Green Crabs

Green Crab Identification

• Green Crabs have 5 spines on each side of their eyes

• Their carapace (shell) is roughly pentagon shaped

• The crabs can be green, brown or red

• Green crabs rarely grow larger than 3 1/4 inches

• The size measured is the width of the crab at the widest part of its carapace – from the tip of one spine to the other

• Females have a rounded “Beehive” shape on underside, while males have a pointed “obelisk” shape

Green Crab Trap Types Used in the Kennebec Estuary

• Eel Trap

• Minnow Trap

• Modified Lobster Trap

• Shrimp Trap

• Acer Crab Trap

Kennebec Estuary Green Crabs in the News

Bath Middle School Green Crab Population Study

• ‘Bath Students, KELT, Team Up’ in The Times Record 10.28.2013

• ‘Coastal Classroom: Beachcombing Bath Students Learn About Invasive Crabs’ in The Forecaster, by Alex Lear 10.29.2013

• ‘Bath Students Obtain ‘Real’ Learning: Conducting Green Crab Study’ in The Times Record 10.27.2014

Georgetown

• ‘Clam Farming Eyed as Possible Solution to Green Crab Invasion’ in The Times Record 12.18.2013

• ‘Clam Class: KELT event teaches explorers of all ages’ in The Times Record 7.18.2014

• ‘Heal Eddy Restoration Project in Georgetown: Seeding clams — early results point to late fall as best time’ in The Times Record 10.15.2014

Woolwich

• ‘Woolwich Clammers Prepare to Fight Back’ in the Wiscasset Newspaper 1.8.2014

• ‘Woolwich Students Help Out: Clam Seed Study’ in The Times Record 5.27.2014

Arrowsic

• ‘Keeping Count in Arrowsic: For now, green crabs cause little worry’ in The Times Record 6.26.2015

• ‘Consistent Numbers for Arrowsic Green Crabs: Latest data based on recent one-day trapping assessment’ in The Times Record 7.10.2015

Green Crab Resources

• Maine DMR – Green Crab Webpage

• Maine DMR – Green Crab 1 Day Trapping Survey Report

• Maine Green Crab Summit – information and presentations from the December, 2013 Green Crab Summit

Thank You To Our Green Crab Project Sponsors!

Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund

The Margaret E. Burnham Charitable Trust