Green crab, Carcinus maenas. (Photo Credit: Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez/CC BY-SA 3.0)
Green crab threat to lucrative Maine's fishery confirmed
(UNITED STATES, 1/6/2014)
Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) Director of Public Health Kohl Kanwit recently presented over 600 researchers, entrepreneurs and Maine shellfish harvesters with scientific verification that green crabs are threatening Maine’s third most lucrative fishery.
The cross-section of stakeholders attended or logged in to a webcast of the Green Crab Summit, co-hosted by Maine Sea Grant and the DMR. The event was held to examine the challenges and opportunities of non-native green crabs, whose population has exploded in recent years and which feed on bivalves like soft shell clams. Last year, soft shell clams generated approximately USD 15 million in landed value and approximately USD 45 million in overall economic benefit to Maine’s economy.
Kanwit discussed results of a green crab trapping survey, conducted over two days in nearly thirty coast-wide locations.
“We had conversations with industry last spring about the extent of the green crab problem and the consensus was that green crabs are a serious problem,” said Kanwit. “But we were uncertain about the extent and degree of the problem so we designed a survey to verify industry observations.”
DMR staff worked with University of Maine, Machias Professor of Marine Ecology Dr. Brian Beal to develop a plan for the survey. “We worked with volunteers from nearly 30 municipalities to conduct the survey,” said Kanwit.
“Our primary goal was to provide a snap shot of the locations and relative abundance of the green crab populations along the coast, and to raise the level of awareness of municipalities about green crabs and their impact on shellfish resources which are so important to our coastal economy,” said Kanwit. “As scientists, we also wanted to confirm the observations reported to us by industry.”
Volunteers were asked to set up to ten traps on soft bottom favoured by softshell clams. Traps used included lobster traps as well as specialized traps designed for specifically for harvesting crabs.
Of the 208 traps set, 193 had crabs in them. The communities with the most crabs per trap were Stockton Springs with 191, Freeport with 181 and Scarborough with 151.
While Kanwit acknowledges that the variables in trap type and bait used make the data imperfect for scientific research, the project did accomplish its most important goal. “We were able to verify reports from harvesters that green crabs are present in most of the towns in numbers that are detrimental to bivalve shellfish resources,” said Kanwit.
The event included presentations by entrepreneurs who are hoping to capitalize on the green crab population by processing them for aquaculture fish meal and other products. However Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher reiterated the Department’s position that green crabs are an invasive species to be controlled if not eradicated.
The Commissioner, who decided last summer to get a first-hand look at the problem, visited areas of the coast with known concentration of green crabs. “I couldn't believe what I was seeing, “said Commissioner Keliher. “I was astounded by the prevalence of green crabs.”
He was not only surprised by the number of crabs, but by their destruction of eel grass beds, important as habitat and an indicator of near shore environmental health. “The absolute destruction was nothing short of amazing.”
[email protected]
www.seafood.media
Information of the company:
Address:
|
21 State House Station
|
City:
|
Augusta
|
State/ZIP:
|
Maine (04333-0021)
|
Country:
|
United States
|
Phone:
|
+1 207 624 6550
|
Fax:
|
+1 207 624 6024
|
E-Mail:
|
[email protected]
|
More about:
|
|