It’s the invasion of the crabs. Coming to a beach near you.

I don't know about you, but I kind of like crab. In the Northwest we are famous for the Dungeness crab. I personally like the king crab from Alaska. (You know, we got crab legs.) I also prefer my crab cold. For some reason it has a fishier flavor when it's warm or hot. 

All of this meandering is leading up to a crab invasion. (And not in a good way.) 

According to king5.com,
‘A small but harmful invasive species was discovered on Washington's North Central Coast for the first time. European green crabs were found in waters near the port of La Push. Crews with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) ported they removed 33 invasive crabs using traps and hand captures in the first week of August.’ 

The European green crab is bad news for the Pacific Northwest it negatively impacts local shellfish and Salmon runs. In 2023 Washington State Fish and Wildlife removed about 285 thousand of these crabs. These little monsters prefer shallow water and can eat up to 22 Clams daily. (Now multiply times 285,000.)  

So, I guess the question is, is there something you can do about it? (Yes, there is.) If you happen to be out there on the coast and you see one of these nasty little critters, take a photo of it and send that photo, along with information of where you took the photo to the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife. They will do the rest. 

According to King5.com.
‘WDFW discouraged people from killing the crabs because possessing live invasive species is illegal. The European green crabs are often misidentified as native species. To report a sighting, click here.’ 

These days I very seldom find myself. In a situation where I would see the little devils. So I will stick to Sea Galley.  

And have some crab legs. 

Invasive crab species detected in new area of Washington coast | king5.com
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