Maya Hofmann ’23, Faith Hanshaw ’23, Abdisalan Hawadle ’23 and Wanying Na ’24 are working with Professor Mike Nishizaki to combine climate change research with local public outreach.
They thrive in shallow water and soft sediment, which Washington’s estuaries provide. And over the past two years it seems the populations of green crab are exploding, especially on the coast.
“Green crabs in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor are appearing at densities easily five to 10 times greater than they were ever observed in the late 1990s. And so that’s caught a lot of people’s attention,” says marine ecologist Emily Grason, who leads Washington Sea Grant’s Crab Team at the University of Washington.
She says this sudden proliferation in coastal areas is somewhat surprising because they did not spread rapidly after those initial sightings two decades ago. Now, in addition to the hot spots on the southern end of the coast, green crabs appear to be spreading in Drayton Harbor and Lummi Bay.
Invasive green crabs spreading along Washington coast, officials say
Updated 6:54 PM;
SEATTLE (AP) European green crabs were found in Washington’s inland waters in 2016, prompting extensive monitoring. Now state officials say this destructive invasive species is spreading in several coastal locations.
They thrive in shallow water and soft sediment, which Washington’s estuaries provide. And over the past two years it seems the populations of green crab are exploding, especially on the coast.
“Green crabs in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor are appearing at densities easily five to 10 times greater than they were ever observed in the late 1990s. And so that’s caught a lot of people’s attention,” says marine ecologist Emily Grason, who leads Washington Sea Grant’s Crab Team at the University of Washington.
Officials: invasive green crabs spreading along coast
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BELLAMY PAILTHORP, KNKX
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European green crabs trapped and removed from Seadrift Lagoon in Stinson Beach, Calif. by marine biologists are kept in a bin before they re measured and logged on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017. Paul Chinn/The Chronicle
SEATTLE (AP) European green crabs were found in Washington’s inland waters in 2016, prompting extensive monitoring. Now state officials say this destructive invasive species is spreading in several coastal locations.
They thrive in shallow water and soft sediment, which Washington’s estuaries provide. And over the past two years it seems the populations of green crab are exploding, especially on the coast.