Alaska

Natural resource managers in British Columbia discovered several adult male and female European green crabs on Haida Gwaii this past July. Alarm bells immediately went off for biologists in Alaska. The archipelago of Haida Gwaii, off the coast of Prince Rupert in British Columbia, is very close to Alaska. The July discovery is the closest confirmed finding of the invasive crustacean since it was first detected in the San Francisco Bay area in 1989.

The Alaska Integrated Pest Management program wants to recruit YOU as a Citizen Scientist. Our goal is to educate individuals who enjoy observing the natural world and are curious about learning more about what they see. The more citizen scientists looking for insect, plant and disease organisms throughout our state, the better informed we are on current issues that may impact our environment, natural resources and food supply.

In 2019, the Alaska Office of the State Veterinarian, in collaboration with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the University of Alaska, began the Alaska Submit-A-Tick Program. Through this program, individuals who find ticks on themselves, their family members, pets, or wildlife (e.g. hunted or trapped animals) can submit ticks for species identification and pathogen testing. Researchers are asking Alaskans to submit ticks to help determine which tick species are currently in the state. Tick submissions will also help us learn more about how ticks are being imported into Alaska so that we can create effective strategies to limit their introduction. Ticks can transmit bacteria, parasites, and viruses that can cause diseases in humans and wildlife. Pathogen testing allows us to assess tickborne disease risk in the state.

Your vigilance could help us intercept and prevent the spread of an unwanted biological invader – an invasive species that shouldn’t be here and which could cause serious harm to Alaska’s native fish and wildlife species, and their habitats.

The green crab is considered one of the most invasive species in the marine environment. It has few predators, aggressively hunts and eats its prey, destroys seagrass, and outcompetes local species for food and habitat. Green crab could potentially damage Alaska’s multi-billion dollar fisheries industries, especially for salmon, crab, and mariculture operations. Thankfully, no green crabs have yet been detected in Alaskan waters, but concerned Alaskans have been planning for the arrival of these voracious crustaceans. There are three simple steps you can take to help find, remove and report these crabs on your local beaches. Find it, Keep it, Freeze it!