The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Aquatic Invasive Species Division, has released their annual report and field season updates for the period July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. The collective effort of all co-managers, tribes, and partners resulted in the removal of more than 2.157 million green crabs from Washington State marine waters.
The removal of more than 2 million green crabs represents the potential prevention of tens to hundreds of billions of green crab larvae from being released into Washington waters. The increase in removals compared with 2025 reflects multiple factors:
- Increased effort and efficiency
- Federal funding support
- Growth due to a warmer-than-usual 2025 winter
- Continued growth of populations in specific areas
Although green crab removals have increased in most management areas, several management areas have experienced declines or stable removal numbers.
If you find a European Green Crab. These crabs are very small in size, around two inches across the shell and can get up to four inches wide. They are not always green and can also be red, orange, brown, or yellow. You can identify these crabs by the five spines or “teeth” on each side of the shell. If you find a suspected European Green Crab or its shell in Washington, take photos and report it as soon as possible through WDFW’s European Green Crab Reporting webpage.
Photos Credit: WDFW
