European Green Crab Annual Progress Report – Spring 2025 (Jan. 1 to March 31, 2025)

In response to the ESSB 5693 (2022 c 297) legislative budget proviso directive, this report has been authored as the eleventh in a series of ongoing quarterly progress reports. This report will serve to outline the successes and challenges of ongoing European green crab (hereafter green crab) emergency response efforts in Washington state from Jan. 1 to March 31, 2025.

The previous quarterly progress reports are available at: https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications and on WDFW’s European green crab webpage.

In 2021, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), co-managers, tribes, and partners identified an exponential increase of invasive European green crab, Carcinus maenas, in the Lummi Nation’s Sea Pond within the Salish Sea, and in outer coastal areas including Grays Harbor, Makah Bay, and Willapa Bay. On Dec. 14, 2021, WDFW Director Susewind submitted an emergency measures request under RCW 77.135.090 for green crab response to Governor Jay Inslee. On Jan. 19, 2022, Governor Jay Inslee issued an emergency proclamation (#22-02) to address the exponential increase in green crab populations across Washington’s marine shorelines. The proclamation directed WDFW to eradicate, reduce, or contain green crab populations in Washington. The Washington State Legislature approved $8,568,000 in emergency funding during the 2022 Supplemental Budget to facilitate increased green crab management efforts. In response to the legislative budget proviso directive, this report is the eleventh in a series of ongoing quarterly progress reports. This Spring 2025 report will outline the successes and challenges of ongoing green crab emergency response efforts in Washington state from Jan. 1 to March 31, 2025.

An Incident Command System (ICS) was established to deal with the complexities of green crab management. Support for and coordination with co-managers, tribes, and partners is essential, as no single entity can successfully implement statewide green crab management strategies alone. Washington Sea Grant (WSG), the Lummi Nation, the Makah Tribe, the Shoalwater Bay Tribe, shellfish growers and various other entities have continued their ongoing efforts managing green crab populations, closely coordinating with WDFW. The ICS also resulted in the creation and distribution of various updates including reports to the governor every 10 days and Situation Reports (SitReps) based on monthly operational periods to provide information on and ensure transparency regarding management actions taken, grant funding allocations, green crab catch numbers, trapping efforts, media outreach, and other relevant information. These Situation Reports were synthesized for the public, media, and other external audiences in bi-monthly Green Crab Public Updates published and distributed through WDFW’s Green Crab Management Updates email list as well as Department webpages, communications, and social media channels.

Representatives from many entities participating in green crab management have joined the ICS Multi-Agency Coordination (MAC) Group. The MAC Group provides a forum for these representatives to share information, establish a common operating picture, develop long-term priorities for the green crab emergency, and commit and allocate funding and other resources to enhance emergency measures responses.

From Jan. 1 to March 31, 2025, the collective effort of all organizations resulted in approximately 47,348 green crab removed from Washington state marine waters, with 47,140 from the Coastal Branch and 208 from the Salish Sea Branch. Since Jan. 1, 2022, approximately 1,743,330 green crab have been removed from Washington state marine waters, with 1,651,093 removed from the Coast Branch, and 92,237 removed from the Salish Sea Branch. In addition to active control trapping, trap deployment for early detection monitoring occurred in areas where green crab had not previously been detected. Data on green crab abundance, body size, sex ratios, and reproductive status were collected for future analysis, along with DNA and RNA samples to assess connectivity between green crab populations.

Green crab removal numbers for Washington increased for Jan. 1 to March 31, 2025, compared to the same time in 2024. Catch numbers were generally similar to or less than what was observed in 2023. Catch per unit effort (CPUE) remained highly variable across Management and Coordination Areas. The green crab emergency remains a complex, nuanced, and highly variable challenge without a universal solution. Geographic variability makes local coordination more important than ever. Regional coordination groups have been critical to identifying local trends, adapting management strategies and filling gaps in coverage.

WDFW, WSG, co-managers, tribes, and partners achieved significant progress in green crab management efforts. The European Green Crab Research Task Force continues to coordinate with green crab researchers across the Pacific coast of North America to advance research priorities to support green crab management efforts in Washington state and throughout the region. Additional progress was also made on public education and community engagement to support green crab awareness, with WDFW representatives engaging individuals at public events and producing new outreach materials. While challenges remain, the continued efforts of all parties and the clear organizational structure set previously will allow for continued success through 2025.