Crucian enthusiasts from around the country spent two days targeting their favourite species and promoting a new ID guide to help entrants in the Catch a Crucian Month photo competition identify the difference between true crues and the various hybrids that have become all too commonplace.
There are two versions of the new guide which have been produced by the Environment Agency fisheries experts in collaboration with the Angling Trust and the National Crucian Conservation Project. Both can be found on the Crucian Campaign page of the Angling Trust website at www.anglingtrust.net/crucian
The Association of Crucian Anglers fish-in at Marsh Farm where members were joined by Martin Salter (Angling Trust), Malcolm Richardson and Mike Holcombe (Godalming Angling Society) and well known specialist angler Tony King.
The quick version can be easily downloaded in hard copy or to a smartphone for those anglers who might want to double check their captures.
The competition is open to all and runs throughout June. It is designed to promote crucians as a species, to assist in the recognition of true crucians, to encourage more anglers to take up crucian fishing and to highlight the need to develop specific crucian waters in line with the aims of the National Crucian Conservation Project. The competition is sponsored by Bait-Tec and Angling Direct with some great prizes and entries will be judged by a panel of leading crucian crusaders including Chris Yates, Hugh Miles from Passion for Angling, the author and crucian expert Peter Rolfe and angling artist Chris Turnbull.
All details including rules and information for entrants can be found at www.catchacrucian.wordpress.com
Martin Salter, Angling Trust Campaigns Chief said: “We’ve already had lots of interest in the competition and it is clear that there are plenty of anglers out there enjoying some great crucian fishing during this month. June is an ideal time to target crucians as the their main spawning period is over and they are usually feeding well. With crucians facing increased threats from hybridisation we felt it was a good time to produce an easy to understand ID guide to help educate and inform anglers and the launch of our brand new photo competition was the perfect time to publish this helpful piece of information.”
The ID guide cites the five main defining characteristics of a true crucian:
- Convex dorsal fin
- Absence of barbules
- Shallow fork in the tail
- Orange pelvic fins, often with dark tips
- 32 – 34 scales along the lateral line
Crock of Gold author and crucian expert Peter Rolfe added: “If we can’t distinguish a true crucian from all the other lookalikes (brown goldfish, crucian x goldfish hybrids and so on) we can’t be certain what we’ve caught. It also means that we can’t manage waters efficiently for good crucian fishing – one of the reasons for the decline of the species in the UK. This new photo competition with the accompanying crucian identification guide should help many more anglers identify a true crucian with confidence. It is a brilliant idea.”
The photo competition is open for entries until June 30th in four categories with the best three photos in each going into in a final:
Best Crucian Picture
Best Specimen Crucian Picture
Best Scenic Picture of a Crucian Water
Best Picture of a Junior with a Crucian
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More info:
Catch a Crucian Month Competition – www.catchacrucian.wordpress.com
Angling Trust’s Crucian Carp Project – www.anglingtrust.net/crucian
Peter Rolfe’s The Crucian Website – www.crucians.org
National Crucian Conservation Project – www.anglingtrust.net/crucian
