifies Hubei Province Redswamp crayfish as a data deficient fishery. Data deficiencies exist across key aspects of stock distribution, dynamics, fishing effort, deployment, catch records etc. A work plan has been developed and aims to improve upon the data availability, data collection systems and data use to support the long, term sustainable management of Hubei Province Red swamp crayfish.

Objective of the Work

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Sourcing policies within the supply chain require that fishery products come from well managed fisheries; either demonstrable via accepted international standards and third party certification or through formal fishery improvement projects (FIP’s) that can track the progress of the fishery towards effective management and sustainable stocks.

A study visit was organised to review the fishery practises and meet with key stakeholders within the Hubei Province. Stakeholders included; fishers, collectors, local fishery district managers, major crayfish processors and key experts in the field. The visit took place on the 27-29th October and included visits to 3 crayfish production areas and 3 major fisheries/ processing businesses. A meeting and then followed by a workshop was held on the 28th October to present an overview of a fishery improvement project and discuss the operational practices, available information, gaps in information and identify opportunities for improvement in the fishery practices. The meetings were hosted by Big Prawn Co. and were attended by two of the main supplying companies of Crayfish in the Qianjiang region of Hubei (Hubei Qianjiang Huashan Aquatic Food & Product Co. Ltd and Hubei Laker Aquatic Product Co. Ltd). The meetings were also attended by representatives of the Qianjiang Fisheries Bureau, local fishermen and collectors.

These collective stakeholders (fishers, producers, managers, supply chain) propose to develop a FIP in order to demonstrate the responsible management of the fishery and undertake improvement activities in a recognised and credible manner.

A FIP is normally based on a gap analysis of the fishery against measurable criteria, often derived from existing market facing standards such as the Marine Stewardship Council’s Standard for Sustainable Fisheries or other accepted criteria. Due to the diverse nature of crayfish fisheries (there are wild and enhanced components to the fishery), a broader evaluation is first conceived in order to consider the most appropriate Standards. Suitable criteria can form part of the FIP proposal and in this report, a number of FAO based criteria, derived from the Eco-labeling Guidelines for Inland fisheries are presented in the Summary section. This was considered a good first step in the evaluation and consistent with all relevant Standards that may ultimately be used as part of the fishery development.

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2. Hubei Province Crayfish Fishery Review

2.1 Geography of the Hubei Province

Situated north and in the middle reaches of the Changjiang (Yangtze) River, Hubei, is a province of considerable rivers and lakes, and known as the "land of thousand lakes". The Yangtze River cuts through the Wushan Mountain as it flow eastwards, forming the famous gorges linking Hubei with the neighbouring Sichuan.

The Province has an area of 180 thousand square kilometres and a population of some 60 million comprising the Han, Tujia, Hui, Manchu, Miao and Mongolian nationalities. The capital city is Wuhan.

Hubei has a sub-tropical, humid and monsoon climate. It has distinctive seasons with a changeable spring, a humid and hot summer, a pleasant autumn and a dry and cold winter. Its annual mean temperature ranges from 13ºC to 18ºC (55.4 ºF to 64.4 ºF) with lowest monthly mean in January being 1C to 6C and highest monthly in July being 24ºC to 30ºC (75.2 ºF to 86 ºF). Its annual precipitation averages is between 750-1,500mm, which is concentrated in the summer period.

Hubei abounds in fish, lotus seeds and roots, water caltrop, water fowl and pearls, and boasts significant inland fishery and aquatic resources.

The Red swamp crayfish (Procambaris Clarkii) was introduced into China in the early part of the 20th century and have since become an established, naturalised species. It is a native of Southern Americas but has gradually spread north and also exits in parts of Western and Central Europe. Its introduction in China pre-dates International Agreements such as the Convention of the Law on Bio-diversity, 1991. There are mainly 5 provinces in China where Crayfish are caught, along the Yangtze River from east to west – Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei & Hunan provinces.

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Figure 1: Location of Hubei Province in China

2.2 Biology and Habitat of the Species

Crayfish species are considered successful colonizers and r-strategists, exhibiting a short life cycle and high fecundity. When they become established they eventually become a keystone species. These traits are typically associated with animals that live in warmer environments, i.e., short- lived (2 years or less), high juvenile survival, and can alternate between reproductively active and inactive forms.

Crayfish are herbivores, detritivores, omnivores, and obligate carnivores. They can feed on small fish and shrimp, a range of invertebrates and plant materials. They are nocturnal and hide during the day. Life span of Red swamp crayfish is about 2-3 years. Although an aquatic species, they can survive out of the water as long as their gills remain wet.

Crayfish reproduce in open water where sperm is collected in a specialized receptacle and subsequently females return to burrows for shelter and protection before spawning. This mainly occurs in late spring/early summer. The burrow provides habitat and protection while the fertilized eggs or young are attached to the underside of their mother’s tail during ovarian development and sperm collection prior to burrowing. The eggs are 0.4mm. Crayfish of all ages and sizes, whether mature or immature and male or female, will dig or retreat to burrows to survive periods of dewatering.

Developing eggs within the ovary become rounded, increase in size, and change from a light colour to dark as they mature. At maturity, the large black eggs are shed from between the walking legs, are fertilized externally and are then attached to the swimmerets on the underside

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of the tail with an adhesive substance called glair. The number of eggs laid varies with female size, but large red swamp crayfish females can brood more than 500 eggs. The hatching period depends on temperature but generally takes 3 weeks. Newly produced crayfish are attached to the female’s swimmerets through two moulting phases after which they resemble an adult crayfish and begin to feed. Hatchlings remain alongside although detached with the female for several weeks after the second moult. The lifetime of red swamp crayfish can be up to 5 years.

Hatchlings go through 11 moults, which are hormonally controlled, before reaching maturing. The length of time between moults and size increases in crayfish between each moult but can vary greatly due to factors such as age of young, water temperature, water quality, food quality and quantity, population density and to the lesser extent by genetic influences. Optimum growth in crayfish can be up to 15% in length and 40 percent in weight in a single moult. Growth is better in nutrient rich-waters and they can tolerate low oxygen levels. The red swamp crawfish may reach a weight greater than 50 g and up to a size between of 5.5 to 12 centimetres (2.2-4.7 in) long.

The red swamp crayfish can spawn year-round and multiple times per year and usually mature in April to June and most young appear in the September to December period. Feeding rates and growth is greater at temperatures in excess of 30C but they can tolerate a wide range. Usually red swamp crawfish are found in greater abundance in waters with lower dissolved oxygen content and their natural habitat is slow flowing rivers, marshes, lakes, irrigation systems and rice paddies.

Red swamp crawfish exhibit two patterns: a wandering phase characterized by short peaks of high speed of locomotion and a longer stationary phase when crawfish hide in burrows emerging at dusk to forage/feed. During the wandering phase, breeding males move up to 17 km in four days and cover a wide area, thus increasing dispersion

Figure 2: Red swamp crayfish (Promcambarus clarki)

Usually Procambarus clarkii are dark red in colour reaching sizes in excess of 50g in 3-5 months and approximately 5.5 to 12cms.

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2.3 History and Production of Crayfish fisheries in China and Hubei

Red swamp crayfish has been harvested in China since its introduction in 1929. However, prior to the 1980’s harvesting occurred on a relatively small scale. Commercial fisheries have developed substantially over the last decades and provides substantial economic and social benefit to these rural, regions and particularly, Hubei Province, both in terms of domestic consumption and more recently, growing interest from export markets.

During the 1980s, interest in extensive harvest areas was stimulated by the development of the national and international markets for crayfish, leading to the establishment of processing plants and a range of shell on/peeled and ready meal style products.

In many regions crayfish are harvested using a crop rotation strategy. This approach is particularly popular in regions where only one mid-season crop of rice was previously possible and as such rice fields can represent optimal crayfish habitat. In these situations, a rice farmer can augment his/her income considerably, by re-locating crayfish into the rice system allowing 2 crops of crayfish to be harvested and a crop of rice in between. This process ensures, that the habitat continues to support suitable habitat for feeding and growth.

Products and Markets

Within Hubei Province and neighbouring Provinces of Jiangxi and Hunan, there some half a dozen major processor/suppliers of crayfish. Crayfish are supplied from nearby local fisheries and also from adjacent paddy channels used for relay fisheries. These businesses provide local employment and produce a wide range of whole and tailed crayfish products for both domestic and export markets. In adddition to domestic consumption of crayfish, export markerts exist in Scandanavia and Northern Europe, including the UK.

Figure 3: Major Crayfish Suppliers in Hubei and neary by Jiangxi and Hunan Provinces

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This study focuses on the management parameters within the Qianjiang region of Hubei province. Figure 4: Main Crayfish Suppliers in Qianjiang Districts

2.4 Crayfish fishery Systems

There are two types of fishery production system for crayfish idenfied in the study. It is likely that there are further local adaptations that would be identified through further investigation.

2.4.1 Non enhanced fisheries

Non enhanced fisheries are those that operate totally on wild stock components. In this case, these refer to natural freshwater systems that support a population of natuarally re-producing crayfish without any form of human intervention. Wild crayfish populations exist across the entire range of lakes, flooded plain, waterways, canals and lakes that make up a large majority of these rural Provinces. Fisheries on these populations operate seasonally (Spring-Summer), based on the natural growth cycle of crayfish. Harvesting is from small, often unengined craft using a range of unbaited fykes and traps. Fishermen obtain a permit for a small fee from the local fisheries government office in each District and must submit catch returns each season on the total quantity of crayfish caught.

The study did not collate total catches from the regions under investigation although it is understood that total volumes per season could be extracted and compared with production

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figures of the main buyers (3 or 4 local facilities) who purchase the majority of catches. A review of volumes over several years would also help to ascertain the variability in catches and consider the main drivers behind this- fishing activity, physical parameters, climate, environment, market etc. The study considered the broad areas where fisheries take place but has not quanitifed this by any particular habitat type or overall size. It is most likely, that seasonal climate conditions, namely rainfall and temperature are strong influencers since they affect available crayfish habitat and drive natural productivty. Hence, in high rainfall years, available habitat and likely, productivity will increase and vise versa. However, the reviewers did not identify any specific studies that have mapped the fishery or quantified the main variables affecting crayfish abundance. Similarly, the reviewers did not identify if the fishery is regulated (input or output controls) specific to any main influence on stock abundance.

To the extent that current harvest levels can be identified as sustainable was not discernable as there is no overall understanding of stock size. It may be more appropriate to understand the size of the available habitat and food availability and use this as a proxy to determining stock abundance.

Wild fisheries are also used to support the relay enhanced fisheries. In these cases, wild fished broodstock are transferred to nurseries for propogation of juveniles for stocking purposes. To the extent (i.e the quantities involved) this is occuring has not been ascertained during this study but would form the basis of a plan to support improved knowledge and understand the effectiveness of current and proposed management practices. This information is most likely quantifiable among the main processing facilities of crayfish, since these are also the main promoters of enhancement fisheries and suppliers of juveniles.

2.4.2 Relay enhanced fisheries

Relay enhanced fisheries are those where animals are taken from the wild fisheries, relayed directly or used to hatch juveniles for transferring to new locations for creating enhanced fisheries. Normally, enhanced fisheries do not use artifical feed or use feed for limited periods in their life-cycle, such as enhanced pacific salmon fisheries where hatchery produced fingerlings and smolts are released into the natural river systems for migration and subsequent harvesting on returning from the sea. Other examples, include bivalve shellfish fisheries, where adult animals such as scallop are spawned in nursery areas and their progeny are re-layed into extensive sea plot areas for harvesting as adults. Or where mussels are dredged from one area and re-layed into a ‘intesive’ sea plot for harvesting as adults. Or the gathering of wild mussel spat to be re-layed onto ropes for the subsequent growning of mussels such as the farming industry in New Zealand.

Relay enhanced crayfish fisheries operate similar to other shellfish fisheries. Wild broodstock crayfish are sourced to seed extensive areas of rice paddy water way habitat. The adults are

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placed in ponds under poly-tunnels to support temperature control and natural productivity. On fertilisation, the female broodstock burrow naturally and juveniles are released into the system. These are collected and used to seed extensive areas of rice paddy habitat. Transfer to the rice paddy waterways, occurs post rice cropping. A system of channels are dug around the growing areas to allow for flooding and later drainage of the area for the next crop of rice. Since these Provinces are within the drainage of the Yangsee river, it operates on the existing water table and climate of these extensive wetland regions.

Juvenile crayfish that enter the systems in early Spring can be ready for harvesting within 2 months, depending on market preference for size and local productivity parameters. There is no artifical feed used in these systems, although the habitat can be enhanced through the addition of additional grasses retained as as by-product of rice harvesting. Since Crayfish are opportunistic, feeding on a wide range of animal and plant material, it is likely that they both consume both available invertebrates and vegetation. At harvesting, fishermen purposefully retain a number of animals within the system that then act as broodstock for the next cycle. These are harvested and placed in the raceway channels that surround the network of rice fields for later re- introdution, allowing rice cultivation to continue. As such, crayfish fishing provides additional income opportunities and land/water way utilisation.

Stocking Practices

To some extent, these relay enhanced fishery systems are self-sustaining and there are basic metrics (densisty of indivduals initially located and re-introduced) per hectare of rice field that are used as guides in order to obtain a predicable crop of crayfish at each harvest. However, there are intoductions of new broodstock and new areas for production are seeded with juvenile crayfish so it could be argued that these fisheries exist on a ‘surplus to natural production’ basis once the original introductions of broodstock can be defined as sustainable.

Also, the use of MSY fishery population dynamic approaches may not be neccessary or appropriate. For example, application of MSY based reference points to define the size of stock required per hectare to maintain optimium productivity assumes that the fishery operates on a self-sustaining system with a limit to biomass below which the stock becomes recruitment impaired and a limit that defines overfishing.

These fisheries can be compared to those elsewhere, such as in Louisina, where a similar system of habitat enhancement (flooding) and seasonal ‘cropping’ of crayfish that move into that area is employed. Or freshwater prawns in the backwaters of Kochin, India where there is a symbiotic relationship between paddy farming and the seasonal harvesting of freshwater prawns.

A more appropriate approach to describing the sustainability of these fisheries would involve an understanding of stocking paramaters per area (e.g. per hectare) and based on the animals physiology and life-cycle i.e natural feeding and growth, reproduction and juvenile survival.

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Habitat type may also influence feeding and growth and having a better understanding of the range of flora and fauna availale to crayfish in these enhanced fisheries may help the development of quantitive or even qualitative parameters that support responsible fisheries management and sustainable harvests.

2.5 Chinese Fishery Management

The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), via the Bureau of Fisheries (BoF) is the government agency responsible for Chinese fisheries management. A range of specialised and regional subsidiary organisations are involved that devolve powers to various types of fisheries and regional management takes place within each Province and sub-divided into district offices within these Provinces.

