🦀 A preview from our upcoming print edition
By Zachary Lamothe
Contrary to what Kermit says, it’s very easy being green—especially if you’re a green crab in New England’s coastal waters. These invasive crustaceans, originally from Europe and later bolstered by a second wave from Scandinavia, have become a major threat to native species and shellfish industries across the region. Voracious and highly adaptable, green crabs devour up to 50 clams or oysters a day, tear up coastal seagrass, and compete with lobsters for resources. And thanks to warming waters and few natural predators, their numbers just keep growing.
So, what can we do with them?
In this compelling feature, writer Zachary Lamothe explores the history, challenges, and surprising opportunities surrounding the green crab. While scientists like Dr. Gabriela Bradt (University of New Hampshire) and Carolyn Tepolt (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute) continue to study green crab behavior and control strategies, a parallel movement is gaining steam: Eat the invasives.
It turns out green crabs are not only edible—they’re delicious. Their meat is sweet, especially in the claws, and their shells add rich, briny depth to broths and sauces. Already a delicacy in parts of Italy, soft-shell green crabs are making appearances on menus across Massachusetts. Restaurants like The Winsor House in Duxbury and Pagu in Cambridge are turning these pests into flavor-packed dishes, while Wulf’s Fish in Boston now sells green crabs directly to adventurous home cooks.
Local food producers are getting creative, too. South Shore-based broth maker St. Ours & Co. has developed a slow-simmered green crab broth powder, described by VP Sharon St. Ours as “really tasty” and versatile—perfect for seafood stews, soups, and even enhancing crab cakes. The process hasn’t been easy (these crabs are aggressive and tricky to handle), but the result is a deeply flavorful, shelf-stable product that supports both sustainability and culinary innovation.
Meanwhile, Tamworth Distilling in New Hampshire is going bold with Crab Trapper Whiskey, a bourbon-based spirit infused with thousands of green crabs. The result? A briny, spiced sipper that’s part curiosity, part conservation—and surprisingly good in a highball.
Whether it’s used in broth, fried whole Venetian-style, or shaken into a “Hot & Crabby Martini,” the green crab is proving that one of the best ways to fight an invasive species might just be to serve it for dinner. As Lamothe notes, “Whether at the beach or at a restaurant, you may spot green crabs locally this summer. If you’re looking for a tasty way to help with the green crab problem, try eating (or drinking) them!”
📖 Don’t miss the full summer article in the upcoming print edition of edible Southeastern Massachusetts.
Until then, explore recipes and resources at greencrab.org and consider making green crab part of your next local meal.
Learn more about the problem and possible solutions here.
