Crab Team supports green crab and shoreline management in Washington through research and technical support for researchers.

Research Topics

CT Network

What we learn from the Crab Team monitoring network, including green crab, best practices for similar networks, and understanding other species living along Washington’s shorelines. 

Resources and Support for Research 

Monitoring Network Dataset

Crab Team tracks European green crab (and bycatch) through targeted trapping and molt surveys. Our dataset includes systematic and quality controlled observations from nearly 70 sites across state shorelines, some of which have been consistently monitored since 2015. A summary preview of the data is available via the dashboards in Tableau. 

Green Crab Specimens

Crab Team maintains a quality controlled collection of frozen green crab specimens for research purposes. The specimens represent a broad geography from Washington shorelines and date back to 2017 — including some of the first crabs to be found in the Washington portion of the Salish Sea. In addition to supporting tissue collection for population genetics work, these specimens can also be available for other projects and collaborations. Please contact us for more information about accessing the specimen collection. 

Reference List

We have compiled a reference list for research on European green crabs and citizen science related to Crab Team activities using the reference management software, Zotero. While not exhaustive, this resource can provide a valuable starting point for key research papers on European green crab.

Research Task Force

Crab Team staff members participate in the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s green crab Research Task Force (RTF), which advises management efforts on research related to European green crab. This group leverages research capacity across the West Coast to identify research needs and produce tools and information for managers.