An invasive crustacean described as one of the world害羞草研究所檚 top-10 unwanted species has made its way to Blackie Spit in South Surrey 害羞草研究所� as well as other nearby marine habitats 害羞草研究所� and efforts are underway to curtail its spread.

The European Green Crab 害羞草研究所渨ill eat anything that fits in its mouth,害羞草研究所� Lori Schlechtleitner 害羞草研究所� a biologist/ecologist contracted by Friends of Semiahmoo Bay Society to set up a local management program 害羞草研究所� said Sept. 25, during field work in Blackie Spit.

And that non-discriminating palate, along with a high resiliency to water temperatures and salinity and a distinct lack of predators to keep them in check, is bad news for native species.

害羞草研究所淵ou害羞草研究所檝e got to respect it for being so incredibly adaptive,害羞草研究所� Schlechtleitner said of the spiny crab. 害羞草研究所淏ut it does have the potential to decimate.害羞草研究所�

The crab, which can range in colour from dark mottled green to orange, is native to European and North African coastlines, and was first found in Canadian waters in 1951. It害羞草研究所檚 believed they arrived in B.C. between 1998 and 1999.

They are currently found along the entire west coast of Vancouver Island, and have an established population at the southern tip, in Sooke.

Schlechtleitner said a survey in early September just south of the border found 145 of the invasive crabs, while officials with DFO found 害羞草研究所渏ust one or two害羞草研究所� in Blackie Spit both last year and last month. She said the reason behind the discrepancy between the two sets of numbers is unclear.

What is clear is that their presence is a problem that can害羞草研究所檛 be ignored. They have done substantial damage on Canada害羞草研究所檚 East Coast, she said. Left unchecked here, they will predate everything from oysters to juvenile crabs to eelgrass beds 害羞草研究所� a critical home for juvenile salmon 害羞草研究所� and alter the local shoreline ecosystem and habitats.

害羞草研究所淥n the Pacific Coast, they will brood up and eat the eelgrass beds, which is why we害羞草研究所檙e really concerned,害羞草研究所� Schlechtleitner said.

害羞草研究所淥nce they start to take a leghold, that害羞草研究所檚 when the ecosystem might not, unfortunately, make it back.害羞草研究所�

Schlechtleitner and volunteer Dave Shorter害羞草研究所檚 mission on Sept. 25 was to set a dozen traps in two channels that run through Blackie Spit害羞草研究所檚 protected salt marsh. Baited with cat food and staked 10 metres apart, they were left overnight to see if any of the unwelcome, trapezoid-shaped creatures were present. None were found, Schlechtleitner told Peace Arch News in an emailed update on Sept. 30.

The results were the same for traps set in the Little Campbell River estuary, on Semiahmoo First Nation land, the week prior, as well as for traps set off the base of 64 Avenue on Sept. 29. More traps were set at Delta害羞草研究所檚 Centennial Beach on Sept. 30.

The four locations were identified by DFO as priority management sites and will remain under close eye 害羞草研究所渇or the foreseeable future,害羞草研究所� Schlechtleitner said.

Schlechtleitner, who lives in Vancouver but grew up in Surrey, said for her, the effort is 害羞草研究所渁 passion project.害羞草研究所� It害羞草研究所檚 hoped that community groups will get involved, perhaps by adopting channels to monitor, or walking wrack lines 害羞草研究所� the line of debris left on the beach by high tide 害羞草研究所� after trapping season is over, to look for molts on the beaches.

害羞草研究所淭his is going to be a long-term management process,害羞草研究所� Schlechtleitner said.

Friends of Semiahmoo Bay Society has committed to the project for the long-term, society president Margaret Cuthbert noted.

害羞草研究所淪ince we have mapped 86 hectares of eelgrass in Boundary Bay and conducted the DFO 3-5 year Shorekeepers (program) for over 15 years, our Marine Coordinator Matt Christensen and our Board of Directors agree we must now focus our volunteer activities and funds to this crucial concern,害羞草研究所� Cuthbert told PAN by email.

READ MORE:

VIDEO:

The City of White Rock has contributed funding to the effort, Schlechtleitner noted, but more is needed.

The ultimate goal, she said, is for the management efforts to reap only native-species results.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 the goal of this project, is to not find what we害羞草研究所檙e looking for.害羞草研究所�

Anyone who spots one of the crabs 害羞草研究所� they measure up to 10 cm across the back shell, and have three bumps between the eyes as well as five 害羞草研究所渟pines害羞草研究所� to the outside of each eye 害羞草研究所� is asked to leave it where it is, but email a photo and details of its exact location (ideally, GPS co-ordinates) and the date it was observed to aispacific@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

tholmes@peacearchnews.com
Like us on and follow us on