#greencrabs — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #greencrabs, aggregated by home.social.
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#Maine's invasive #GreenCrabs aren't going anywhere, so why not eat them?
Maine's coast is overrun by invasive green crabs, which harm natural nurseries for lobster larvae and eat clam beds. Fishermen are looking to turn them into food.
By Jack Molmud, June 26, 2023
Excerpt: "To the year, Masi's crew is hauling in around 5,000 pounds of live green crabs. They said more could easily be harvested, but they are still looking for more buyers.
"One buyer in Portsmouth, Row 34, is using the soft-shell green crab to make a slider.
"Josh Peck, the chef at Row 34, said it's getting customers talking.
" 'We sell a fair amount of them,' Peck said. 'There is no lack of sustainability with the green crab.'
"But while the thousands of pounds of green crabs are shipped to restaurants and bait dealers around New England, Masi, and his crew hope that number will only grow. The summer months are moving on, and the crabs are stopping the molting process, which produces the soft shell.
" 'It's a start. You got to start somewhere,' Masi said."
#SolarPunkSunday #InvasiveSpecies #WhatsForDinner #ChangingClimate #ClimateChange #ClimateChangeAdaptation
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Half of all #eelgrass in #CascoBay has died within last four years, experts say
Eelgrass, according to Friends of Casco Bay, is home to juvenile lobster and fish. Without eelgrass, much of Maine's seafood economy loses its base, they said.
By Jack Molmud
March 29, 2023SOUTH PORTLAND, #Maine — According to a report from Friends of Casco Bay, 54 percent of all eelgrass meadows in Casco Bay have died off since 2018.
"This comes as the 2022 to 2023 winter saw water temps reach four degrees above average.
"'My first response was it's heartbreaking,' Will Everitt, the executive director of Friends of Casco Bay said. 'My second response was now is the time we have to do more than ever to protect the bay.'
"Everitt said eelgrass is dying due to a combination of consequences from the warm water.
"Warm water attracts more invasive #GreenCrabs, which cut the eelgrass and eat softshell crabs, he said. This disturbs the naturally-occurring species, he said.
"'When we have a really cold winter it can kill back the green crabs,' Everitt said.
"He added a warm winter won't kill as many green crabs, allowing them to reproduce and spawn more green crabs for summer and fall.
"'The loss of this is tragic and could have a huge impact on our coastal waters,' Everitt said.
"Everitt added the #WarmingOceans in Maine also result in more frequent #AlgaeBlooms, which prevent the eelgrass from accessing proper sunlight to grow.
"Fewer eelgrass meadows mean fewer lobsters in inshore waters, he added.
"'A number of critters in the bay depend on this... the warming waters are going to do a number on this if it continues,' Everitt said.
"If the situation continues to worsen, Everitt suggested experts would recommend planting eelgrass from more southern states so that subspecies can handle the warmer temperatures Maine is set to experience."
#FriendsOfCascoBay #SaltMarshes #SaveTheWetlands #EelGrass #SaveTheWetlands
#SaveTheMarshes #ProtectNature #NewEngland #GulfOfMaine