A Scoping Literature Review of European and Atlantic Canadian Green Grab (Carcinus Maenas) Fisheries Literature to Identify Knowledge Gaps for Fisheries-Based Invasive Species Management

Abstract

Aquatic invasive species are considered economic and environmental threats to Canada’s aquatic ecosystems. In Atlantic Canada, the European green crab (Carcinus maenas) is a management concern due to its destructive nature. The green crab is an aggressive predator that disrupts ecosystems by outcompeting native decapods, destroying critical habitat, and causing a loss of biodiversity. Additionally, green crabs affect Atlantic Canadian fisheries by preying upon commercially important bivalve species. A potential management solution is the implementation of green crab fisheries to control the invasive populations in Atlantic Canada. Green crab fisheries in the species’ native European range have been reported as successful and as such, small trial fisheries have been established in Atlantic Canada. This study conducted a scoping literature review of European and Atlantic Canadian green crab fisheries literature using a fisheries performance indicator framework developed by Anderson et al. (2015) modified for qualitative analysis to determine what is currently known about each fishery and where knowledge gaps lie. It was determined that Economic indicators were the most common performance indicators in fisheries literature, followed by Ecology and Community. Knowledge gaps were identified for harvest data, product market, stock health, and multiple community metrics. Additionally, there was a lack of Indigenous knowledge in the literature. Management recommendations suggested ways that fisheries managers can address these gaps through day-to-day reporting, interactions with fishers, collaboration with scientific communities, and outreach to Indigenous communities