Advantages of artificial reproduction techniques for white-clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes Lereboullet)

With the aim of preserving and increasing endangered stocks of white-clawed crayfish, research on juvenile production has been carried out. Advantages in application of newly developed techniques of egg storage, transport and artificial incubation techniques are discussed. Eggs can be removed from maternal pleopods during the early stages of embryonic development and placed in artificial incubation devices. This practice avoids egg losses caused by aggressive contacts, female disease or death and the production of stage-2 juveniles in different batches by means of temperature manipulation. Furthermore transmission of pathogens from broodstocks to offspring can be minimised. Egg storage and transport have some advantages in the artificial reproduction of crayfish. Firstly, embryonic development continues under storage conditions and thus water and human effort can be saved during this period. Temperature plays an important role on both efficiency rates and duration of embryogenesis. Secondly, egg transport could facilitate restocking programs, as there is no need to move berried females to other habitats. To sum up, the combined use of artificial incubation and storage/transport techniques could have important applications to the development of astacid crayfish culture.