The European green crab is a serious threat to the health of Washington’s marine waters, making it one of the world’s worst invasive species. Due to the limited monitoring capacity of Washington Sea Grant’s Crab Team and the WDFW-led coalition of tribal co-managers and partners, community assistance is crucial in identifying and protecting local marine waters from these invasive crabs. That’s why Friends of the San Juans is inviting the public to participate in their “Molt Search” program, a community science initiative aimed at addressing this issue.
The Molt Search program involves monitoring shorelines for old shells of green crabs, which can indicate the presence of an infestation. Training sessions will be held in June to teach participants how to conduct timed surveys for crab molts and how to report their findings using a mobile app. Friends of the San Juans will be hosting Molt Search Workshops to provide opportunities for engagement.
Interested individuals can register for virtual training via Zoom on Tuesday, June 18 from 4 to 5 p.m., or attend in-person training sessions on Orcas Island and Lopez Island on June 19 and June 26 respectively. Registration links for these sessions are available on the organization’s website.
To learn more about Friends of the San Juans and the upcoming training workshops, individuals can contact Jess Newley, Friends’ Community Science and Education Director, at Jess@sanjuans.org.
