Speaker: Sylvia Yamada, Courtesy Faculty, Oregon State University

Topic: European Green Crabs: Are they here to stay?

European green crabs are global invasive species that prey on native species, including shellfish and smaller crabs. Furthermore, they can tear up valuable eelgrass meadows and deprive native species of food and shelter.  Green crabs arrived in Oregon estuaries during the 1990’s but remained rare until the 2015-2016 El Niño. Now they are abundant enough to be observed by divers and caught in sports traps. Where did green crab come from? How can you tell them apart from native crabs? What is their life cycle? How are they spreading? Can you eat them?  Should we be concerned? Come learn the answers to these questions and see if there is anything we can to reduce their numbers.