Can't beat 'em? Eat 'em! Berlin captures, cooks crayfish

BERLIN – Fisherman Klaus Hidde is the spearhead of Berlin's new effort to rid its waters of the invasive crayfish, putting him in the unlikely position of practicing his trade in the middle of the bustling German capital.

The population of Louisiana Crayfish, indigenous to the southern U.S. and Mexico, has boomed in Berlin over the past two years after particularly mild winters.

Last year, the city caught and destroyed 4,000 and introduced eels, a natural predator, to eat all they could, but still was unable to slow the onslaught.

Overwhelmed by the numbers and dismayed by the futility of the cull, Berlin wildlife commissioner Derk Ehlert instead turned to the private sector. He granted Hidde an exclusive license to collect as many of the crustaceans as he could and sell them to local restaurants.