(Storm Lake)– Another invasive aquatic species has turned up in northwest Iowa.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says rusty crayfish have been found in Storm Lake. The agency says rusty crayfish are aggressive and can displace native crayfish and can harm fish populations by eating their eggs and young and graze on aquatic plants.
To help reduce the spread, the DNR says licensed bait dealers can no longer harvest crayfish species from Storm Lake. They add that crayfish collected for bait in Storm Lake for personal use can only be used in Storm Lake and cannot be transported live from the lake.
Prior to the infestation in Storm Lake, the DNR says crayfish infestations had been limited to sections of the Maquoketa, Middle Iowa, Upper Cedar and Upper Wapsipinicon rivers in eastern Iowa.
