60K green crabs captured in Washington waters so far in 2022 ... that's a lot
State wildlife officials say more than 60,000 European green crabs have been captured in Washington state waters so far in 2022.
That is far more than what they captured and killed by this time last year.
The green crab is a small, but voracious predator that can quickly damage native shellfish populations and salmon habitat.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee declared an emergency over the crab invasion in January and authorized $8 million to kill the crabs.
The green crab population has reached its highest levels in an aquaculture pond on the Lummi Reservation near Bellingham. The Lummi Nation has used state funds to expand its team of dedicated crab trappers.
Read more of KUOW's coverage of Puget Sound's green crab issue:
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John Ryan
Environment Reporter
John Ryan joined KUOW as its first full-time investigative reporter in 2009 and became its environment reporter in 2018. He focuses on climate change, energy, and the ecosystems of the Puget Sound region.
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