MAINE PUBLIC • December 14, 2022
Warming ocean temperatures have caused an explosion in the invasive crab population over the last decade. The number of clams harvested has declined by nearly 75% over the last 40 years due primarily to green crab predation. It’s a well-documented problem that’s forcing towns to adapt. Local volunteers in Gouldsboro have started a “Shellfish Resilience Lab” in hopes of revitalizing the local fishery, which has been part of the town’s economy and culture for generations. In three months outside in trays, seed clams grew about 20% larger than those in the indoor lab. But more died because dozens of green crabs got in and ate them, despite the protective container. Gouldsboro’s Shellfish Warden Mike Pinkham says, “If we figure this out for us, it gives somebody else a starting point because we started at ground zero.”