If you live near or visit the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico coasts, odds are you’re a fan of the Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus). Fried or steamed legs and claws, crabcakes, entire softshell crabs—that sweet crab meet is delicious nearly any way you cook it. Kids often learn young how to properly hold a blue crab to keep its claws away, or how to rub its belly until it falls into a docile state of relaxation. Most people I know who grew up around the water have fond memories of setting and pulling crab traps with their families, and the pride of providing a locally sourced feast. Even if you’re not a seafood lover, you likely have an appreciation for blue crabs’ engaging, often combative personalities and their important role in the estuarine ecosystem.
But the sight of a blue crab isn’t welcome everywhere. As you can imagine, waterlogged Venice, Italy is a seafood lovers’ paradise, too. The little green Venetian crab has long been a delicacy. Unfortunately, populations of this native species have dropped precipitously in the last decade, as an invasive species has taken over their habitat. And what species has come in as a stowaway on cruise ships? Our beloved blue crab. They are larger and outcompete the native species, eating young clams, oysters, eels, mussels, and larvae of the Venetian crab before they have a chance to reach adulthood. 90% of the native clam population has been destroyed by the invasive blue crabs. Now, to maintain their livelihood in seafood, many clam farmers have switched to harvesting crabs. In the protected and increasingly warm waters of the Venetian lagoon, female blue crabs produce millions of eggs and add exponentially to the new problem.
After learning of this phenomenon during a recent trip, we asked a salesman at the Venetian seafood market if he had any local crabs for sale. He just shook his head sadly. The Italians are trying to create a market for blue crabs, selling them cheaply since there’s a huge supply now. We did see blue crabs for sale at the grocery store for 5,90 euro/kg, the equivalent of $2.80/lb. That’s a steal compared to the $6/lb. price (and up to $35/lb. for lump meat) at our local seafood market!
Venetian chefs are doing their best to take advantage of the new bumper crop of blue crabs by incorporating them into special dishes. Blue crab meat is being incorporated into meatballs, pasta, and risotto dishes. Soft shelled Mediterranean green crabs (Carcinus aestuarii)—called moeche when served this way—have been a top seller for centuries, so restaurants are experimenting with soft shelled blue crabs, as well. Ironically, a very close relative, the European green crab (Carcinus maenas) has also started to invade coastlines in the United States (California and the northeast), affecting clam and scallop fisheries. Maybe we need to load up a bunch of cargo ships, meet mid-Atlantic, and organize a crab exchange program?
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