Growth Parameter indices, Mortality Variables and Levels of Exploitation of Red Claw Crayfish (CheraxQuadricarinatus, Von Martens, 1868) in the Kafue Floodplain Fishery and Lake Kariba, Zambia.

This study was aimed at documenting the growth parameters, mortality variables and levels of exploitation of Cherax quadricarinatus in the Kafue Floodplain Fishery and Lake Kariba.C. quadricarinatus (n = 1, 129) were collected using traps, locally called Kamono.The results showed that C. quadricarinatus reaches its asymptotic length very fast owing to its high growth coefficient at both study sites (overall K = 0.875 yr -1 at Lake Kariba, K = 1.01 yr -1 at Kafue Floodplain Fishery).C. quadricarinatus showed longevity values of 3.0 years and 3.2 years from the Kafue Floodplain Fishery and Lake Kariba.C. quadricarinatus was under-exploited at Lake Kariba (E = 0.16) but it was over-exploited in the Kafue Floodplain Fishery (E = 0.61).The feral populations of Crayfish are welladapted to their alien habitat as evidenced by the optimal growth rates.