Fishermen take creative approach in fight against nuisance in local waters: 'We can do something about this problem'

Invasive green crabs might be a nuisance to some, but to others, they're dinner.

At least that's what some people in New England's seafood industry are hoping for, as they take a new approach to the species.

"If you can't beat them, eat them," wrote the New York Post in its coverage of the area's fight against the invasive crab.

The green crab that's pestering the waters of New England spreads easily. According to NOAA, which encourages people to report sightings of green crabs, "The green crab is considered one of the most invasive species in the marine environment."

The green crab, like other invasive species, wreaks havoc on the ecosystem. It has few natural predators, but eats many other species, affecting food supplies for other creatures, too.

NOAA explains that the crab has been in these waters since the late 1800s and could have been brought on ships in their ballast water. Ballast water is water aboard a ship used for stabilization, and it can be an easy way for non-native flora and fauna to hitch a ride to places they don't belong.

"These include bacteria, microbes, small invertebrates, eggs, cysts and larvae of various species. The transferred species may survive to establish a reproductive population in the host environment, becoming invasive, out-competing native species and multiplying into pest proportions," says the International Maritime Organization.

Jamie Bassett, a New England fisherman, stated that the green crab is just not good to eat. "They're not too edible. It's not like you can pick through them like a lobster. You'll die of old age before you pick through a green crab for a thimble of it," he said, per the Post.

But Sharon St. Ours, whose family business, St. Ours & Company, makes clam and seafood broths, had a different idea.

"When I learned how they were devastating the oyster population because of their numbers, I turned to my dad and said, 'We can do something about this problem,'" St. Ours told Fox News Digital, as shared by the Post.

Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species? Definitely 👍 Depends on the animal 🤔 No way 👎 Just let people do it for free 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

She then created St. Ours Crab Broth, "made from slow simmering fresh green crabs," according to the company's website, which also encourages people to celebrate Green Crab Week.

Green Crab Week is from June 20-29, 2025. There are over 75 restaurants along the Eastern Seaboard serving both innovative recipes and the dual purpose of trying to rid American waters of this crabby intruder. New York officials similarly encouraged citizens to catch and eat the invasive Chinese Mitten Crab.

Albeit invasive, the Green Crab Week website says, "Green crab is also a delicious, sustainable seafood that can be served soft-shell, fermented, shucked for roe, or transformed into stocks, sauces, and soups."

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