Harvesting Invasive Green Crabs

[@PursuingHeaven]

Mike I really think you have something here. I wish you could partner with Taku on Outdoor Chef and get these and the purple Uni on the West Coast to a sushi market, I LOVE softshell crab and fresh Sea Urchin and we have both as invasive species in the US. If you could market this to the sushi industry people like myself would regularly consume it.

[@Max-lf4br]

Taku just did a video on green crabs if you haven't seen the video yet

[@mac007230]

Taku (Outdoor Chef Life) episode on invasive European green crab kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5KUh6mhj9-qnqc

[@ciello___8307]

Theres a lot or “zombie” urchins that are big but dont have much uni in them due to lack of kelp. There needs to be a more consistent yield for a bigger industry

[@fedupwithem6208]

They also make great compost for your vegetable gardens. I trap them by the bucket full and after a quick dunk in boiling water, I turn them into my gardens or compost bin.

[@notagain779]

What about boiling a whole lot of these guys who aren't very edible and aren't molting, down to make stock? The shells could be discarded after their essence has flavored the broth. Maybe a soup company could use them in large bulk numbers. Thank you for all of your efforts. I grew up in a time (I'm 75) when soft shell steamers ("piss" clams from Massachusetts) were plentiful in our better seafood restaurants here in Philadelphia, Pa. Now, you can't get them. I've only today become aware of the problem of green crabs, after asking around why I can no longer find them on menus.

[@GorgeGeourge9565]

you can use the shells afterwards for fertilizer.

[@Hydro-D]

These crabs are extremely popular bait in New England for Tautog (blackfish), scup (porgies), black sea bass, fluke, and more. I buy them all the time and have excellent results. I like the larger ones as I cut all the claws and legs off for chum, then cut them in half. Hooking them in one leg socket and out another does a great job keeping them on the hook. I also do all my prep ahead of time as they work perfectly after cleaning and freezing them. I only need to cut them in half when fishing and it lets me keep my gear in the water much longer. I bring the legs in a bag and slowly chum them out to build the bite and it's paid off every time. To me they are a reasonably priced bait that outperforms many others for bottom feeding fish.

[@gregmcb5305]

The hard shell ones might be good to make really good animal food to? Although I’m sure you guys have thought about this. Could be used as fish food or pig food. I have heard of people actually feeding their pigs various algae and weeds from the ocean and rivers two up the omega-3 continent I hope that this will work too!

[@amorelus]

In Asia, crabs that don't have a lot of meat, are boiled into a condense liquid and used as "Crab flavor" sauce.

[@shelbeeroo]

Thank you so much!! Have an interview on the west coast regarding the invasive green crab. Thanks for the info!!!

[@MS-ku7tl]

Fertilizer and soil amendment might be good way to use.

[@Fishingjunkie-y8v]

Holy moly was just out crabbing and caught a bunch of these and a new friend told us about these. I thought it was green kelp crab. But after arriving home my wife and I were just talking about this can be a something turned into a buisness...BAM this video pops up lol

[@evergreen4034]

How’s the green crab business?

[@Fishingjunkie-y8v]

​@evergreen4034 funny thing I just saw your comment now and literally just minutes ago bringing an idea about this green cran harvesting as I'm replying back. We was just out for Dungeness crab this past opener weekend (Saturday) and we caught quite a bunch and is working on a recipe for it to target our south east Asian community. Salted crabs. Used in alot of our SE asian dishes, (which gets imported from SE Asia) going to see how it turns out in a day or so then this will determine if I will go and get in contact with CDFW and pitch em my idea to get a commercial license to harvest these by the numbers for a buisness.

[@CaptDave1301]

They also make great pasta sauce. And you can use hardshell greens for that too.

[@connormorang6161]

any update with this project?

[@TEAMHYBRID007]

I guess an easy way to do it would be to glue different colored beads or something to the top of the shell so that way when they molt you know when they have new shells. And you can also tell when you caught the crab or if it is a catch and release and you caught it later by the color or lack thereof

[@thomasburkett6417]

They are really just an all around great fish bait also.