The immediate functions of the Bureau of Fisheries include, amongst others, the development of plans, strategies, regulations and laws for the management of fisheries; the administration of the fisheries sector; to plan, select and administer fisheries research; to maintain and publicise fishery statistics; and to manage the control and enforcement of fisheries. Scientific support is provided primarily by the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences although additional fishery- related institutions include the State Oceanic Administration, National Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Water Resources, China Fisheries Society, China Fisheries Association, China Fishing Vessel Owners Insurance Association, China Fisheries Products Marketing and Processing Association also support the overall management framework.

The primary legal instrument is the Fisheries Law of the People’s Republic of China 2004.

This law is primarily for the purpose of “enhancing the protection, increase, development and rational utilization of fishery resources, developing artificial cultivation, ensuring fishery workers' lawful rights and interests and boosting fishery production, so as to meet the need of socialist construction and the people's needs”.

Although the text of the law does not make specific reference to phrases such as ‘long-term sustainability’, Chapter IV – Increase and Protection of Fishery Resources – sets out a number of sustainability-related objectives. These include the establishment of ‘Aquatic Species Protective Zones’ (closed to fishing except by direct government approval); the prohibition of poisons, explosives and electrification in fisheries; the prohibition of the catching of ‘fingerlings and fry of economically important species’; the protection of habitats, ecosystems and ETP species; and the collection of fees from fishery users to fund ‘the increase and protection of the fishery resources’.

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Figure 5: Chinese Fisheries Management Framework

Local Management System for Crayfish Fisheries

The devolution of management responsibilities under the Bureau of Fisheries includes crayfish fisheries management. Both wild and enhanced relay crayfish fisheries are managed at a District or City level within each Province. Local City office staff are responsible for the regulation of the fisheries, issuing of permits and collection of fees and fishery landing data. To what extent the fishery harvests are comprehensively reported and regulated would be part of the investigation of a more detailed review and a component of the proposed FIP for these fisheries, although the study thus far has established that crayfish are regulated fisheries.

Output Controls:

 Fisheries are seasonal, based on market size/value requirements which may serve to protect juveniles of the next cohort pre-recruitment to the fishery but this could be an area of investigation under a FIP.

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 There is an enforced fishing ban from the 1st September to the 31st December to protect the crayfish reproduction cycle (period when females are berried). The local fishery agency advised that gear can be confiscated if the ban is flouted.  There are no restrictions on overall quantities landed and no overall quota or Total Allowable Catch for Crayfish.

[Local Fisheries Office has placed restrictions on minumum landing size for crayfish in other Provinces and although did not appear to be a management tool used in the Hubei Province this needs further clarification].

Input Controls:

 Fishermen in the wild fishery obtain an annual permit. The reviewers understand that failure to use or make returns on catches for valiadation purposes and may result in the permit being revoked or not re-issued the following season. Permits have a modest price and may be specific to area.  Fishermen supply the factories via a system of brokers and all catches must be accompanied with a supply certificate.  Large buyers (the major processors in each region) are registered to their own regions which restricts their purchases of crayfish within their region.  Fishing areas are approved and supervised by the local China Inspection and Quarantine Services (CIQ) Office and at the beginning of each fishery, each factory shall report to CIQ its registered fishing areas.  These in combination provide a basis to the distrubution of effort and traceability to registered fishing areas which may support a plan for optimal harvesting but on what basis this operates (biological/economic/social) would be the subject of greaterscrutiny within a FIP.  Documented procedure is maintained by the bureau for the enhanced relaying of stock.

[Although regular fisherman should obtain annual permit, it is difficault for the local fisheries office to completely monitor those oppertunistic or ‘very’ artisinal fisherman, and this needs further clarification].

Other Control Rules

• The raw material supply department of the CIQ also send staff to all the fishing areas to take water and crayfish samples and send them to a qualified third party inspection organization for test of pesticide residues, drug residues and heavy metal residues. The reviewers did not obtain the threshold parameters for these measurements but again, this would form the basis of a FIP investigation.

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Fishing Gears Used

As previously described, the fishing gears are fykes and lantern nets which are deployed in circa. 1m of water near the riverbank or from the riverbank. The gears can be baited and unbaited depending on preferences. Baits are sourced locally, ranging from freshwater mussels and finfish. A more details investigation of bait source and quantities would form part of a FIP investigation. Bycatch is reported to be very low (small fishes) and to the most, returned alive. During the study visit, data on bycatch or retained species was not available and again, further understanding and quantification of bycatches would be a consideration as part of a FIP for the fishery. Additionally, an understanding of these parameters in both wild and enhanced fisheries would also support further understanding on the nature and abundance of other species in these regions. The fishery has also introduced some voluntary specifications for gear for conservation of juveniles including a 10-20m long creel with a mesh diameter 2.5-3cm. This is reported to allow < 5g crayfish to escape.

2.6 Habitat and Environmental Interactions of the Fishery

Red swamp crawfish is an introduced non-native species in China. Non-native species fisheries may represent unique circumstances and challenges to responsible fisheries management associated with the history of introduction, the ecological niche that it occupies, the invasive or passive nature of the species in the introduced habitat and to what extend the species has become naturalised and the level of reversibility of the introduction.

The Global Invasive Species Database states, “P. clarkii may severely impact native crayfish through competition and transition of the crayfish plague, reduce macrophyte assemblages and diversity, alter water quality and sediment characteristics, accumulate heavy metals, interact with additional invasive species, damage agricultural irrigation systems, impact fishing industry, and reduce populations of invertebrates, molluscs, and amphibians through predation and competition”. Red swamp crayfish have been introduced extensively into Southern Europe and Asia. They can be described as naturalised and there introduction in China almost a century ago and is almost certainly irreversible. When such species are the target of commercial fisheries, their management should be subject to the same requirements for long-term sustainability as any other but additional considerations relating to impact on native species and ecosystem services may also be a consideration of fisheries management.

For example, Lodge et al., (2012) noted that for Red Swamp crayfish, negative impacts include the loss of provisioning (e.g., reductions in edible native species, reproductive interference or

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hybridization with native crayfishes), regulatory (e.g., lethal disease spread, increased costs to agriculture and water management), supporting (e.g., large changes in ecological communities), and cultural (e.g., loss of festivals celebrating native crayfish) services.

Where quantification of impacts exists (e.g., Procambarus clarkii and Pacifastacus leniusculus in Europe), regulations now prohibit introduction and spread of crayfishes, indicating that losses of ecosystem services have outweighed gains. Recent research advances such as predicting invasiveness, predicting spread, improved detection and control, and bioeconomic analysis to increase cost-effectiveness of management could be employed to reduce future losses of ecosystem services.

Kawai & Machino (2010) reported a native species of crayfish in China, Cambarus similia identified as data deficient by IUCN. The species is known to inhabit parts of both Korea and China although details of its exact abundance remain unknown. Similarly, IUCN report that further studies are needed to accurately determine the impact of threats such as environmental change, invasive species and pollution, on the population before a more accurate assessment of conservation status can be made. It is said to inhabit mountain valleys from South Korea, most areas of North Korea, and Liao-dong Peninsula in China (T. Kawai pers. comm. 2008 in IUCN report 2010).

Its habitat preference is described as lotic habitats, including small streams which are surrounded by trees with a large quantity of fallen vegetation, but may also occur in small brooks or puddles. This species prefers clear water, has a biological oxygen demand of 7.9 ppm, a pH range of 6.4-6.7, and turbidity range of 0.4-1 NTU. Water temperature is usually 7°C during spring, 16°C during summer, 13°C during autumn, and frozen from December to March. Maximum carapace lengths of females and males are approximately 3 and 4 cm, respectively (Nisimura and Masanobu 2008).

