North Yorkshire anglers urged to help stop spread of 'crayfish plague'

Anglers and other river users are being urged to help prevent the spread of a disease thought to have killed dozens of crayfish in North Yorkshire.

Forty native white-clawed crayfish were discovered on the River Leven at Crathorne. It is thought that so-called 'crayfish plague' is responsible for the deaths, and samples have been sent to a laboratory for analysis. 

Now river users are being asked to ensure that equipment and clothing is cleaned before it is used in other water courses, to prevent the potential transmission of disease.

The agency stresses that crayfish plague is only harmful to white-clawed crayfish and cannot be transmitted to other fish or animals.