Invasive species are notorious for disrupting and overtaking local ecosystems, outcompeting native species for resources. The European green crab, native to Europe, as its name suggests, is no different. In fact, it is one of the most invasive species in the marine environment, according to NOAA Fisheries.
One fisherman, Big Water Guy (@BigWaterGuy), shared a YouTube video showing how he caught a fresh haul of green crabs and collaborated with a fellow YouTube creator to turn it into a "five-star meal."
The YouTube Short shows various clips of the fisherman collecting the invasive crabs from the water.
"Here on the West Coast, they're a serious nuisance," he explains.
Green crabs feed aggressively on native shellfish species, ranging from mussels to clams and even lobsters. This invasive species has few natural predators, which allows the crab to outcompete native species for resources, disrupting and dominating the local ecosystem.
Green crabs also destroy eelgrass beds, which are crucial for providing food, habitat, and a nursing shelter for many marine species.
This invasive species has infiltrated the Washington coast, New Brunswick in eastern Canada, Maine, as well as countries abroad in Japan, South Africa, and Australia, according to the Washington Sea Grant.
Fortunately, the growing populations of the invasive green crab can be controlled by catching and eating the invasive species, as the original YouTube creator did.
"After two hours in the water, we took out a solid chunk of these alien crabs out of our waters," he reports, as the camera filmed him pouring out a large batch of green crabs from a big stainless steel pot.
YouTube creator Outdoor Chef Life (@OutdoorChefLife) took over the cooking portion, making a green crab broth to cook a delicious marinara pasta. The chef topped the pasta off with seaweed they had harvested from their dive.
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$200 or more 💰 "I'm no pasta connoisseur, but this was definitely one of the best pastas I've ever tried," says the YouTuber.
"I love seeing just great meals from easier tiny catches," one commenter wrote under the video.
"I love watching people harvest invasive species to consume," another user commented.
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