Fishing for crayfish

Publications

WARNING

The legislation has been modified since March 2021. Please consult the French version of the site, for the latest updates before full translation of the site to be sure to have the correct information

Which fishing license to choose ?

To fish crayfish with a fishing rod along the water, a “type A” fishing license is enough.

To use balances and crayfish tails, a “type B” fishing license is enough.

A maximum of five crayfish sticks or balances could be use simultaneously.

When practising fishing for crayfish ?

Indigenous crayfishes

The only indigenous crayfish is the red foot crayfish (Astacus astacus L.)

The opening period to fish red foot crayfish is between the 1rst of August till the 14th September included.

Exotic crayfishes

For the other crayfishes (Turkish or “thiny legs”, Americans, red from Louisiana and signal crayfishes) is the law silent on fishing periods. So these species can be catch on open fishing periods on the course (see the open fishing periods in the different watercourses).

Minimal size of catch

Indigenous crayfish

A minimal catch size of 12 cm is fixed by the legislation for the red foot crayfishes (Astacus astacus L.).

The crayfish size can be measured from the eye to the top of the open tail.

A maximum number of catch doesn’t exist for the indigenous crayfish.

Good practice Code

The indigenous red foot crayfish is a species in danger of extinction in Wallonia and is not present anymore but in a few pieces of water and in some watercourses protected for the crayfish plague.

Exotic crayfishes

For the exotic crayfishes, no legal size is fixed by the law.

A maximal number of catch doesn’t exist for the exotic crayfishes.

Publications

The Walloon fishing house has edited a brochure about the practice of fishing for crayfish. This one includes the legal information about the practice of fishing for crayfish and also practical information to distinguish indigenous and exotic crayfish species.