Crayfish… Crawdad… Mudbug… Crawfish!!! Dr. Craig S. Kasper HCC FAS 1012C

Introduction Crawfish production is a major market in the U.S. Red Swamp Crawfish—native to the lower Mississippi River Drainage. Preferred habitat—swamps! Food—decaying vegetation, aquatic plants, filamentous and attached algae and small benthic animals.

Introduction As water levels recede (early summer) crayfish burrow (Chimneys) As water levels increase (Fall/Winter)—adults forage on decaying vegetation. Wild crawfish are harvested with baited traps in the Spring. Crawfish double-cropped with rice.

General Crayfish Information Adult size is 2" to 6" for most US species. Some Australian varieties can be much larger (Cherax quadracharanatus, Yabbi). Growth occurs following molting or ecdysis (shedding of their carapace). 

General Crayfish Information Nearly 150 spp. in N. America, >540 worldwide, but only several are cultured in this country. Color and size varies with species, diet, and age. Market value~$5/lbs. when in season.

Red Swamp Crawfish Crawfish ponds Harvesting traps Rice fields The red swamp crawfish is native to the lower Mississippi river drainage. Swamps and other wetlands are its preferred habitat. The crawfish feed on decaying vegetation, aquatic plants, filamentous and attached algae and small benthic animals. They burrow into the soft bottom mud as water levels recede in early summer and remain underground during the summer months. As water levels increase in the Fall and Winter, the crawfish adults and young produced underground leave the burrows to forage on decaying vegetation. Wild crawfish are harvested with baited traps in the Spring. Crawfish are commonly farmed in shallow water ponds used to grow rice. The crawfish burrow during the summer months when the rice is growing. After rice harvest, the rice stubble is flooded and the crawfish leave their burrows to feed and grow on the decaying vegetation. Cultured crawfish are also harvested with traps from the rice fields in the spring. Harvesting traps Rice fields

1998 harvest 16,409,000 kg Grading crawfish 90% of crawfish harvest in the U. S. is from: Transport to market alive Louisiana Boiled crawfish Crawfish are graded by size and placed in onion sacks for live transport to markets throughout the Southeastern U. S. Crawfish that are not consumed whole have the tail meat removed and frozen for shipment to distant markets. Boiled crawfish is a popular food item in the Southeastern U. S. Louisiana is the leading producer of farmed crawfish in the U. S. Crawfish was introduced to China in the 1970’s and China now leads the world in the harvest of farmed crawfish. Removing tail meat

Dinner anyone?? Crawfish Boil Recipe Ingredients: 30 pounds live crawfish (one sack) 2 cups salt for purging 2 (3 ounce) boxes crawfish or crab boil seasoning or 2 cups liquid crab boil** 4 lemons, sliced in half 8 bay leaves 20 small onions, peeled 5 pounds small red or new potatoes, unpeeled 10 to 15 ears of fresh corn on the cob, shucked and broken in halves Whole mushrooms Old Bay Seasoning