Sustainable Management of a Globally Invasive Species: The Case of Red Swamp Crayfish

Red swamp crayfish (Louisiana crawfish, Procambarus clarkii), also known as the “little lobster” in China, is a significant economic species, accounting for US$300 billion in 2020. However, this invasive species has adversely affected aquatic ecosystems in various countries and regions. Two primary concerns prompt debate: how to enhance the value of this crayfish, and how to manage wild invasive crayfish to protect local ecosystems. We conducted a comprehensive review of the biological and ecological features of this crayfish, which highlighted that its omnivorous nature, strong reproductive ability, and burrowing behaviour allow it to adapt to various environments worldwide, facilitate its global proliferation, and enable it to cause ecological damage in invaded areas. Notably, its high-protein and low-fat nutritional composition makes it a delicacy, contributing to its economic value. Finally, we found that several countries and regions have contained biological invasion and ecological harm through reasonable human intervention measures, such as engineering, administrative regulations, and legislative actions. By improving breeding practices (e.g., pond farming and rice field mixed culture), refining feeding formulations, and enhancing value-added utilisation, the economic value of this crayfish can be further increased, thereby establishing a large-scale industry. Therefore, local authorities and organisations must ensure a balance between ecological and economic values and implement scientific, administrative, legal, and engineering measures for managing this species’ impact.