Friends of Cortes Island is working in partnership with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to keep watch on our shorelines and ensure it stays free of the highly invasive European Green Crab. The DFO visited Cortes last week to help us set up monitoring sites in Mansons Lagoon and Coulter Bay.

Let’s lead with the good news: we didn’t find any European Green Crabs during our field days! Yay!
Now for the not-so-good news: this crab is considered one of the world’s worst invasive species (which says a lot!), and that is precisely why we’re watching out for it!

They’ve had a significantly negative impact on coastal shoreline ecosystems and have been found all along the West Coast. They hurt ecosystems by doing things like stripping away eelgrass beds (a huge source of food and shelter for baby salmons!). Along with our monitoring, we really need your help too! Take a look at the attached document to learn how to correctly identify this species of crab and keep your eyes open whenever you’re swimming in the shallows or walking along the beach.

What to do if you find one:
Report your findings to AISPACIFICDFO-MPO.GC.CA
Make sure to include a photo, the observation date, and the location.