Let’s hope there are some crab lovers among our readers, because this is the time for them to shine.
Experts on the southern Oregon coast have been monitoring the population of various crabs for years. And they’ve noticed a troubling trend over the past decade or so — European green crabs are invading the Oregon coast.
While it’s not the sci-fi invasion many may be hoping for, it isn’t exactly good news. The invasive green crab has been described as an “aggressive invader” by researchers who warn that its presence may put the native Dungeness crabs at a disadvantage.
According to Shon Schooler, lead scientist and research coordinator at South Slough Reserve, green crabs have gotten near the point of damaging our ecosystem. They destroy eelgrass meadows, which are vital foods for multiple local species. Add in that they eat clams, oysters, and mussels, and they’re already looking pretty spooky.
Perhaps the worst side effect of this influx of green crabs, however, is that they displace the native juvenile Dungeness crabs, making them more susceptible to predation.
While the green crab population is perhaps most notable in Coos Bay, they are all over the west coast. Ranging from California to British Columbia, there’s evidence that green crabs are coming from places they didn’t in previous years. Formerly, we could expect a southern influx each year. Now, though, we’re seeing them coming from both the north and south.
Sylvia Yamada, an assistant professor at Oregon State University, said, “This doesn’t bode well for the future unless we get a series of years when the water is colder.”
Officials and experts alike are giving a call to action that most are likely to enjoy — eat the invaders. And if you’ve never eaten crab before, you’re in luck — the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve recently published preparation instructions, including a few recipes. Now get eating, if only to save our precious native crabs.
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November 21, 2021 at 03:04AM
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One Tasty Crab's Life May Save Another's Life - The Corvallis Advocate
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