Like other true crayfish, A. astacus is restricted to fresh water, living only in unpolluted streams, rivers, and lakes.

The main predators of A. astacus, both as juveniles and adults, are European mink, eels, perch, pike, Eurasian otters, and muskrats.

The loss of crayfish in a freshwater environment is known to cause macrophyte growth, which can be a cause for eutrophication and an overall degradation in water quality.

[5] Documentation of the consumption of A. astacus dates back to the Middle Ages, when it was popular among the Swedish nobility, spreading to all social classes by the 17th and 18th centuries due to its ready availability.

[6] Hundreds of smaller or larger lakes were once found in the northern Moldavia, used for growing A. astacus meant for consumption during the extended fasting periods of the Orthodox Christian calendar.