Environment & Climate
New England culinary efforts target invasive green crabs to mitigate ecosystem damage
Chefs, local businesses, and researchers are attempting to expand commercial markets for green crabs, though logistical challenges persist.
The short version
- Invasive European green crabs numbering in the tens of millions are causing significant economic and environmental damage to New England's coastal marine habitats.
- A growing grassroots effort is attempting to curb populations by creating commercial uses, including serving soft-shell crabs in restaurants and utilizing them in pet treats, fish sauce, and spirits.
- Efforts to scale up commercial fishing remain hindered by labor-intensive harvesting, lack of processing infrastructure, transportation barriers, and limited government support.
Key facts
- European green crabs were introduced to North America's East Coast centuries ago via ship ballast water and currently number in the tens of millions in New England.[ABC News · Associated Press]
- The invasive species damages eelgrass beds, erodes salt marsh banks, and costs the regional shellfish industry tens of millions of dollars annually by preying on native species.[ABC News · Associated Press]
- Soft-shell clam landings in Maine fell from 7.8 million meat pounds in 1978 to 1.3 million pounds in 2025, a drop partly attributed to green crabs.[ABC News · Associated Press]
- Advocates report a more than 10-fold increase in New England restaurants offering green crab dishes since 2021.[ABC News · Associated Press]
- State responses vary across the region, with Massachusetts providing fishermen a subsidy of 40 cents per pound up to $100,000 annually, while Washington state plans to spend over $38 million through FY 2027 on eradication.[ABC News · Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- Experts note there is currently insufficient data to determine the maximum sustainable catch capacity for a dedicated green crab fishery in New England.[ABC News · Associated Press]
- It remains uncertain whether culinary demand and small-scale harvesting can significantly reduce overall green crab populations given their high reproduction rates and resilience.[ABC News · Associated Press]