About the Invasive Crayfish Collaborative
The Invasive Crayfish Collaborative (ICC) is a multidisciplinary program that brings industry, science, and land management stakeholders together to improve the management of invasive crayfish in the Great Lakes region. It is convened and facilitated by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and the Illinois Natural History Survey, with funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
The ICC is committed to fostering collaboration, building a diverse network, and engaging in science-driven research, management, and outreach. Recognizing that invasive crayfish are the greatest threat to crayfish diversity, the ICC's overarching goal is to protect native crayfish and preserve the delicate balance of aquatic ecosystems in the Great Lakes basin.
What’s New
Featured Publications
The Five-Year Strategic Plan to Advance the Management of Invasive Crayfish
This plan, developed with ICC member input, will guide the work of the ICC for the next five years (2025-2029). It aims to foster collaborations across different jurisdictions and disciplines, connect members with stakeholders, and provide members with the necessary resources to reach our mission of reducing the impacts of invasive crayfish in the Great Lakes region.
News
A tale of two landscapes and one Aquatic Invasive Species Detector's missions
Bob McNamara dedicates his summers to protecting Minnesota’s waterways from invasive species like rusty crayfish. He does this through the University of Minnesota Extension’s AIS Detectors program, blending his passion for photography and conservation.
Invasive crayfish native to U.S. found in Ontario waters
Invasive red swamp crayfish were discovered in Ontario waters last fall, prompting wildlife officials to implement mitigation strategies. Officials advise against consuming these crayfish as it could inadvertently encourage their spread to other provincial waterways.
Crayfish map gives conservation a helping claw
Conservation scientists and invasive species managers share a key need: to know where target crayfish are. Researchers at the West University of Timișoara, Romania (WUT) and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have created the first searchable global crayfish atlas, World of Crayfish, with data on 427 crayfish taxa and over 100,000 observations.
Research reveals hope for managing invasive red swamp crayfish
Originally from the southeastern U.S., the red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) has become an unwelcomed world traveler. Here in the U.S., they are commonly spread by unsuspecting aquarium-hobbyists or biology teachers releasing the unwanted pet into their backyard ponds and rivers. Despite the destructive nature of this species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service haven’t given up the fight.
Literature
Movement patterns of invasive red swamp crayfish vary with sex and environmental factors
Raboin, M., Roth, B. M., Sullivan, A., Allert, A. L., Stoeckel, J. A., Nathan, L. R., Quebedeaux, K. B., Sholtis, M. D., Smerud, J. R., Erickson, R. A. & Cupp, A. R. (2025). Movement patterns of invasive red swamp crayfish vary with sex and environmental factors. Scientific Reports, 15, 14312. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-96379-8
Performance of alternative methods for generating species distribution models for invasive species in the Laurentian Great Lakes
Prescott, V. A., Marte, J., & Keller, R. P. (2025). Performance of alternative methods for generating species distribution models for invasive species in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Fisheries, vuaf012. doi.org/10.1093/fshmag/vuaf012
Influence of warming on the functional responses of invasive omnivores, Procambarus crayfishes
Sheppard, N. L. M. and Ricciardi, A. (2025). Influence of warming on the functional responses of invasive omnivores, Procambarus crayfishes. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 82, 1-8. doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2024-
World of Crayfish™: a web platform towards real-time global mapping of freshwater crayfish and their pathogens
Ion, M. C., Bloomer, C. C., Bărăscu, T. I., et al. (2024). World of Crayfish™: a web platform towards real-time global mapping of freshwater crayfish and their pathogens. PeerJ, 12, e18229. doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18229
EVENTS
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PRODUCTS
Click here to find invasive crayfish products from the ICC and its partners.
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CONTACT
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