To what extent Red swamp crayfish may overlap or impact on the abundance of Cambarus similia is unknown and should be a consideration for FIP investigation.

Recently, the abundance of this species in Korea has declined, probably as a result of environmental change and water pollution and that the red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii, has been introduced in Korea, which poses a threat due to its ability to outcompete native species. At present, protection of this species is needed in Korea. (Nisimura and Hirata 2008).

Again, to what extent endemic populations of crayfish are present in the Red swamp crayfish fishery regions is unknown and hence this should fall under the FIP investigation to confirm presence of and risk to Cambarus similia.

With respect to international fora that have developed policy on these matters, the Convention on Biological Diversity (1993), Article 8 states that “Contracting parties shall, as far as possible

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and as appropriate…Prevent the introduction of, control or eradicate those alien species which threaten ecosystems, habitats or species”. The large majority of states are signatories to the Convention, and as such species introduced after 1993 may require additional scrutiny to ensure their introduction does not break the terms of the Convention.

Key questions for determining whether a fishery conducted on an invasive or introduced species can be assessed against standard sustainability criteria are:

 Is the species now a fully integrated and self-sustaining component of the native ecosystem?  Is the introduction now irreversible?  Was the species introduced before 1993?

The answer to all of these must normally be ‘yes’ for meeting generally accepted principles of sustainability. However, even when this is the case, an assessment should consider the nature of the species throughout. For example, management measures with the objective of ensuring long-term ecosystem stability may be different in relation to an introduced species than they would be for a native species.

Other interactions of the fishery can be described relating to fishing gears, bait, bycatches and other retained species.

 The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

The Convention on Wetlands, called the Ramsar Convention, is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. There are 169 contracting parties. The People’s Republic of China has designated five more Wetlands of International Importance, bringing that Party’s total to 46 Ramsar Sites covering over 4 million hectares.

Within Hubei Province, there are 3 designated RAMSAR sites and 2 in neigbourng Hunan Province. In Hubei Province, these include:

 HUBEI CHEN LAKE WETLAND NATURE RESERVE  HUBEI HONGHU WETLANDS  HUBEI DAJIU LAKE WETLAND

From http://www.ramsar.org/sites-countries/the-ramsar-sites RAMSAR designation

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HUBEI CHEN LAKE WETLAND NATURE RESERVE

Hubei Chen Lake Wetland Nature Reserve. 16/10/2013; Hubei; 11,579 ha; 30°20'01"N 113°49'34"E. IBA, Nature Reserve. An Important Bird Area and Provincial Nature Reserve, the site is situated at the confluence of the middle reaches of the Huangsi and Tongshun River systems, regulating flood water in the Eastern Jianghan Plain and guaranteeing the safety of Wuhan City, 45km away. Large permanent freshwater marshes and freshwater lakes support a total of 140 species of birds, of which eight occur in internationally important numbers. The vulnerable Chinese Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis) can be found here. In addition to its important role in groundwater recharge, flood storage and fish production, the site is important for environmental education and tourism, with about 20,000 visitors annually. Ramsar Site no. 2184. Most recent RIS information: 2013.

HUBEI HONGHU WETLANDS In Hubei Honghu Wetlands, there are IUCN Red Listed species including Anser cygnoides, Ciconia boyciana, Mergus squamatus, Aythya baeri, andMetasequoia glyptostroboides and the site supports 1% threshold for Phalacrocorax carbo, Podiceps cristatus, Anser anser, Anser fabalis, Anser albifrons, and Platalea leucorodia. The aquatic, polar and willow vegetation provides habitat for 139 bird species, 62 fish species,6 amphibian species, 12 reptile species,13 mammal species, 379 zooplanktons, 472 vascular plants species and 280 phytoplankton species. Flood regulation, fisheries, regional climate regulation, and water quality enhancement are ecosystem services provided by the site. In the past, reclamation, construction, and aquaculture were threats at the site; however, since the designation as nature reserve, these threats have been improved. Qingshui fort, at the centre of Honghu Wetland, is a relic of Wuling and the famous ancient battlefield of 208. A management plan is in place. Ramsar site no. 1729.

HUBEI DAJIU LAKE WETLAND

Hubei Dajiu Lake Wetland. 16/10/2013; Hubei; 9,320 ha; 31°28'14"N 110°2'51"E. Nature Reserve. The site is a rare representative of a typical subalpine sphagnum bog wetland located in subtropical central China. It lies in the watershed of Yangzte and Han Rivers, close to the Shennongjia Forest District, one of the “WWF Global 200”. The wetland represents the source of the Du River, a first level tributary of the Han, and has great value in the biogeographic region for flood control, climate regulation, groundwater recharge and water purification. Several threatened species of plants, waterbirds and mammals occur at the site, including the critically endangered Veitch’s Spruce Picea neoveitchii, the endangered Oriental Stork Ciconia boyciana and Forest Musk Deer Moschus berezovskii. Ramsar Site no. 2186. Most recent RIS information: 2013.

Ramsar reports that China has implemented regulations specific to these sites for the protection

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of their conservation objectives. It would be important to ascertain the degree (if any) of overlap and proximity of designated sites to crayfish fishing areas. Based on local information, it is understood that there is no overlap in fishing areas and Ramsar designated sites. To what extent Red swamp crayfish fisheries or the species, may impact on the conservation status of Ramsar designated is uncertain and may be a consideration as part of a FIP investigation.

Ramsar site reports provide good overviews of the range in biodiversity within these designated areas of the Hubei Province and may prove valuable in any future review that consisders red swamp fisheries and their impact.

The burrowing and behaviour of P. clarkii has been reported to be problematic to levees, dykes, and irrigation systems which can result in water loss and damage to fields (Holdrich, 1999; Yue et al, 2010a) which has also been reported from China (Yue et al, 2010a). Again, to what extent the burrowing behaviour of the species causes impact to the natural environment is uncertain and again, may be a consideration within a FIP investigation.

It is also worth noting that elsewhere, in regions where Red swamp is invasive, investigations into how to balance the risks of ecological impact and economic potential of the species has been considered. In the Iberian Peninsula, the species was introduced for economic reasons in the south of the Peninsula, but it is currently abundant and widespread both in Portugal and Spain. As an example, investigation into producing monosex cultivation of males has been investigated (Anxo Conde & Jorge Domınguez; 2015) as a mechanism to control spread in species range.

2.7 Commerical Development of the Fisheries in these Provinces

Economic value and social benefit should also be considered during any FIP for these fisheries. It is apparent that there is considerable and historical economic value generated both from domestic sales and consumption of Red swamp crayfish and from exports of crayfish products. Capital intensive processing facilities have been constructed creating significant local employment and creating local and consistent markets for fishermen and fisher-farmers that augment rice production with crayfish fishing. In the latter instance, the habitat is already modifed from a historical perspective and hence may be a most suitable use of land and water. Enhanced fisheries may also reduce fishing exploitation of wild fisheries, allowing growth in productivity here rather than on the wild systems. There is a counter argument due to the potential impact of Red swamp crayfish where there is a presence of endemic crayfish species which would also suggest controlled high exploitation may serve to reduce the impact of Red swamp. This is currently speculative until further detailed investigation is undertaken.

