New Research at Joggins on Green Crabs!

Check out the research summary below by Amie MacDonald, an Honour’s student at Mount Allison University. Amie’s work is supervised by Drs. Diana Hamilton (MTA) and David Drolet (DFO/MTA) and is also in collaboration with others at DFO and UNB.

The European Green Crab (Carcinus maenas) is an invasive species that has recently been observed on the upper mudflats of the Bay of Fundy. We are conducting a survey on three mudflats and three nearby rocky intertidal areas to assess the current status of the green crab population in this region in such ecosystems, and to determine whether it is an established breeding population. To conduct the surveys, we set out crab-specific traps for 24 hours every two weeks at all six sites (one of which is Joggins). At the end of the 24-hour period, we collect the traps and identify, sex, and measure all captured crabs. We also check females for eggs. Since the green crab is a relatively new arrival to the mudflats, we do not know what effects it will have on the ecosystem, but the potential for serious impact exists because green crabs have negatively affected soft-substrate habitats elsewhere. Through this research, we aim to gain a better understanding of the local green crab population, and to gather data that will aid in the development of management strategies, should they become necessary.