INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. (AP) - A company has begun harvesting crayfish at Lake Tahoe, marking the first commercial fishing operation at the Sierra lake since the 1930s.
Tahoe Lobster Co. owner Fred Jackson says his operation benefits diners and Tahoe alike.
He notes crayfish are a non-native species at Tahoe that cause algae to grow and cloud the water by releasing excrement on the lake floor.
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency officials say they welcome the company's trapping of the invasive species.
Jackson told the Tahoe Daily Tribune (http://bit.ly/ODjaEj ) that his company has about 30 clients so far, ranging from small restaurants to major hotel-casinos at Tahoe.
A Sparks-based wholesaler readies the crayfish for distribution at about $5 per pound.
Jackson received a permit in July to trap crayfish on the lake's Nevada side.