Currently some 30% of crayfish catches in the Qianjiang Region of Hubei are sourced from enhanced relay fisheries which equates to some 20,000 hectares. A number of advantages are

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presented compared to wild fisheries including, increased survival rate of juveniles to adult recruits, improved economic return for land/water utilisation and when compared to wild fisheries. The study did not identify any analysis of comparison although was made aware of a progressive development plan underway for enhanced relay fisheries and supported by local government. This will see larger areas of current paddy field waterways converted to enhanced fisheries. Since conversion requires only modest adaptation to the existing farming habitat (water way construction), environmental impact may be minimal, since these areas consist of wetlands that likely exhibit local populations of Red swamp crayfish already.

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3. Summary and Scope of a FIP

3.1 Summary

This short technical report provide an overview of crayfish fisheries in the Qianjiang District of Hubei Province as a background piece to the development of a Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) for the fisheries In this region. These fisheries consist of wild catching of crayfish in lakes and river systems within the region and also relay fisheries; where the extensive wetlands used to cultivate rice are used to produce crayfish using the available paddy waterways that feed the rice cultivation areas.

A number of investigation themes are identified in this report which could form the basis of fishery improvement objectives. Solutions to these are not presented here, and to some extent, the identified areas for improvement, particularly those that identify the need for data collection may prove to be satisfactory once current data availabilty is determined. Key themes include:

The Fisheries:

 Fishery area mapping to identify exact locations and size  Number of fishery permit holders specific to each fishery area  Relay fishing area mapping to identify exacty locations and size  Fishing characteristics (no. traps, baits, soak times, catch per trap, data recording)  Permit issue and restrictions  Current fishery data collection systems (both regulatory and commerical)  Fishery bycatch  Crayfish stock structure and composition  Species feeding and growth

Environmental Considerations

 Confirm absence of native crayfish species  Stock distribution/risk factors to habitat degredation/impact

A Fisheries Improvement Project will normally identify a set of criteria or standard that is used as a basis for defining objectives and measuring improvement. Often, existing and recognised Standards such as the Marine Stewardship Councils Standard for Sustainable Fisheries or similar standards are used to form improvement objectives. In this instance, it may be appropriate to use baseline criteria found in the FAO’s Guidelines for the Eco-labeling of Fish and Fishery Products from Inland Fisheries. These may provide a broader set of criteria that can incorporate both the wild and enhanced component of crayfish fisheries that are encountered in the Hubei Province. Once established, additional and where relevant, more specific criteria may prove

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useful. One area which is poorly described in most current Standards are socio-economic criteria and in our case, an understanding of the contribution of crayfish fishing to local economies would seem of value to understanding the overall sustainability of these fisheries.

The ‘stock under consideration’ in this instance can be better described as a management jurisdiction being that within the responsibility of the Qianjiang region Fisheries Bureau of Hubei. The main supplying companies are Hubei Qianjiang Huashan Aquatic Food & Product Co. Ltd and Hubei Laker Aquatic Product Co Ltd. who each source crayfish from known permit holding fishermen within their local designation, as prescribed by the Fisheries Bureau. To this extent, the two areas can be described as discrete and could form the basis for two identifiable but linked fishery improvement projects.

UN FAO 1995 Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries The 1995 FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF), is an internationally negotiated and agreed document of consensus on what is considered international best practice for responsible fisheries management. The CCRF is set out under various Articles and clauses that describe the requirements of the various functions of responsible fisheries management systems; including General Principles (Article 6), Fisheries Management (Article 7), Fishing Operations (Article 8), Aquaculture Development (Article 9), Integration of Fisheries into Coastal Area Management (Article 10), Postharvest Practices and Trade (Article 11) and Fisheries Research (Article 12).

2011 FAO Guidelines for the Eco-labelling of fish and fishery products from inland fisheries (and referring to the 2005/09 Guidelines for marine capture fisheries).

In support of the operational use of the CCRF as a tool to support the implementation of good fishing practice, the FAO also published Guidelines for the Eco-labelling of fish and fishery products from marine (2005 and 09) and inland capture fisheries (2011). These guidelines take the operational aspects of the CCRF and set them out as minimum of substantive criteria that are required to demonstrate responsible fisheries management. As with the FAO CCRF, the Guidelines were developed through the FAO’s International technical committee on fisheries and hence, these guidelines represent a consensus on responsible fisheries management.

These guidelines could form basic criteria on which to evaluate the Chinese Hubei Red swamp crayfish fisheries and help set out objectives for a FIP.

Most seafood retailers have adopted the principles of the FAO Guidelines and CCRF within their internal seafood procurement specifications and these would also be important components for a FIP. External Standards such as the Marine Stewardship Council may also be considerations at some stage in the process.

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International Conventions

There are a number of Conventions which FAO CCRF and Guidelines refer too which may have relevance.

The 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity

Article 8(h) The Convention text Article 8(h) reads that ‘Each Contracting Party shall, as far as possible and as appropriate: (h) Prevent the introduction of, control or eradicate those alien species which threaten ecosystems, habitats or species’.

Red swamp crayfish were introduced into China prior to 1992 and as far back as 1930’s. It is highly improbable that eradication is feasible or indeed desirable. As such, it may be considered a naturalized species and has been described as economically important (as a food and for export revenue). However, to what extent it’s presence may seriously impact indigenous habitats and species should be understood and control options considered.

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 1995 United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement (relevant inland capture fisheries components).

The Eco-labeling Criteria for Inland fisheries has been identified in Annex 1. Additional criteria from the FAO’s Guideline on Aquaculture could also be included From this initial overview, a series of more specific areas of investigation are presented which could form the basis of a FIP for the Hubei Qianjiang Regions Red swamp crayfish fisheries. These objectives are currently not elaborated in detail and through further consultation, will likely be adapted and made more specific to circumstances, current available knowledge, timelines and resources.

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3.2 FIP Objectives

From the review work, workshop discussion and analysis, the overiding characteristic of the fishery relates to data deficiency. However, and not surprisingly, there is a considerable amount of local knowledge across the main features of the fishery; species biology, fishery locations, fishing practices, fishery participation and distribution. The parnters involved in the FIP development agreed that the initial activities of the FIP should be to improve the documentation of the current knowledge in order to better evaluate current available data and future data requirements. Short term objectives have been derived specific to each component of the fishery (wild and ehnanced) focusing on current data collection systems. Longer term objectives are presented and can be reviewed once the more imdediate shorter term objectives are met and reviewed.

3.2.1 Specific to Wild Crayfish fisheries

Shorter Term Objectives:

Objective: Investigate and quantify the current catch reporting system in place

 Official and commerical reporting system for crayfish landings  Effectiveness of enforcement of regulations for season and permit requirements

Objective: Investigate and quantify the overlap of the stock distribution and the areas under the fishery.

 Identification and mapping of the current fisheries and the overall habitat in the Qianjiang region that is suitable for crayfish inhabitation.

 Quantification of the number of fishers (permit holders) that operate in each fishery and the charateristics of the fishery such as no. of traps set per permit holder and per area, soak times and establish effort standardisation and CPUE options.

Objective: Investigate and quantify bycatch species

 Current fisher knowledge and available evidence  Retained versus discarded bycatch  Confirm absence of IUCN listed and vulnerable species

Objective: Investigate bait species and sources

 Quantification of current bait types by species, qantity and sources and confirm presence/absence of their status. (There is no evidence that suggests the species used

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for bait are considered vulnerable or protected but further confirmation of species types would confirm this).

Objective: Confirm presence/absence of native species of crayfish

 There was no evidence presented of native species of crayfish in Hubei Province although there are reports of a native species (Cambarus similia) in Liao Dong Peninsular (North Eastern China). However, it would be necessary to confirm the presence/absence of native species of crayfish in Hubei Province.

