These invaders have up to ten legs! And with that they spread in Berlin’s rivers, lakes and ponds. The cancer plague of Berlin!
Here they have established themselves and are crowding out native crayfish species:
►American Red Swamp Crab: In 2016 it was registered six times, meanwhile 23 times – e.g. in Tiergarten waters, in the Spree, in the Landwehr Canal.
►marble crab: Probably originally from an aquarium. The females transmit the crayfish plague and put 200 mini crabs into the water every eight weeks through maiden generation, e.g. in Groß Glienicker See, from Schlachtensee to Hundekehlesee. In 2016 there was not a single occurrence, meanwhile 13.
►Camel Cancer from North America: It has been occurring in Berlin since the end of the 19th century and has since conquered 96 bodies of water in our region.
►Chinese mitten crab: It multiplies in brackish water, so it regularly migrates along the Havel.
What is the Senate doing about the cancer plague? That’s what CDU parliamentary group leader Danny Freymark asked at the environmental senate. The further spread could be prevented, it is said. However, it is impossible to contain cancer species in rivers.
The American Red Swamp Crab, which runs across land to conquer new waters, is fished out. In 2021 it was 885 kilograms, especially in the Britzer Garden.
“We need management against the spread, I expressly support the removal of the crabs,” says Freymark.
In the current year, professional fishermen will be used again, including in the Tiergarten. They receive a catch premium of seven euros per kilogram and are only allowed to sell dead specimens to dealers.