Millions in damage

“Killer of the seas”: Italy warns of catastrophe

Blue crabs have caused fishing damage of more than 100 million euros in Italy.

(Bild: APA/dpa/Stefan Sauer)

A blue crab plague is currently causing serious damage to the fishing and mussel farming industry in Italy. The invasion of the "killers of the seas" from North and South America could halve the mussel population. Experts are warning of a natural disaster.

"The phenomenon is indeed taking on the proportions of a natural disaster that threatens the survival of the fishing industry in many regions," writes the Italian agricultural association "Coldiretti Pesca" in a press release.

100 million euros in damage
The blue crab has so far caused Italian fishermen damage amounting to 100 million euros by destroying mussel farms, as well as oysters, other crustaceans and fish such as sole and mullet. The situation threatens to become even more dramatic if no measures are taken to stop the invasion of the "killer of the seas", warned "Coldiretti Pesca".

Restaurants should put blue crabs on the menu
Veneto is the region most affected. The fishing association called on restaurant owners to offer more blue crab dishes. Catching them for consumption is considered the best solution to tackle the problem, according to the experts. Otherwise, the danger is that there will soon be no more mussels, clams and oysters.

The meat of the blue crab is rich in vitamin B12 and can be used in a variety of ways in gastronomy due to its delicate taste. The price for this type of crab is around ten euros per kilo.

300 fisheries are under threat
The invasive crustaceans, which are normally only found on the east coast of the USA or in the Gulf of Mexico, where they are considered a culinary delicacy, have now also become widespread in the Mediterranean. 3000 fisheries in the delta region of the River Po at the mouth of the Adriatic Sea are under threat.

According to experts, it is unclear why the blue crabs are now multiplying so rapidly in the Mediterranean and whether there could be a link to climate change. Italy is Europe's largest producer of clams and the third largest in the world behind China and South Korea.

Introduced by cargo ships
The blue crab originally comes from the Atlantic coast of North and South America. Researchers assume that they were introduced to the Mediterranean through the ballast water in cargo ships. Blue crab populations have also been discovered in Japan and the North Sea, and in May 2023 the first animal was fished out of the Baltic Sea off Usedom.

The blue crab, named after its distinctive coloration, mainly eats native marine animals and mussels. It has hardly any predators in European waters. Fishermen also complain that the invasive species cuts through fishing nets with its sharp claws. The blue crab is not as easy to catch as other species.