Italy turns invasive blue crab threat into commercial resource

The invasive blue crab, which has spread through the Adriatic Sea, is being transitioned from a biological threat to a commercial resource by the Italian fishing industry. Previously, the species caused significant economic damage by destroying nets and consuming farmed Manila clams, leading to a 75 percent drop in consortium revenues to 15 million euros between 2024 and 2025.

Initially, fishermen resorted to burning millions of the crabs to mitigate the impact. However, a new strategy focuses on managing the population to protect mussel and clam farms while selling the crabs for profit. This shift aims to boost industry revenues toward 20 million euros. Some crabs are being sent to foreign processors, while local efforts are underway to popularize blue crab meat in Italian cuisine. Scientists suggest that rising water temperatures due to climate change have facilitated the rapid expansion of the species since 2023.