3.2.2 Longer Term Objectives

Objective: Investigage the current crayfish stock structure and composition

 Identification of current work undertaken, regionally and internationally on size relative to age/growth and sexes.  Identification of possible methods of data collection on crayfish sizes

Objective: Investigate current knowledge and environmental risks as a result of Red swamp crayfish in Hubei Province

 Studies on the impact of Red swamp crayfish on the habitat and ecosystem of Hubei Province have not been identified. However, improved understanding on the effects on habitat, flora and fauna in these regions may help identify any long-term, irreversible impacts and support improved management.

Objective: Investigate the effectiveness of current management measures

 Permit and seasonal restrictions and voluntary gear modifications.

Future Objectives : Propose and test new or adapt existing management measures based on FIP findings

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3.3 Specific to Enhanced Relay Crayfish fisheries

3.3.1 Shorter term Objectives

Objective: Identify and quantify the exact areas under enhancement for each of the main suppliers.

 The main suppliers actively support the development of enhanced fisheries and provide juveniles to seed these areas. An investigation into the current size of these fisheries and the development plans for each supplier would provide a better understanding of current and future broodstock requirements from wild fisheries

Objective: Investigate the current knowledge in the productivy parameters of enhanced relay fisheries

 Broodstock requirements- quantities/sex ratio  Initial juvenile stocking densities per area and subsquent augmentation for future crop cycles  Productivity parameters per area and use of additional habitat enhancement techniques such as addition of grasses

3.3.2 Longer-term Objectives

Objective: Investigate and develop the state of knowledge of Red swamp dietary, energy, growth and environmental paramaters

 An understanding of the dietary requirements, species encountered (both in enhanced and wild fisheries) dietary energy and growth parameters would provide knowledge on both wild and enhanced fishery productivity.

Objective: Economic parameters of crayfish fisheries

 Crayfish fisheries provide income options for communities in the regions under investigation. However, currently, quantification of the economic and social benefit of both wild and enhanced fisheries as far as the study can determine, have not been presented. There are possible economic benefits associated with augmenting current agricultural systems with crayfish fisheries and the two practices appear synergistic. Further investigation into the economics of these systems would be valuable to understand the sustainable use options of land/waterways in these regions.

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References

http://www.thefishsite.com/articles/956/cultured-aquatic-species-red-swamp-crawfish

Crawfish production manual: http://aqua.ucdavis.edu/DatabaseRoot/pdf/CRAWPM.PDF

Ecology & life history: http://www.gcsu.edu/crayfishes/ecologyandlifehistory.htm

Red swamp crawfish IUCN page: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/153877/0

Red swamp crawfish invasive species compendium page: http://www.cabi.org/isc/?compid=5&dsid=67878&loadmodule=datasheet&page=481&site=144 Encyclopaedia of Life page: http://eol.org/pages/344571/overview

Population Genetic Structure of the Invasive Red Swamp Crayfish in China Revealed by ITS1 Variation: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10528-013-9611-z

Global Invasive Species Data Base http://www.issg.org/database/species/distribution_detail.asp?si=608&di=58622&pc=*&lang=EN

Population Genetic Structure and Post-Establishment Dispersal Patterns of the Red Swamp Crayfish Procambarus Clarkii in China: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0040652

Invasion of Procambarus Clarkii in China: Genetic analysis (powerpoint presentation): http://www.vanersborg.se/download/18.26c3d165137cb64635f1751/li

The exploitation and utilization of red swamp crayfish in china (1999, in Chinese): http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-SSWX199904012.htm

A review of aquaculture: freshwater crayfish farming: http://journals.cambridge.org/download.php?file=%2FALR%2FALR6_04%2FS0990744093000324a.pdf&co de=d749ff3e85454fa7ec9cdaa4de02bcf5

Loss of diversity and degradation of wetlands as a result of introducing exotic crayfish: http://www.cabdirect.org/abstracts/20053147877.html;jsessionid=91F9192AE6C04026E224E364DD5A49 1F

Mixed model estimation of genetic and environmental correlations in red swamp crawfish: http://www.cabdirect.org/abstracts/19990103949.html

Genetic diversity and population structure of the invasive alien red swamp crayfish: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10530-009-9675-1

The status and causes of alien species invasion in China: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10531- 005-2575-5

Discovery of four natural clones in a crayfish species Procambarus clarkii: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2532795/

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Environmental variables affecting dispersion patterns and orientation in dry land of two invasive crustaceans: Procambarus clarkii and Eriocheir sinensis: http://www.researchgate.net/publication/259213803_Plant_invasion_and_species_traits_across_habitat s_in_Cantabric_rivers/file/9c96052a72c13780b0.pdf#page=335

High prevalence of multiple paternity in the invasive crayfish species, Procambarus clarkii: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2828620/

Lake fisheries in China: Challenges and opportunities: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165783612003517

Distribution of introduced red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) in permanent lentic water bodies on Zhoushan Archipelago of China and related affecting factors (Main article in Chinese): http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-STXZ201006021.htm

Eradicate invasive Louisiana red swamp crawfish and preserve native white clawed crayfish in Friuli Venezia Giulia (In Italian): http://www.life- rarity.eu/images/pdf/download/e4_primo_report_monitoraggio_gamberi_fvg_parte_2.pdf

Genetic variation in native and introduced populations of the red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852) (Crustacea, Decapoda, Cambaridae) in Mexico and Costa Rica: http://www.aquaticinvasions.net/2012/AI_2012_2_Torres_Alvarez.pdf

(Also in Chinese, Google translate suggests it might contain something useful): http://cdmd.cnki.com.cn/Article/CDMD-10284-1013191713.htm

T. Kawai & Y. Machino (2010). "Cambarus similia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.1. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved November 14, 2013.

Yue, Gen Hua; Li, Jiale; Bai, Zhiyi; Wang, Chun Ming; Feng, Felicia, 2010a. Genetic diversity and population structure of the invasive alien red swamp crayfish. Biological Invasions. 12(8). AUG 2010

Assessment of the preferences of red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) fed with Riparian tree leaves: A microcosm study: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/iroh.201301536/abstract;jsessionid=9C3E39AE7426A4A75E7 019F8DF4A76C5.f01t04?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=&userIsAuthenticated=false

Effects of Supplemental Feeding on Harvest of Red Swamp Crawfish, Procambarus clarkii, in Forage-based Ponds:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jwas.12047/abstract?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=&us erIsAuthenticated=false

The Role of Exotics in Chinese Inland Aquaculture: http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-90-481- 3087-0_9

Effect of Astragalus Polysaccharide on the growth and non-specific immune parameters of Procambarus clarkii (Chinese): http://d.wanfangdata.com.cn/periodical_shscdxxb201304014.aspx

Effects of Illumination,Single-eyestalk Ablation and Salinity on Breeding of Red Swamp Crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Chinese): http://d.wanfangdata.com.cn/periodical_sckx201308010.aspx

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Effect of Chitosan on Low Temperature Antistress to Procambarus clarkii (Chinese): http://d.wanfangdata.com.cn/periodical_hbnykx201309035.aspx

http://d.wanfangdata.com.cn/periodical_hebeiyy201311024.aspx

(2015). A Proposal for the Feasible Exploitation of the Red Swamp Crayfish Procambarus Clarkii in Introduced Regions. Anxo Conde & Jorge Domınguez. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/conl.12164/pdf

“The role of China in world fisheries”, EU report 2012, pretty good for an overview of Chinese fisheries management: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2009_2014/documents/pech/dv/chi/china.pdf

Main Functions of China Bureau of Fisheries: http://english.agri.gov.cn/aboutmoa/departments/201301/t20130115_9518.htm

