Man shares honest review after tasting invasive pest: 'I gotta admit...'

One TikTok creator is tackling an environmental problem in the most delicious way possible: by eating it.

By the Water (@by_the_water) shared a video taste-testing green crabs, an invasive species causing problems along the Northeast coast. 

With populations booming in places like Maine, finding ways to manage these critters has become a priority for coastal communities. By the Water decided to see if eating them might be part of the solution.

@by_the_water I Ate an Invasive Species #seafood #crab #invasivespecies ♬ original sound - By the Water

In the video, By the Water breaks down a batch of green crabs to see if they're worth the effort. The first thing that stands out is their size. "First impression is these are small," he notes, holding up one of the larger specimens. 

He starts with a claw, pulling out a tiny but promising bite. "The meat was tender and it had a good sweetness to it," he says.

The body proves trickier. After cutting away the legs and splitting the shell in half, the poster picks through the chambers searching for meat. The yield is minimal, but the flavor delivers.

"I gotta admit, it actually tasted really good," he says. Still, he acknowledges the challenge: "You have to eat a lot of these to get full."

When invasive species like green crabs multiply unchecked, they can disrupt local shellfish populations and damage habitats that coastal communities depend on. Finding creative uses for these invaders gives people a hands-on way to help restore balance and put food on the table.

The comments section was full of recipe ideas.

One viewer suggested, "Maybe when they are soft, deep fry them. I love a good soft shell crab sandwich too!" 

Another shared a detailed recipe, writing, "Make spaghetti sauce — crab gravy! Sweat a minced onion till soft, add a BUNCH of chopped garlic and basil stems… throw in the cleaned crabs and simmer for like 2 hours."

A third commenter wrote, "Maybe it could be a decent alternative for crab cakes? Outside of Maryland they are mostly filling so it would be perfect for small but delicious crabs."

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