Megan Hall: Welcome to Possibly, where we take on huge problems like the future of our planet and break them down into small questions with unexpected answers. I’m Megan Hall.
On our show we’ve talked a lot about invasive species, how they can reshape the environment around them, but also how nuanced this issue is. You might have heard of people removing, burning, or trapping invasive species… But what about eating them?
Alice Xie and Ava Gell from our Possibly Team have more on this culinary solution.
Alice Xie: Hi, Megan!
Ava Gell: Hey!
Megan Hall: So, what kind of invasive species are we talking about eating?
Alice Xie: There’s lots of different options. People have made cookbooks with recipes for everything from garlic mustard herbs, to pigeons. But today we’re focusing on green crabs.
Megan Hall: Why are some people worried about green crabs?
Ava Gell: To learn more, we talked to Mary Parks, Executive Director of GreenCrab.org, a nonprofit dedicated to spreading awareness about the impact of green crabs.
Mary Parks: Green crabs are one of the most destructive invasive species that were introduced to New England about 200 years ago.
Ava Gell: She says they came here from Europe when they hitched a ride on a merchant ship.
Megan Hall: Two hundred years is a long time— they’ve been creating problems ever since?
Alice Xie: Not exactly. In the past, cold winters would kill off enough green crabs that they wouldn’t overwhelm all of the other creatures in the area. But then…
Mary Parks: Around the end of the 20th century, green crab populations really started to take off. and researchers believe that that is partially because of climate change.
Megan Hall: Because it’s gotten so warm in the water, more of them survive through the winter?
Alice Xie: Exactly.
Megan Hall: So, why are too many green crabs a problem?
Ava Gell: Well, green crabs don’t have a lot of predators in New England, and they eat anything in their way, including other crabs and wildlife.
Alice Xie: Green crabs also destroy the homes of other species by eating seagrass. Which means native species run out of resources.
Megan Hall: And so people are looking for ways to reduce the green crab population?
Ava Gell: Well, one way is to eat them.
Mary Parks: Looking at the reality that green crabs are likely here to stay, that is part of the reason that we embrace them as a seafood.
Megan Hall: Do they taste good?
Alice Xie: Mary says, yes.
Mary Parks: They’re sweet, they’re rich, they’re fatty, they’re flavorful.
Ava Gell: And they’re already used in dishes all over the world.
Mary Parks: In Spain, Portugal, France and parts of Scandinavia they’re used in stocks and soups and sauces.
Megan Hall: Are they similar to the kinds of crabs we eat here in the US?
Ava Gell: Green crabs don’t have as much meat as blue crabs or jonah crabs, but flavor wise, they’re pretty similar.
Mary Parks: Whether you’re looking at stocks or sauces or gravies, they have a lot of culinary potential.
Alice Xie: But there’s more to it than just the harvesting and cooking.
Ava Gell: Currently, most of the green crabs sold in the U.S. are used as bait. According to Mary, the movement to eat green crabs helps to,
Mary Parks: Challenge public perceptions, especially because a lot of people still consider green crabs to be a quote, unquote “trash fish.”
Alice Xie: And the green crab market doesn’t just involve consumers and restaurants. Harvesters, wholesalers, and chefs work together to make it easier to eat green crabs.
Ava Gell: Through this collaboration, the green crab market can begin to move away from bait and towards your plate.
Megan Hall: Cool! So, how can I eat a green crab?
Ava Gell: Well, they’re available at many local restaurants, especially during Greencrab.org’s Green Crab week. Also, check out the many green crab cookbooks out there to help guide your eating experience.
Megan Hall: Great! Thanks, Alice and Ava!
That’s it for today. You can find more information, or ask a question about the ways your choices affect our planet, at ask possibly dot org. You can also subscribe to Possibly wherever you get your podcasts or follow us on social media at “ask possibly”
Possibly is a co-production of Brown University’s Institute for Environment and Society, Ocean State Media, and WBRU.
