State and partners describe growing European green crab response; WCMAC to convene focused meeting

State and partner officials told the Washington Coastal Marine Advisory Council that the response to European green crab has shifted from initial emergency actions to a continuing, multi‑partner management effort that will require sustained funding and coordination.

Justin Bush, WDFW's aquatic invasive species division manager, summarized the response framework. WDFW declared green crab a prohibited level‑1 invasive species and implemented an incident-command approach to coordinate more than 50 co‑managers, tribes and partners. "European green crab are prohibited level 1 invasive species, meaning they're the highest priority for the state," Bush said as he summarized legal authorities and the state plan. The department has published an annual report and about 72% of state funding for the response in the latest year was passed through to tribes and local partners.

DNR staff described on‑the‑ground trapping capacity: a coastal trapping crew based in Montesano and a Washington Conservation Corps crew have supported removal operations. "So far this fiscal year, DNR's crew has removed close to 90,000 crab from the coast," a DNR speaker reported. Agencies and tribal partners said they are starting to see localized signs that suppression can reduce catch rates where capacity is sustained, but speakers cautioned that El Niño warming and other factors are increasing settlement success and complicating control.

Federal assistance is expanding: recent awards from NOAA and the Bureau of Indian Affairs have directed multi‑year funding to tribes and selected projects, and the state is pursuing additional federal appropriations to support implementation of its statewide plan and research priorities. Council members agreed to schedule an extended ad hoc meeting in late October–early November to review modeling, operations, and coordinated next steps ahead of the December budget letter.