Invasion

Invasion Description

1st Record: Off of Thatcher Island, Gloucester/MA/Gulf of Maine (7/19/2006, MIT Sea Grant 8/3/2006; Science Daily 8/6/2006, 1 specimen, 82 m depth, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060822173253.htm) 

From Science Daily (8/6/2006) 'Cambridge, MA--The first sighting of a Dungeness crab in the Atlantic Ocean has been confirmed by researchers at The MIT Sea Grant College Program and the Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center. The crab, common on North America's West Coast, was caught off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts in late July by Lou Williams, captain of the F/V Orin C. Williams. He was gillnetting for groundfish at 45 fathoms when he found what he suspected to be a male Dungeness crab measuring 18 cm. For verification, he took the crab to Brandy Wilbur, aquaculture specialist for MIT Sea Grant, and Eric Sabo, educator at the Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center.'

'After distributing photographs of the crab to several scientists, the researchers received confirmation of the species, Cancer magister, from the following experts: Julie Barber, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries; Thomas C. Shirley, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi; David Tapley, Salem State College; and Richard Strathmann and Eugene Kozloff, the University of Washington's Friday Harbor Laboratories. This is the first report of a Dungeness crab in the Atlantic Ocean. The size of the crab suggests it most likely is not a new invasive species, but rather originated at a seafood market or escaped during the transport of seafood. In the West Coast fishery for Dungeness crab, only males may be caught and sold. The finding of a female crab would have raised greater concerns about the possibility of a marine bioinvasion.'

'The capture of the Dungeness crab in Massachusetts waters underscores our concern for not releasing any seafood into natural waters," says Judy Pederson, MIT Sea Grant's manager for coastal resources and an expert on marine invasives. Pederson points out that the male crab could carry hitchhikers, such as native Pacific barnacles, or diseases that affect native crustaceans, such as the Jonah and rock crabs. MIT Sea Grant's Wilbur notes that this finding should put seafood distributors and fishermen on watch for any more sightings.' (Excerpted from: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060822173253.htm)

Geographic Extent

Off of Thatcher Island, Gloucester/MA/Gulf of Maine (7/19/2006, MIT Sea Grant 8/3/2006; Science Daily 8/6/2006); a mile south of Magnolia, Essez co./MA/Massachusetts Bay (Prybot 8/21/09, 37 m depth, 1 specimen); MA/Cape Cod Bay (Hudson et al. 2019, 42.03833°N; 70.38500°W, 1 male)