Interlopers are coming into California by land, by sea … and by FedEx. That’s what happened with the European green crab, a voracious cannibal that stowed away in packages of worms sent by overnight delivery to commercial fishermen in California. Unknown to anyone, the tiny crustaceans were concealed in seaweed that wrapped the cargo and were freed into the Pacific when fishermen tossed it overboard. Then the green crabs, which a century ago decimated the East Coast’s shellfish industry, began to dine out in the Pacific, munching nearly everything in sight. Authorities made plans to rid the ocean of the pests.
April 18, 2021
It s nothing less than an invasion. Interlopers are coming into California by land, by sea…and by FedEx.
Subscribe
That s what happened with the European green crab, a voracious cannibal that stowed away in packages of worms sent by overnight delivery to commercial fishermen in California. Unknown to anyone, the tiny crustaceans were concealed in seaweed that wrapped the cargo and were freed into the Pacific when fishermen tossed it overboard.
Then the green crabs, which a century ago decimated the East Coast s shellfish industry, began to dine out in the Pacific, munching nearly everything in sight. Authorities made plans to rid the ocean of the pests.
Unwelcome and Tough to Evict: California’s Costly, Uphill Battle Against Invasive Species
Close up view of a bin of green crabs pulled from a single trap. In some cases there can be close to 100 crabs per trap in years of very high numbers. Photo courtesy of Ted Grosholz.
###
Interlopers are coming into California by land, by sea…and by FedEx.
That’s what happened with the European green crab, a voracious cannibal that stowed away in packages of worms sent by overnight delivery to commercial fisherman in California. Unknown to anyone, the tiny crustaceans were concealed in seaweed that wrapped the cargo and were freed into the Pacific when fishermen tossed it overboard.
27.1% of Californians are fully vaccinated.
Podcast: Baseball fans get back to basics as California slowly reopens, and a CalMatters investigation reveals bewildering delays in the state’s nursing home oversight. Listen to the latest California State of Mind episode here.
A Message from our Sponsor
Other stories you should know
1.
A Bible study group. Image via iStock
The U.S. Supreme Court knocked down another one of Newsom’s coronavirus restrictions on Friday, finding that the state’s ban on at-home religious gatherings violated the First Amendment. The 5-4 ruling paves the way for indoor gatherings of more than three households to resume, though the state was already slated to ease its restrictions on indoor events on Thursday. The order comes about two months after the Supreme Court overturned California’s ban on indoor church services and marks the fifth time the country’s highest court has rejected the Golden State’s coronavirus rules for their impact on reli