FAO China fishery profile (2001): ftp://ftp.fao.org/FI/DOCUMENT/fcp/en/FI_CP_CN.pdf

FAO fisheries page, China (With production graphs etc): http://www.fao.org/fishery/facp/CHN/en

“An overview of fisheries management in China”, academic paper. Abstract and some graphs, costs $36 for the full paper: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X13002091

Subsidies provided to Chinese fishers by the government (2013), primarily marine and distant waters fisheries: http://www.ffa.int/system/files/FFA%20Secretariat%20Paper%20- %20Fisheries%20Subsidies%20and%20Incentives%20provided%20by%20the%20PRC%20to%20its%20DW F%20Industry.pdf

Google cache version of a Seafood Watch assessment of farmed Chinese (and American) crayfish: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:IARj5ks6R34J:www.montereybayaquarium.org /cr/cr_seafoodwatch/content/media/MBA_SeafoodWatch_FarmedCrayfishReport.pdf+&cd=3&hl=en&ct= clnk&gl=uk (Note: original PDF version has been taken down)

US report, “Crawfish Tail meat from China”. Mainly looking at the legal side of Chinese ‘dumping’ of crawfish meat in the USA, but also includes a brief section towards the end on the Chinese industry. Unfortunately some relevant tables seem to be missing: http://www.usitc.gov/publications/701_731/pub4047.pdf

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Appendix 1: FAO Ecolabeling Guideline Criteria for Inland Fisheries (2011) Management systems Relevance of Clause/Interpretation for Crayfish fisheries 35. Requirement: The fishery is conducted under a management system which is Overall objective for fisheries management based upon good practice and that ensures the satisfaction of the requirements and criteria described in paragraph 36. The management system and the fishery operate in compliance with the Identify the local management regulations specific to the fishery requirements of local, national and international laws and regulations, including the requirements of any regional fisheries management agreement that directs the management of the fisheries on the “stock under consideration”. 35.1 For the “stock under consideration”, there are documented management Establish the range of uses of inland waterways in Hubei Province. approaches with a well-based expectation that management will be successful, taking into account uncertainty and imprecision, and the multipurpose nature of the use patterns in inland waters. 35.2 There are objectives, and as necessary, management measures to address Refer to below. pertinent aspects of the ecosystem effects of fishing as per paragraph 41.

36. The following criteria will apply to management systems for any fisheries, but it Crayfish fisheries may be identified as small scale and artisinal and must be recognized that special consideration needs to be given to small-scale likely data challenged. fisheries, which are prevalent in inland capture fisheries, with respect to the availability of data and with respect to the fact that management systems can differ substantially for different types and scales of fisheries. 36.1 Adequate and reliable data and/or information are collected, maintained and Identify the current availability of data on fishing characteristics. assessed in accordance with applicable international standards and practices for evaluation of the current state and trends of the stocks (see below: Methodological aspects). This can include relevant traditional, fisher or community knowledge, provided their validity can be objectively verified.

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36.2 In determining suitable conservation and management measures, the best Establish the fisher and community knowledge of the fishery. scientific evidence available is taken into account by the designated authority, as well Establish the current available scientific evidence and how it is used as consideration of relevant traditional, fisher or community knowledge, provided to form conservation and management measures. their validity can be objectively verified, in order to evaluate the current state of the “stock under consideration”6 in relation to, where appropriate, stock specific target and limit reference points..7 36.3 Taking due account of paragraph 42, for the “stock under consideration” the determination of suitable conservation and management measures should include or take account of: _ Total fishing mortality from all sources is considered in assessing the state of the Establish the range of Red swamp crayfish in Hubei. Identify/locate “stock under consideration”, including discards, unobserved mortality, incidental all fisheries in the area. Establish the current reporting and recording mortality, unreported catches and catches in other fisheries. systems for crayfish landings. _ Management targets are consistent with achieving maximum sustainable yield Crayfish fisheries are managed on an annual crop basis. Identify (MSY) (or a suitable proxy) on average, or a lesser fishing mortality if that is optimal in possible proxies for optimum fishing mortality. Identify predator the circumstances of the fishery (e.g. multispecies fisheries) or to avoid severe species and level of dependancy. adverse impacts on dependent predators.

_ The management system should specify limits or directions in key performance Identify/establish available and possible performance indicators that indicators (see paragraph 37.2), consistent with avoiding recruitment overfishing or can be used to indicate desirable/undesirable outcomes. other impacts that are likely to be irreversible or very slowly reversible, and specify the actions to be taken if the limits are approached or the desired directions are not achieved. 36.4 Similarly, data and information, including relevant traditional, fisher or Idenrify fishers in each area and information available. community knowledge, provided their validity can be objectively verified, are used to identify adverse impacts of the fishery on the ecosystem, and timely scientific advice is provided on the likelihood and magnitude of identified impacts (see paragraph 41). 36.5 The designated authorities adopt and effectively implement appropriate Identify current measures and their effectiveness. measures for the conservation and sustainable use of the “stock under consideration” based on the data, information, and scientific advice referred to in the preceding bullets.8 Short term considerations should not compromise the long-term

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conservation and sustainable use of fisheries resources. 36.6 An effective legal and administrative framework at the local, national or regional There is an identifable fisheries management framework in China. At level, as appropriate, is established for the fishery9 and compliance is ensured the local level, fisheries are managed via City or District Offices. through suitable mechanisms for monitoring, surveillance, control and enforcement. This could include relevant traditional, fisher or community approaches, provided their performance could be objectively verified. (see also paragraph 6).10 36.7 In accordance with the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries Article 7.5, the Red swamp crayfish is an introduced species in China. Introduction precautionary approach is being implemented to protect the “stock under occurred in the early part of the 20th century and before the consideration” and the aquatic environment. This should take due account of stock Convention of the Law on Biodiversity. Highly unlikely that removal enhancement procedures. Inter alia this will require that the absence of adequate of the species is probable or desirable. However, management of scientific information should not be used as a reason for postponing or failing to take the fisheries should consider risks of the species on any native conservation and management measures.11 Further, relevant uncertainties are being species of crayfish and other negative impacts on habitat/species taken into account through a suitable method of risk assessment, including those diversity. associated with the use of introduced or translocated species.12 Appropriate reference points are determined and remedial actions to be taken if These would most likely relate to proxies for limit reference points. reference points are approached or exceeded are specified.13 36.8 In the case of enhanced fisheries, the management system is able to Currently, enhanced fisheries do not use full cycle production of demonstrate that the stocking material originating from aquaculture facilities meets juveniles. the requirements of paragraph 40. 36.9 In the case of enhanced fisheries, the fishery management system should take Enhanced fisheries require low modification and no artificial inputs. due regard of the natural production processes and minimize adverse impacts on ecosystem structure and function.

“Stock under consideration” 37. Requirement: The “stock under consideration” is not overfished, and is Stock size is unknown. Efforts to quantify stock should focus on maintained at a level which promotes the objective of optimal utilization and accurate identification of fishery locations, areas compared to overall maintains its availability for present and future generations,14 taking into account available stock distribution. that longer term changes in productivity can occur due to natural variability and/or impacts other than fishing. In the event that biomass drops well below such target

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levels, management measures (Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, Article 7.6), including measures to favourably enhance the environment, should allow for restoration within reasonable time frames of the stocks to such levels.