[@JeffSmith-eq3kc]

idk about eating them but I love to eat the fish they catch. I live in Maryland and they're shipped down to us alive to use as bait. fantastic for any crustacean eating fish. blackfish, sheepshead, black sea bass, porgy, black drum, red drum, striped bass, and more. I've even caught flounder on them. fantastic bait.

[@tsm688]

The problem with using them as bait, is it means sticking live ones in water they might not have inhabited before.

[@JeffSmith-eq3kc]

​@@tsm688I don't think DNR would allow them to be used so predominantly as bait if that was a concern. Literally every tackle shop carries them. The other thing is we don't use them alive. We get them alive but then we remove their claws and cut them in half. On smaller ones we bust their shells and remove the claws. Definitely not living.

[@lewbull2131]

Peel the top shell , remove lungs , batter dip and deep fry . Delicious

[@Trojwaterman]

Here in Guernsey I have noticed a big decline over the years in the green crab population, at the same time the lobster population has exploded. They are also a great fishing bait even better when soft shell.

[@wlpxx7]

Here in Maine we still have a ton of green crabs on our beaches. At nighttime they really come out and it's hard not to step on them in some spots. Meanwhile our lobster business is declining

[@pixazelz]

I guess it's a good thing

[@MisfitsFiendClub138]

They make really good bait for catching blackfish/tautog in the coastal waters of the northeastern United States

[@christianjensen3182]

Invasive species motto, "If you can't beat em, eat em". I now have green crab on my retirement tour along with snakehead, Asian carp (aka silver fin) and nutria.

[@workingdiligently8458]

This might sound crazy - but green crabs have disappeared from my beach in Fairhaven, ma - and the crazy part is I miss them - I need them for bait - are the waters too warm?

[@clista4]

Someone should consider making crab bullion. We buy shrimp bullion all the time for soups and sauces.

[@unicyclemaster470]

Maybe make crab stock out of the harder-shellled ones, would taste nice.

[@edwardcoysh4836]

Is the best black fish bait

[@Milo_1368]

Use them for compost or commercial fish feed?

[@johncgibson4720]

I am in the middle of switching career. I am from the MA/NH border. Not sure if I want to get into green crab business.

[@LordDarthBaiter]

During the fall Tautog season, I go thru a bushell a week. 👍

[@aos7194]

i wish we had them in Florida for black drum and sheephead

[@stewartgainesii4669]

Hell yea!! Be a great bait here in Florida!! Send them this way!!

[@brendendoyle7741]

@@stewartgainesii4669 I fish Green Crabs in MA, you pay the shipping and I'll send all you can use

[@dentatusdentatus1592]

I don't get it. Red claw swamp crayfish in the south are edible and highly sought after (as skimpy meat-wise they are). The cluster section of a fully grown green crab should have as much meat as the tail section of a fully grown crayfish. If it is cooked the same way, it should be a hit. It doesn't have to be soft shell only. You can sell bags of precooked green crab clusters (just like snow crabs, blue crabs and dungeness crabs)

[@VisibleNoises]

It's probably much harder to pick than a crawfish if it's analgous to a smaller blue crab.

[@LBINICK]

Where can one buy tye lobster crate & mesh inserts?

[@hoamai8379]

How do I get to contact With Mike?

[@servantofgod8222]

Can the acid soften their shells?

[@charlesyii8963]

green crab live in Fresh water or salt ?

[@rexmanansala9698]

Hi, where to Buy them ? Thanks

[@ntrytv]

I would like to know if I can sell in the east coast?

[@tedp9272]

I am not sure ntry tv

[@brentgibson5198]

@@tedp9272 U need help with this? Can one make any money at this? Sounds like a perfect part time retirement job

[@gladiatorfishing3174]

Question is are they good for sheepshead fishing 🤔🤔🤔

[@commonsense31]

If they have been there since 1800. When did they become such a big problem? Was it in other parts of the US

[@jaredanson]

the water used to get so cold that it would kill off large percentages of their population, so the population would stay manageable, but due to warming waters less and less are dying during the winter. so the number of crabs have exploded.

