Description

A walk on the shorelines of eastern Prince Edward Island (PEI) brings more than nice views and a pleasant breeze. At the right season, it also makes you well aware that you are among a series of uninvited guests that, whether we like it or not, are here to stay. You may or not have heard about several invasive tunicates and the oyster thief, but you have seen a green crab for sure, as it is the most familiar invasive species for virtually every islander. This hasn’t gone unnoticed for the media; since 1999 this small crustacean has made it to the news at least 21 times in The Guardian (Charlottetown) and at least 18 times in the Journal Pioneer (Summerside). The fact is, since the 1990’s this species has grown at a level that it is now a familiar feature of our shorelines, and if you walk along the edge of eelgrass beds or start turning rocks around a bit higher on the shore, you just can’t miss it. If you have the time to observe, unlike what you may expect from a rather small species of crab (think about rock crab or snow crab for a comparison), green crabs will confidently walk along until you literally step in front of them; then, instead of running away they will show you a pair of claws and quite an attitude... Perhaps the species caused the same impression on the fishermen who first spotted it on the Island over a decade ago, or those who a few years later, in 1997, confirmed its identity for the first time. The green crab, the European green crab, the shore crab, and the harbour crab are all common names that, depending on location, refer to a single species, Carcinus maenas.