Latest European green crab updates

Nearly 250,000 invasive European green crabs have been removed from Washington waters  in 2022 as of the latest report by WDFW, tribes, shellfish growers, non-governmental organizations, and other state and federal partners.

That’s the latest highlights excerpted from the European Green Crab Public Update.

The regular updates are intended to inform the public regarding the status of European green crab (EGC) management and emergency measures deployment in Washington state. 

They are archived on the European green crab species webpage. You can also sign up for our European Green Crab Management Updates email list. 

European Green Crab Incident Command objectives continue to include reduction of EGC populations to below levels harmful to environmental, economic, or cultural resources.

Many shore-based EGC trapping efforts have ended for the season or were significantly reduced for safety reasons due to shortened daylight hours, difficulty in tidal timing, and hazardous intertidal and weather conditions. 

WDFW seasonal technical staff have also finished their seasonal positions, so WDFW is shifting to developing and testing boat-based trapping opportunities to support year-round trapping needs.

The latest report summarizes European green crab (EGC) captures, monitoring, and other emergency measures through October 2022, as well as field and partner highlights.

In total, nearly 250,000 of the invasive species had been removed as of the report, with almost 170,000 from the coastal management area alone.

2022 European Green Crab Capture/Removal Totals

Total: 247,897 as of October 31*

Latest Operational Period: 29,272 (October 17 to 31, 2022)

Coastal Management Branch EGC removal totals:

Year to date: 169,097

Latest Operational Period: 27,184

Salish Sea Management Branch EGC removal totals:

Year to date: 78,800

Latest Operational Period: 2,088

“WDFW is no longer including EGC removal data for specific areas in public reports in the interest of consistency. The high number of European green crab removed in 2022 reflects the coordinated deployment of significantly increased personnel, equipment, and other capture effort by WDFW, Native American tribes, shellfish growers, federal agencies, and non-governmental organizations.”

Officials expect to issue additional updates in December to conclude the 2022 field season and share annual capture totals.

FY 2023–2025 Biennium Budget (July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024)

WDFW EGC funding received from the legislature in this biennium is ongoing for the 2023–2025 biennium. At this time, WDFW is not seeking additional legislative EGC funding, and the assumption is status quo distribution of funds as issued for FY 2023, but WDFW will assess options for adjusting dispersal based on availability of alternative funding sources and any changes to EGC emergency management priority and resource needs. Starting in January 2023, WDFW will solicit budget/funding feedback from tribal co-managers and through entity representatives of the EGC Multi-Agency Coordination (MAC) Group.

 

To report European green crab sightings or obtain identification resources, please visit: wdfw.wa.gov/greencrab