Join with us and UPEI researcher, Paula Tummon Flynn at Nature PEI’s monthly meeting to learn more about the highly invasive green crab and the impact it is having on our Island ecosystems. This little crab packs a big punch, and has been named \”one of the ten most unwanted species in the world\” by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.  Paula will teach you how to identify these crabs, explore their life history, and discuss why they are such successful invaders across the world. Green crabs are known to have dramatic effects on both the coastal flora and fauna in the regions they invade and Paula will delve into some of these impacts and how they are being studied on PEI.  Paula notes that “These crabs cause so many problems for both the ecosystem and the shellfish industries that many removal strategies have been proposed.”  Paula will review some of the recent proposals to control their population numbers.  However, there has been limited success in eradicating a population once it is established.

Paula Tummon Flynn is a PhD student working in UPEI’s Coastal Ecology Lab on interactions between the invasive green crab and native species on PEI.  Her focus is currently on the impact of green crabs in the lagoon of Basin Head Marine Protected Area.

All are welcome to join us  in Charlottetown to meet Paula and learn more about this most unwelcome visitor to our shores.