[@TooChillery]

He loves her . Side note you can cook the green crabs and just eat their shell. Tacu does it on Out Door Chef Life

[@timbrown5833]

Best bait around fish love them and bait shops in New England always looking for them to buy

[@myronchamberlain7734]

I tried to catch green crabs in fairhaven ma, and had no luck I have tried in other parts of ma and had no luck

[@paintchip173]

Is there any type of map that shows where best places are to go and catch them or are they just all over the seacoast?

[@tedp9272]

Do you ship frozen?

[@gaybear5328]

Sell the soft shell to restaurants for $.50 restaurants sell them for $3. Get people addicted to soft green crabs! Cheap & Delicious

[@evergreen4034]

How do you eat them? I’m from Maine and I’ve never heard of anyone eating green crab

[@HoangMinh-pb7gd]

@@evergreen4034 in asian countries (with paddy field agriculture), green crab is a delicacy. We can deep fry them, pickle them,make stew, crush them to make paste for other noodle soup,...I must admit that we-asian people have so many creative ways to kill and cook a green crab. we ate them to the point that they're not even a threat to our agriculture.

[@brendanwoerner3352]

That’s Tog Bait!

[@Whaleydavey]

And even if they arent moulting, can’t you remove the claws, legs and carapace, and just deepfry the 2 parcels of meat in the rib area. Yes there is still some soft shell there, but deep frying should make it more than edible.

[@biblybims9868]

Here in uk we just use em as bait,peeler crabs

[@im2bz4stupidity]

Given the recently announced crab-zinc battery system, this could become far more economically viable, soon. Molt the crabs - send the soft-shelled crabs to the food service industry, and the molted shells to the battery industry. Win-Win!

[@Mossy-back-blacktail]

It would be great to have you talked to the state of Washington do you know what they have us do they quite literally have us take a picture of it measure it and then throw it back in the water even though directly across the river at the mouth of Bowie 10 in Oregon you're told to keep or destroy them..... How does that even make sense

[@davealmighty9638]

They need state or federally funded bounties. Some municipalities have had bounties, but the pay was just too low to make an impact. You would have to catch a ton of green crab, just to make $750. Thats not feasible.

[@dimisbam7725]

A green crab whiskie brought me here

[@quantumaquatic1767]

Introduce redfish and black drum they'll clean em right up

[@Whaleydavey]

Huge amount of protein. For the crabs that aren’t soft shell (moulting). Can’t they Rip off the carapace and claws (too hard) and grind it all into meal to feed livestock. Convert them into steaks and chops.

[@datboiderrty]

Soft shell, deep fry the whole crab😂

[@morrisng72]

you can sell them to Vietnamese market, they will love it

[@mirandamaher9465]

Good sheepshead bait.

[@ricardochong6834]

Green crabs infesting NH, Blue crabs infesting Italy, King crabs infesting Norway and even Antarctica - why the hell are crabs so expensive? Because the fishermen want to make a killing out of it? Can't sell it for $30 a pound to buy a new house every year so dump it? God, I wish I lived beside the sea where I could catch them by the bucket full every day of the year, I would be a very happy man with a satisfied appetite.

[@machone539]

Actually, these small crabs are perfect for the Asian market. A lot of Asians love to snack on small crustaceans, nuts, small fruits, etc with drinking at night. Anyone who have been to Asia and go to the night market. That is where it is hopping.

[@jameswalsh688]

No natural predator? I wouldn't exactly say that ,tautog eat them readily.

[@schlaznger8049]

You can tell that you have no red drum or black drum in your waters.

[@vicheakeng6894]

Let all the in

[@dextermorgan5397]

cant beat it eat it !

[@AustinTheTerrible]

Someone hand over the garlic butter please.

[@Janotes]

I remember this crab 30+ years ago.. it has been replaced by the asian shore crab.

