The European Green Crab, Caricnus maenas, was first spotted in New England in the early 1800’s. Though quite cute in appearance, since arriving in our waters, the Green Crab has wreaked havoc in our local marine ecosystems. This prolific crab has been tied to steep declines in native shellfish populations and has caused significant amounts of damage to important eel grass habitats along the Gulf of Maine.

As the negative impacts of the European Green Crab grow, different efforts have emerged to curb their damage. Among these efforts are bounty programs, which pay fishers a per pound reward for any Green Crabs trapped and removed from local waters. These bounty schemes exist elsewhere throughout the United States and have resulted in the removal of vast numbers of Green Crabs. Even with bounty efforts in place, the problems persist. As the negative impacts of staggering numbers of  Green Crabs continue to compound, it has become clear that multiple pathways are needed to fully address the scope of the problem.

On October 24, 2025, Senator Tarr’s Green Crab Task Force will be hosting a Green Crab Summit at Essex Technical Regional High School in Danvers, MA to gather scientists, policymakers, educators, and community leaders to discuss existing and future market pathways for the harvesting and use of European Green Crabs. Topics include Green Crab uses in industries such as bait, animal feed, cosmetics, restaurants, and bioplastics. If you are interested in joining for a dynamic discussion about how to address one of Massachusetts most notorious invasive marine species, reach out to [email protected] or RSVP for the summit here.