BLAINE, Wash. – An effort is on to find and control invasive European green crabs in local waters.
The Northwest Straits Commission has placed traps for the invasive species in Squalicum and Drayton Harbors and some other areas in Whatcom County.
Spokesperson Allie Simpson says their trapping has a couple of goals.
“In Squalicum Harbor and Birch Bay, that’s for us to really figure out if there are still a lot of green crabs in the area. Where they might be. Just to get a good idea of where green crabs might be residing within Whatcom County,” said Simpson. “But in the Blaine area, in Drayton Harbor, we know that there are some there.”
She says trapping in Drayton Harbor has had some success with numbers consistently falling.
Anyone who sees traps should leave them alone and leave any crabs you find in place but report suspected green crabs.
For more information on green crabs and other invasive species, visit the Department of Fish and Wildlife website.
To listen to the full interview with Allie Simpson, visit our Podcast page.