Description
Presented by RI Environmental Education Association
Location TBD (in Westerly area)
Join green crabber Captain Jason Jarvis and Mary Parks of GreenCrab.org for a conversation on green crab’s ecological impact, culinary efforts, and an interactive shucking demonstration and tasting. This workshop will also highlight in-classroom activities developed through GreenCrab.org’s Crab Class program and pathways for classrooms to engage in community science data-collection efforts.
European green crab is an invasive species that impacts valuable fisheries and vulnerable ecosystems in the Ocean State. After being introduced by European traders over 200 years ago via ballast water, their populations skyrocketed in the late 20th century due to climate change. Today, green crabs are one of the most common crab species in the Northwest Atlantic with growing populations in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the West Coast of the US and Canada.
Fortunately, green crab is also a delicious and versatile seafood with a rich culinary history in its native and invasive range. In Venice, green crabs are sold as soft-shells and for their bright orange roe (eggs). In Tunisia, France, and Portugal, green crabs are a staple ingredient in stocks for soups, couscous, and sauces. In Massachusetts and Rhode Island, invasive green crabs have been used as a substitute for rice paddy crab dishes such as Khmer kdam prai and Vietnamese bún riêu since the early 2000s.