This requirement also pertains to species introductions or translocations that have Species first introduced in 1929. occurred historically and which become established as part of the natural ecosystem. The following criteria are applicable: 37.1 The “stock under consideration” is not overfished if it is above the associated Refer to 37. A risk based approach is most probable. limit reference point (or its proxy). 37.2 If fishing mortality (or its proxy) is above the associated limit reference point, Refer to 37. A risk based approach is most probable. actions should be taken to decrease the fishing mortality (or its proxy) below that limit reference point. 37.3 The structure and composition of the “stock under consideration” which Stock structure/composition (year classes based on size/sex ratio) contribute to its resilience are taken into account. could be identified. 37.4 In the absence of specific information on the “stock under consideration”, Fisheries in China operate similarly to those in other regions (e.g. generic evidence based on similar stocks can be used for fisheries with low risk to that USA). “stock under consideration”. However, the greater the risk of overfishing, the more specific evidence is necessary to ascertain the sustainability of intensive fisheries. 38. The scope of these guidelines extends to enhanced components of the “stock Clause applicable in this case, referring to enhanced relay fisheries. under consideration” provided that a natural reproductive stock component is maintained and fishery production is based primarily on natural biological production within the ecosystem of which the “stock under consideration” forms a part. Specifically, to be within the scope of these guidelines, enhanced fisheries must meet the following criteria: _ the species are native to the fishery’s geographic area or were introduced Red swamp introduction dates back to 1929. historically and have subsequently become established as part of the “natural” ecosystem; _ there are natural reproductive components of the “stock under consideration”; Red swamp are naturalised in the region. _ the growth during the post-release phase is based upon food supply from the There is no artificial food added to the enhanced relay fisheries.

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natural environment and the production system operates without supplemental feeding. 39. In the case of enhanced fisheries, “stock under consideration” may comprise Impact on wild fisheries is considered minimal due to the self- naturally reproductive components and components maintained by stocking. The sustaining nature of enhanced relay fisheries. overall enhanced fishery should be managed in such a way that the naturally reproductive components are managed in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and with paragraph 37. The following criteria are to be interpreted in the context of avoiding significant negative impacts of enhancement activities on the natural reproductive components of “stock under consideration”: _ naturally reproductive components of enhanced stocks are not overfished; The status of crayfish stocks is unknown although the stocks are most likely resilient to overfishing. _ naturally reproductive components of enhanced stocks are not substantially The status of crayfish stocks is unknown. There are no biological displaced by stocked components. In particular, displacement must not result in a reference points or proxies available. However, it would seem reduction of the natural reproductive stock component below abundance-based unlikely that wild stocks are displaced. target reference points (or their proxies) defined for the regulation of harvest in accordance with paragraph 37. 40. Enhanced fisheries may be supported in part by stocking of organisms produced Adults are removed from wild components are form the parentstock in aquaculture facilities or removed from wild stocks other than the “stock under for stocking of juveniles in enhanced relay fisheries. Genetic variation consideration”. Aquaculture production of organisms for stocking should be managed and selection paramaters are currently unknown. and developed according to relevant provisions of Article 9 of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, especially in relation to maintaining the integrity of the environment, the conservation of genetic diversity, disease control, and quality of stocking material. Removal of organisms from wild stocks other than the stock of consideration should be managed according to the provisions of Article 7 of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries with respect to the stock from which organisms are being removed.

Ecosystem considerations

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41. Requirement: Adverse impacts of the fishery and any associated culture and The impact of enhanced fisheries of Red swamp crayfish is unknown enhancement activity on the ecosystem should be appropriately assessed and with respcect to local habitat and ecosystem. Studies elsewhere note effectively addressed. Enhanced fisheries will be managed to ensure biodiversity of the invasive nature of this species and potential impact on ecosystem aquatic habitats and ecosystems are conserved and endangered species protected. structure and function. Any modifications to the habitat for enhancing the “stock under consideration” are reversible and do not cause serious or irreversible harm to the natural ecosystem’s structure and function. Significant scientific uncertainty is to be expected in assessing possible adverse Local fisher knowledge is a likely important source of information in ecosystem impacts of fisheries, including culture and enhancement activities. This this case. issue can be addressed by taking a “risk assessment/risk management approach”. For the purpose of development of ecolabelling schemes, the most probable adverse impacts should be considered, taking into account available scientific information and traditional, fisher or community knowledge, provided that their validity can be objectively verified. Those impacts that are likely to have serious consequences should be addressed. This Refer to below: may take the form of an immediate management response or further analysis of the identified risk. In this context, full recognition should be given to the special circumstances and requirements in developing countries and countries in transition, including financial and technical assistance, technology transfer, and training and scientific cooperation. The following criteria are to be interpreted in the context of avoiding high risk of severe adverse impacts: 41.1 Non-target catches, including discards, of stocks other than the “stock under Bycatches are reported to be mininal and returned alive. Gear consideration” are monitored and should not threaten these non-target stocks with (traps/fykes) is conducive to survival of bycatch species. recruitment overfishing or other impacts that are likely to be irreversible or very slowly reversible. If such impacts arise, effective remedial action should be taken. 41.2 The role of the “stock under consideration” in the food web is considered, and if Currently, the presence of dependent predators of crayfish is it is a key prey species in the ecosystem, management measures are in place to avoid unknown. severe adverse impacts on dependent predators. 15 Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, Article 7.2.

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41.3 There is knowledge of the essential habitats for the “stock under consideration” Crayfish habitat is broadly understood. Impact of gear is minimal. and potential fishery impacts on them. Impacts on essential habitats and on habitats Full spacial range is currently less understood. that are highly vulnerable to damage by the fishing gear involved are avoided, minimized or mitigated (Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries 7.2.2). In assessing fishery impacts, the full spatial range of the relevant habitat should be considered, not just that part of the spatial range that is potentially affected by fishing. 41.4 In the absence of specific information on the ecosystem impacts of fishing for Fisheries in China operate similarly to those in other regions (e.g. the unit of certification, generic evidence based on similar fishery situations can be USA). There are also examples of fisheries in regions where the used for fisheries with low risk of severe adverse impact. However, the greater the species is non native. risk, the more specific evidence is necessary to ascertain the adequacy of mitigation measures. Methodological aspects Assessing current state and trends in target stocks 42. There are many ways in which state and trends in stocks may be evaluated that The initial phase of an improvement project should consider the fall short of the highly quantitative and data-demanding approaches to fish stock currently available data and any previous attempts to quantify the assessment that are often used in developed countries. Use of less elaborate stock. methods for stock assessment frequently used for inland capture fisheries should not preclude them from possible certification for ecolabelling. However, it should be noted that, to the extent that the application of such methods As above. may result in greater uncertainty about the state of the “stock under consideration”, more precautionary approaches to managing fisheries on such resources could be required, which may necessitate lower levels of utilization of the resource. There is a variety of management measures commonly used in small-scale or low-value fisheries that nonetheless can achieve quite adequate levels of protection for stocks in the face of uncertainty about the state of the resource. A record of good management performance could be considered as supporting evidence of the adequacy of the management measures and the management system. 43. With due regard to paragraph 42, stock assessment of fisheries that are enhanced Enhanced components are based on parents from wild fisheries. through aquaculture inputs must consider the separate contributions from aquaculture and natural production.

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Photographs Taken During the Site Visit Photo 3: Polytunnel used for crayfish broodstock and juvenile Photo 1: Berried Red swamp female propogation

Photo 2: Crayfish Product Example Photo 4: Typical relay channel for crayfish

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Photo 5: Fyke net set for crayfish fishing Photo 7: Typical wetland area of Hubei Province

Photo 6: Typical wetland areas of Hubei Province Photo 8: Map of Relay Crayfish Fisheries

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