Citizens and scientists team up in fight against threat to iconic underwater forest: 'You have all sorts of plant and animal life'
The gorgeous landscape of Padilla Bay in northwest Washington is home to one of the largest eelgrass beds in North America — a sprawling 8,000 acres of the marine plant.
But now, the lush collection of seagrass is facing an emerging threat from invasive European green crabs.
What's happening?
Cascadia Daily News reported that local researchers and volunteers discovered several European green crab molts along the bay's shoreline, indicating that the species may be establishing itself in the water.
This crab species poses a serious risk to the bay's entire ecosystem, as it's an aggressive predator and competes with native species for resources. But the crabs are particularly concerning for the bay's eelgrass, as the crustaceans often uproot the plant through disruptive burrowing.
Cascadia Daily News noted that European green crabs are already highly invasive on Washington's outer coast. More than 1 million European green crabs were caught between Willapa Bay and neighboring Grays Harbor in 2024. That's only about a 30-mile portion of the state's coastline — and a clear indicator of how invasive these problem crabs can be.
Why is this threat to the region's eelgrass concerning?
Eelgrass plays a vital role in stabilizing sediment on the bay's floor, reducing the risk of shoreline erosion and flooding. The marine grass also stores carbon, helping to reduce local pollution.
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The Nature Conservancy observed that areas rich in eelgrass have up to five times more carbon-storing abilities than a forest of the same size.
Eelgrass in the bay also provides a vital habitat for the area's marine life. It creates essential foraging areas and shelter for young fish and invertebrates, food for migratory seabirds, and spawning areas for native species, such as local herring.
Its decline could have wide-reaching impacts on the bay's ecosystem — and beyond.
"In a forest or garden, you have all sorts of plant and animal life and a very diverse ecosystem," Adam Starke, a coastal scientist with The Nature Conservancy, said. "Eelgrass beds are the underwater equivalent of that — they provide space for fish to hide and rest and support an incredible array of marine species. If eelgrass disappears, so does everything else."
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Eelgrass is already at risk from climate pressures. Cascadia Daily News said that rising ocean temperatures are making it harder for eelgrass to survive, partially helping the spread of fatal eelgrass wasting disease.
Experts fear an influx of European green crabs would put even more pressure on the area's eelgrass, killing off the vital plant quickly.
What's being done about the invasive European green crabs?
Cascadia Daily News reported that local agencies and volunteers have increased monitoring and trapping efforts in the area, deploying hundreds of traps across nearby waters.
Lab work is also underway to improve the ability to detect crab larvae and distinguish them from native species. The hope is to weed out these larvae so they don't develop into disruptive, invasive crabs.
The state is also calling on locals to take pictures of any European green crabs or molts they spot by waterways and to send sightings to the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife.
"At this time, we are not asking the public to kill suspected green crabs," the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife said in a statement. "This may sound counterintuitive, but it is intended to protect native crabs from cases of mistaken identity."
While there's still time to protect Padilla Bay's delicate and vital ecosystem, experts say it's unlikely European green crabs will disappear entirely from Washington's outer coast.
"I almost want to pause and grieve that for a moment," Laura Kraft, a Washington State University researcher, told Cascadia Daily News. "It's very frustrating to not have a better solution."
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Citizens and scientists team up in fight against threat to iconic underwater forest: 'You have all sorts of plant and animal life' first appeared on The Cool Down.
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