about freshwater decapods in Eastern Bulgaria, espe- cially in Eastern Stara Planina Mts. and Kamchiya River is very scarce. The noble crayfi sh ( A. astacus ) and also the stone crayfi sh ( A. torrentium ) happen to be included as ‘endangered’ species inside the Bulgarian Red List and are already listed inside the Annex IV of European Community Directives with the Conservation of Natural habitats and wild Flora and Fauna (97/62/EU) as subject of special conservation mea- sures. In producing this paper, the authors try and provide new specifics of the distribution of crayfi sh and crabs in Bulgaria. An additional goal this article is to express to and promote the roll-out of appropriate management strategy to the conservation of crabs and crayfi sh habitats inside the upper reaches of Kamchiya River in terms of the establishment of Natura 2000 network. Between 2004 and 2011, twelve localities for the upper reaches from the Kamchiya River were examined periodically for your presence of freshwater crabs and crayfi sh. The localities included the key river and quite a few of its major tributaries (Golyama Kamchiya, Luda Kamchiya, Kotleshnica , Medvenska, Glogova and Neikovska rivers). At each river site, locations for sampling were selected determined by ease of access on the shore and identifi cation of areas believed planning to provide suitable crab and crayfi sh habitat (Figure 1). Crabs and crayfi sh captured were counted and identifi ed. After these procedures, folks were released back on the water. In some locations, local anglers provided additional material. Three sampling methods were utilized to catch crabs and crayfi sh: (1) Direct hand sampling through the river bed, by searching spaces between rocks and inside the roots (2) By ring net, and that is basically a container made of two solid rings connected by cotton or nylon 0.6 cm mesh. The top ring includes a larger diameter (50 cm) as opposed to bottom ring (30 cm). When deployed, this type of trap becomes fl at about the river bottom, giving crabs and crayfi sh access to your bait inside the centre. (3) A new noteworthy method with а fi shing rod, cord, safety pin and bait mounted on it was used. The bait (small fi sh (e.g. Phoxinus phoxinus, Linnaeus, 1758), earth- worm or section of meat) is moved up and down in front on the crayfi sh hole. The method can be called “thumping” because in the crayfi shing the bait frequently touches the bottom on the river. During this process, the crayfi sh emerge from their shelter, attracted from the bait and its particular specifi c verti- cal movement and started look for it. Once the crayfi sh provides the bait fi rmly within his claws, the bait is raised towards the water surface (Figure 2)