Washington Traps Over 2 Million Invasive Green Crabs
State trapping captures more than double the previous year's total as officials struggle to estimate the population.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Environmental
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Washington trapped more than 2 million invasive European green crabs during a single year, according to an annual emergency response report from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Willapa Bay accounted for most of the captures, with about 1.9 million crabs trapped.
Why it matters
European green crabs eat juvenile salmon, oysters, mussels, and clams, threatening fisheries and the shellfish industry that drove a state emergency declaration in 2022. Scientists do not yet know how many of the invasive crabs live in Washington's waters, leaving the scale of the problem uncertain.
The annual state emergency response report documents more than 2 million crabs trapped from July 2025 through June 2026, more than double the prior year. Scientists have not determined how many invasive crabs remain in Washington's waters.
The players
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
The state agency that manages Washington's fish and wildlife resources and issued the annual emergency response report on green crab captures.
Jay Inslee
The former Washington governor who declared an emergency in 2022 over the threat European green crabs posed to the shellfish industry.
The details
About 500 professionals and volunteers set and check traps, and most captured crabs become compost. State and federal agencies spent at least $8 million combating European green crabs during the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Juvenile green crabs thrive in warmer waters, and Willapa Bay experienced unusually warm winter temperatures, while El Niño's warming effects are expected to encourage more green crabs.
Timeline
1998: European green crabs were first documented in Washington.
2022: Former Gov. Jay Inslee declared an emergency over the threat to the shellfish industry.
July 2025 through June 2026: The trapping period covered by the annual emergency response report.
May: An Orcas Island student found the first island green crab.
Seasonal Patterns
The 2022 emergency declaration by former Gov. Jay Inslee over threats to the shellfish industry set the state's response framework that continues today. Captures more than doubling in the latest year extend that pattern of rising green crab numbers in Washington's waters.
Residents near Washington's coastal bays and harbors should follow state guidance on reporting and handling green crabs. Because most captured crabs become compost, trapping efforts depend on continued volunteer and professional participation.
The takeaway
Invasive green crabs are spreading faster than they can be counted, and their impact on salmon and shellfish makes sustained trapping a practical priority for coastal communities. Warmer water conditions are expected to favor their growth, so monitoring is likely to remain necessary.
Further reading
For more on how invasive species affect coastal ecosystems, see the Environmental section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Cool Down.
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