Plague of Demon Shrimps invading Liverpools Waterways.....

Water users are being urged to check their clothes for demon shrimps

There are fears a plague of Demon Shrimps is invading Merseyside’s waterways.

Users of the region’s lakes, rivers and canals are being urged to check their clothes and equipment for the invasive species, which attack and eat native shrimps and insects, after every use.

The alarm has been raised because of the discovery of a Demon Shrimp in a Lancashire river which is believed to have originated from the Leeds Liverpool Canal.

Kim Owen from the Environment Agency said: “Invasive shrimps such as this species present a major threat to the ecology of our rivers and lakes and we have a real battle on our hands to control their spread.

“The likelihood is that this species will now be widespread with any links to the Leeds Liverpool canal and beyond through the canal network.

“The Environment Agency are urging everyone who uses England’s waterways to be aware of the problem and help directly in the control of invasive species by adopting and following the ‘Check, Clean and Dry’ approach and thoroughly cleaning and drying any fishing or boating equipment.”

The Demon Shrimp is native to South East Europe and was first reported outside this region in 1955. It has since spread across Western Europe and was first found in the UK in 2012 in the River Severn.

According to a risk assessment produced by Cambridge University, the potential ecological risk from the species is considered high.

They are now a more widespread threat than the invasive Killer Shrimp and could result in ecological change of waterways.

The fear is that some of Britain’s native shrimp are in danger of being completely eradicated from our rivers and lakes.

Anyone who finds any suspected Demon Shrimps is asked to leave them where they are found.

For more information go to www.nonnativespecies.org

Story and Photo Source: Liverpool Echo