Washington state spends millions to control invasive crab
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Officials in Washington state, USA, are spending millions of dollars to control the European green crab population, which is causing tens of millions of dollars in economic damage to coastal areas.
In the 2026 fiscal year, the state removed over 2 million green crabs. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) destroyed over 2.16 million crabs between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026, with the Coastal Region removing 2,133,725 and the Salish Sea Region removing 24,827.
The increased removal rate may be due to increased funding, changing weather patterns, and a growing crab population. However, Washington state has not yet been able to eliminate the invasive crab population. A single female green crab can release hundreds of thousands of eggs at a time, and WDFW estimates removing over 2 million crabs could prevent tens to hundreds of billions of larvae from spreading. Other areas are also taking action.
Alaska’s Metlakatla tribe and British Columbia, Canada are trapping green crabs to varying degrees. The European green crab, first appearing on the US East Coast in the 19th century, is considered one of the most destructive invasive species in the ocean, damaging seagrass beds and preying on shellfish. Washington’s seafood industry generates nearly $400 million annually and is threatened by the crabs, which could jeopardize 74% of the state’s commercial clam, oyster, and mussel harvest.