[@playbook008]

Someone harvests them for calcium(shells) and fertilizers(meat) or protein for pets.

[@Tomcat1957]

here from Not the Bee.

[@bowlampar]

Don't worry, i can always think of a way to make full use of them.

[@WhatsCookingTime]

I never knew they were invasive I just remember they were paying in the ass going in the traps when I was a kid at the beach. They always seem kind of useless

[@Jeffdachefz]

Get some southeast asians near you. We know how to cook these types of crabs really good and are their natural predators. We'll eat thousands every week for a family of 4 easily lmao

[@lewislinzy3437]

I had to shut you off because of the loud music.

[@expatalan6511]

Hard work for little reward.

[@tint6968]

Ya late

[@stanozolol]

Christ freeze the soft shelled crabs and export them back to europe, our beach fishermen pay top dollar for soft back crabs they are the best bait for many fish.

[@tsm688]

It's amazing how many invasive species are delicious. In bermuda, there's freaking chickens everywhere. Chickens

[@DogTog]

These are almost as delicious as lobster or Dungeness Crab. A local store sold them for a while. You have to use a construction hammer to break the shell open, otherwise they are pretty much the same anatomy as Dungeness. They are FULL of meat, I don't know what that guy is talking about.

[@lschoenrank]

But the invasive green crabs are tiny. Do you mean Red Rock Crab? Where I go crabbing, that's almost all we catch. Lots of work, but they taste great. Some are almost as large as a legal Dungeness. (6 1/2" for a legal Dungeness where I live)

[@DogTog]

@@lschoenrank No, these were all in the 2 to 4 pound range and looked a lot like Dungeness but without the reddit tint. This was in a small Asian supermarket chain, where they aren't great about accurately naming/lableling things, but the sign said "green crabs" and "flown in by Air France from France", with a photo of an Air France poster. It was really odd, but that's not unusual for 99 Ranch Markets. The staff there speak very minimal English and no Spanish, but I'm not sure they would have any more background on this anyway.

[@maethlin]

That's not the same as these European green crab. These things are small, they don't get anywhere near one pound

[@josephbernard5240]

@@DogTog those are Asian shore crabs, also called rock crab. They’re very similar to Dungeness crabs and are fairly inexpensive

[@PaulTaylor-ko8jy]

Crab cakes seefood cake

[@primepikachu5]

its time to get these into Chinese Buffets across the country

[@laurenrobin9361]

Marylanders would eat these steamed, despite their size.

[@bobbresee7781]

Don't tog eat them.

[@joesmith201212]

Just package them and sell them to the Chinese they will eat the hell outta them... Trust me on this they will eat them into oblivion

[@paultaylor3517]

Buy some green crabs bait shop IL Chicago sx ship over 50 bl ship ments call head stop ordered wait IL Chicago mayer office wait love hugs

[@michaelle7637]

Exports to Asia. It’s a cuisine over there. Take care the problem and earn lot of $$$ USD

[@cooperramseymarsh9570]

Those look gas

[@steventodd5678]

soft shell crab is the $$$'s Your problem will be deep pockets comeing in and putting you out of bizzness .

[@karlfairbanks1574]

even tho you say this is a problem, i think that is really a long term solution. this business was all brought on by the fact that these crabs are invasive and ruining ecosystems so for a big corp to come in and take over would still be fixing the larger problem

[@tsm688]

@@karlfairbanks1574 only if they do so by selling all the green crabs, instead of, you know, suing or media-spinning you into oblivion

[@srstabalot]

CAT FOOD, it's so obvious it's stupid!

[@mishaladara]

Use them to create energy. I see thousands of Little feet moving about pulling and pushing constantly it's a waste of energy that needs to be utilized in a controlled environment.

[@nikkog183]

Bruh what are you on

[@mishaladara]

@@nikkog183 it's not our place to fight nature. But we can harness it. 30 years from now we might be living on this very crab.

[@tsm688]

@@mishaladara like a giant turtle.