Banned in Japan?

The Japanese newpaper The Mainichi is reporting that Marmorkrebs could soon be added to Japan’s list of “Invasive Alien Species.”

The article notes that there have been a couple of isolated cases of Marmorkrebs found in the wild in Japan (as noted on the map of introductions). The article provides the first confirmation I know of – unsurprising though it is – that Marmorkrebs are readily available in the pet trade there.

Looking at the Ministry’s page on invasive species, crayfish are already regulated to some degree. The PDF of regulated species say all crayfish (“Any species of the families Astacidae, Cambaridae, and Parastacidae”) are “Required to have a Certificate Attached during their importation in order to verify their types.” But this does nothing once a species is in the national pet trade and being distributed within Japanese borders.

Marmorkrebs would join all the species of Astacus and Cherax, the signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus), and the rusty crayfish (Faxonius rusticus, still listed as Orconectes in the Japanese documents) as an invasive.

External links

Environment ministry plans to add marbled crayfish to list of invasive species