Friday, October 31, 2025
Regional Green Crab Summit 2025
🌊 Building Solutions
Together: Regional Green Crab Summit 🌊
Last Friday, I had the privilege of hosting a
first-of-its-kind Regional Green Crab Summit at Essex Tech, in partnership with
the Green Crab Task Force, Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, Essex North
Shore Agricultural & Technical School and The Governor's Academy. This
event brought together more than 150 industry experts, educators, students, and
local, state and federal officials from across New England, the Eastern
Seaboard, as well as, ambassadors from the Canadian Consulate.
The European green crab is one of the most destructive
invasive species threatening our coastal waters. Its impact reaches far beyond
the environment — it’s devastating our soft-shell clam industry, damaging
eelgrass beds essential to young fish and shellfish, and disrupting the
livelihoods that depend on healthy marine ecosystems.
That’s why this summit was so important — to bring everyone
to the same table, share research and experience, and build the partnerships
needed to mount an effective, coordinated response.
We heard from scientists, industry leaders, and policymakers
— including keynote speaker Dr. Brian Turner of Washington State’s Green Crab
Management Program — who emphasized the importance of collaboration and
innovation in managing this threat.
We also explored ways to turn this challenge into
opportunity, including developing new culinary, composting, fertilizer, and
bait uses that could support sustainable industries while reducing the crab
population.
By working together, we can protect our marine resources,
support our fishing communities, and preserve the coastal ecosystems that are
vital to both our environment and our economy. 🌊🦀
