Invasive European green crab in Canadian waters
The European green crab is one of the 10 most unwanted species in the world. Here's how to identify and report it. Learn more about European green crab.
Transcript
Invasive European green crab in Canadian waters
My name is Renny Talbot, I'm the Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator within the Aquatic Invasive Species National Core Program for Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
European green crab are a threat to shorelines because they compete with our native species.
They change landscapes.
They'll actually excavate eel grass beds which is a very important habitat feature for our juvenile salmon.
They also mine for invertebrates within salt marsh benches, causing erosion.
They will alter our shoreline communities if allowed to establish.
My name is Patty Menning. I'm an Aquatic Invasive Species Biologist.
I work for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
We have a lot of native species that are green and so it's really important to differentiate between them.
When I'm bringing up a crab trap I can tell immediately that it's European green crab.
Even if the crab, it might be discoloured or black, or even sometimes they can become very orange.
Green crabs are very distinct and they have this sort of, I call it a diamond or a triangular shape.
The other way I can tell is it has five very distinct teeth on either side of the eye.
One-two-three-four-five.
One-two-three-four-five.
These marginal teeth are very distinctive.
If you are very confident that it is a European green crab, it should not be placed back in the water.
Finding one crab usually means that there is more.
One crab, one female juvenile, can hold a hundred and eighty-five thousand eggs per spawning period and they can spawn up to twice a year.
One crab can produce a vast population so it's very important that even one crab you report it to us.
Please contact DFO if you see the crab. Take a picture of it and we'll get back to you immediately.
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