Transcript Crayfish… Crawdad… Mudbug… Crawfish!!!

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
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
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