Monitoring Invasive European Green Crabs
Have you heard of the European Green Crab? The Pender Harbour Ocean Discovery Station has been monitoring this highly invasive species since it was first detected in Pender Harbour in 2021.
You can help preserve our local ocean habitat by reporting sightings of this crab to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) of the Government of Canada.
How You Can Help
Here's how to identify a European Green Crab:
- It's often green, but not always. I can also be red or yellow in colour.
- It has five marginal teeth (spines) on the outside of each eye.
- It is wider at the front than at the back of the carapace (body).
If you suspect you have seen a European Green Crab, please report it to the DFO using the button on this page to send an email. Please include a photo, and date and location of observation.
You can read more about this invasive species on the Sunshine Coast:
Images of the European Green Crab shown in this page are from the DFO website.