Long-term management plan published for controlling invasive European green crabs

New plan coincides with milestone of more than 1 million green crabs caught and removed since Gov. Inslee’s emergency order in January 2022.

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has published a new long-term management plan for invasive European green crabs (EGC). This harmful shore crab species is a threat to native shellfish, estuary habitats, eelgrass, Washington’s aquaculture industry, and other tribal, cultural, and environmental values.

The European Green Crab 2025-2031 Management Plan for Washington represents a year-long collaboration with tribal governments, U.S. federal agencies, Washington state agencies, shellfish growers, public universities, and additional partners.

“We’re excited to present our six-year management plan for green crab to tackle this significant threat to Washington’s ecosystems and coastal communities,” said Justin Bush, the state’s EGC emergency Incident Commander. “We have made significant progress since Gov. Jay Inslee’s 2022 emergency proclamation, but there is more to do. This plan is that roadmap.”

“We know that shellfish growers, tribes, and other local leaders are intimately familiar with our state’s marine waters, estuaries, and tidelands,” said Bush. “Our goal with this plan is to shift toward long-term management that protects native species and habitats, while fostering community engagement and providing an effective framework for coordinated local control efforts."

The plan includes detailed guidance for EGC early-detection monitoring, rapid response and ongoing control trapping, and other efforts across defined management areas and coordination zones for Washington’s Outer Coast and Salish Sea.

WDFW facilitated development of the EGC management plan under direction from the Washington State Legislature, which appropriated approximately $12 million for EGC management efforts during the 2023-2025 biennium. The EGC plan recommends this level of state funding continues with additional funding provided to the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for EGC control on state tidelands. It also recommends increased federal support through reinstatement of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s national Aquatic Invasive Species Program as well as funding from NOAA Fisheries, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and other sources.

Much of the current state funding — nearly $9 million — is passed through to tribes, county conservation districts and shellfish growers associations, DNR, Washington Sea Grant, and other partners. WDFW uses remaining funds to support its EGC control efforts, including more than 1,000 traps and 25 staff deployed during the 2024 field season.

As of September 2024, WDFW, tribes, shellfish growers, and other agencies and partners have removed more than 1 million green crabs from Washington waters since Gov. Inslee issued a state emergency order in January 2022.

More than 450,000 EGC have been removed so far in 2024, most from Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor on the southern Washington coast. EGC numbers have decreased significantly in areas of the North Puget Sound Region in recent years due to sustained heavy trapping by WDFW, tribes, shellfish growers, and partners.

“Management of EGC along the vast coastline of Washington poses a difficult challenge requiring a long-term, collaborative approach,” said Chelsey Buffington, WDFW’s European Green Crab Project Lead. “Our approach emphasizes local management with WDFW oversight as the state lead agency. Not only must we detect and rapidly respond to green crab in new locations, but ongoing control efforts are necessary at locations where established populations threaten priority resources.”

Coastal community members and stakeholders will have an opportunity to learn about the EGC management plan and trapping efforts during the 2024 field season at an upcoming open house event on Sept. 30 in Pacific County.

The new six-year management plan, effective Oct. 1, 2024, replaces an EGC Strategic Action Plan and provides direction over the next three biennia. An interactive map showing management areas with catch counts updated monthly is available on WDFW’s European Green Crab Hub.

If you find a suspected European green crab or its shell in Washington, take photos and report it as soon as possible at wdfw.wa.gov/greencrab or through the Washington Invasive Species Council’s WA Invasives mobile app. Crab identification guides and resources are also available on the European green crab online hub and the WDFW EGC webpage.

As a prohibited invasive species, it is illegal to possess a live EGC in Washington. Currently, WDFW is not asking the public to kill suspected EGC. This is to protect native crabs, which are often misidentified. More information on EGC regulations is available on WDFW’s webpage and in the 2024-25 Sport Fishing Rules.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife works to preserve, protect and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities.