YUMMMMMMM: LAKE TAHOE CRAYFISH!

... it was the first act of commercial fishing in Lake Tahoe since the overexploitation and extinction of the Lahontan cutthroat trout led the authorities to ban all but recreational fishing here in the 1930s. 

Last week, Nevada authorized the commercial trapping of crayfish after Mr. Jackson and a local scientist persuaded state authorities that it would be good business. And not only that, it would improve the famed, though vulnerable, water clarity of one of America’s greatest natural treasures. 

Introduced to Lake Tahoe more than a century ago, the crayfish population has swelled to 280 million, up from 200 million just six years ago. The crustacean lives, eats and excretes in the lake’s shallow waters, contributing to algae growth, which clouds the water. Reducing their numbers would help keep the lake blue. 

Commercial fishing’s resumption here seems to be riding a confluence of trends. Some environmentalists are exhorting people to combat the growing problem of harmful, invasive species by eating them. Crayfish harvesting is also in keeping with the more established locavore movement, which steers diners to locally grown food.

YUM.