A combative crustacean from Europe has established itself in waters off northern Quebec islands — and this European green crab invasion could soon spread to new coastal areas, CBC News reported recently.
What's happening?
The European green crab was initially detected off the Magdalen Islands in 2004, but its numbers exploded in 2023, according to the news outlet. Warming waters throughout the Gulf of St. Lawrence have made the region more hospitable for this invasive species.
Piero Calosi, a biology professor at the University of Quebec at Rimouski who studies how organisms adapt to their environments, heads up a research project tracking the crab and the warming of the gulf waters.
"We expected the change, but we didn't expect the change to be so rapid," he said in the CBC News report. "Once an invasive species has arrived and the conditions are good, eradication is almost impossible."
The crab features a main shell with serrated edges in a roughly five-sided shape that reaches up to 10 centimeters (about 4 inches) in width. Scientists predict it may eventually arrive on the Gaspé Peninsula and other parts of the Quebec coast. It is already a problem in other provinces. Crab larvae can float on ocean currents, and grown crabs often cling to fishing gear and vessel hulls, per the report.
Why are European green crabs concerning?
These crabs prey on around 150 types of marine life, including shellfish and young lobster, according to CBC News. Their appetite threatens the delicate balance of coastal ecosystems.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
Within the Magdalen Islands' lagoons, the crabs are tearing up underwater seagrass habitat. These areas act as breeding grounds where young marine creatures develop and find food. Losing them would send shockwaves through the entire food web.
When invasive species move into new territories, they outcompete native animals for food and habitat. Native species that developed together over thousands of years can suddenly face a newcomer with no natural predators keeping its numbers in check.
The economic toll can be steep. Across Atlantic Canadian provinces, the financial damage from European green crabs has reached as much as $23 million, per the news report.
"Green crabs are particularly resistant. They can live for a couple of weeks out of water," said Kathleen MacGregor, a biologist specializing in aquatic sciences at Fisheries and Oceans Canada. "They can hang out in the bottom of your car, for example, if one made it in there, waiting to get somewhere new."
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
|
How concerned are you about the plastic waste in our oceans? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Extremely 😫 What's being done about European green crabs?
Comité ZIP, a Magdalen Islands environmental organization, traps these crabs and kills them by freezing. Their 2025 efforts netted roughly 1,000 crabs across a pair of organized captures.
If you spend time on the water, rinse and inspect all boats and boating gear before heading to a different location. This simple step can help prevent invasive crabs from hitching along to unaffected areas.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.
Cool Picks
