Description
The invasion of the already reproduced non-original species of crayfish can often not be prevented. Therefore, it is important to teach the public about the dangers connected with spread of these species in relation to protection of the original crayfish species. The main objective of the project will be the monitoring of the size of the crayfish population, the quality of their habitats, their relations to the other components of the ecosystem and the options of their sustainability. The outputs of the project will be analyses of crayfish sites and their interaction, together with the proposal of the management of their habitats. The results will be used as a recommendation for public administration staff. The wider public will be informed about the state of nature and biodiversity and its protection. The Norwegian partner is the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research. It will provide its experience with the management of sites with crayfish. The project partnership will be beneficial for the comparison of the occurrence and accumulation of various pollutants in the biomass of crayfish from both partner countries and comparing management approaches of crayfish.
Summary of project results
Within the project, monitoring of crayfish was carried out on 110 sites (within 13 localities of sites Natura 2000). In these profiles, sediment was taken for analysis where 149 indicators, including pharmaceuticals and pesticides, were determined. The bioaccumulation of metals, pharmaceuticals and pesticides in tissues of crayfish from 12 Czech localities and also from 2 Norwegian localities was analyzed. At three locations, behavioral interactions of crayfish, fish, and predominant predators were monitored. The evaluated and analyzed data obtained within the monitoring was saved and archived in the Project promoter’s information system and all results were published on the project’s website. On the basis of the data, proposals for management measures for autochthonous crayfish sites were prepared. A snorkeling application methodology has been developed and other texts were developed as well as by Norwegian partners (Monitoring Methods of crayfish in Norway). Another part of the project was implemented via information activities when the results were published in a way of a recommendation for public. The professional and lay public was informed about the claims of native crayfish and the danger of invasive crayfish. More than 900 listeners from professional and lay public were gained information about native and the danger of invasive crayfish. The lecture program for public continues as well as the project's website. The project's website has registered about 66,000 accesses for the years 2015-2016 (only 22,000 new approaches were recorded on the website in 2017). Moreover 36 information signs were installed and 2000 copies of the calendar were distributed. The key to identifying crayfish is a part of the calendar. A fruitful collaboration with Norwegian partners has been established, with a view to continuing with other projects such as the eradication of invasive crayfish. Continued cooperation in the preparation of expert articles based on the results obtained is also expected.
Summary of bilateral results
The cooperation of Norwegian partner organization and the project promoter was coordinated via several meetings with workshops in Norway and the Czech Republic. The theoretical part of these meetings were focused on sharing experience and comparing methods of capturing crayfish in the Czech Republic and Norway and evaluating their success. At the same time, approaches to the protection of native species of crayfish and the management of crayfish sites were discussed. Experiences with the invasion of crayfish and their eradication in Norway have been shared (Norway's invasive algal crayfish, signal crayfish, crayfish and crayfish in the Czech Republic). Workshops involved joint diving (with a demonstration of the method of capturing crayfish in Norwegian conditions) and crayfish monitoring, including a discussion on approaches to diving monitoring and its effectiveness (this type of monitoring in Norway is routine). Representative of Norwegian partner took part in the closing seminar of the project in Prague as well. The main objective of the visit was a presentation of the status, monitoring and protection of crayfish in Norway. At the same time, the partner discussed the results of all realized analyzes, including bioaccumulation of metals in crayfish tissue from two Norwegian reference sites and discussed plans for management and river crayfish sites. Based on the cooperation during the project, future cooperation in the preparation of expert articles is expected. The overall cooperation with the Norwegian partner is considered to be highly beneficial and effective.