EUROPEAN GREEN CRAB Early Detection and Monitoring
WSG.WASHINGTON.EDU/CRABTEAM
CITATION
Grason, EW, JW Adams, K Litle, PS McDonald, PD Dalton (2016) European green crab early detection and monitoring. Washington Sea Grant, Final Report WSG-TR 16-07. 73 p.
EUROPEAN GREEN CRAB EARLY DETECTION AND MONITORING
wsg.washington.edu/crabteam
Final Report for Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife Grant Agreement#: 14-02055
January 30, 2017
Prepared by:
Washington Sea Grant University of Washington 3716 Brooklyn Ave. NE Seattle, WA 98105-6716 wsg.washington.edu
ii Acknowledgments
Washington Sea Grant’s Crab Team would like to thank the Puget Sound Marine and Nearshore Protection & Restoration Grant Program and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for their adaptability to direct funds toward an urgent issue of concern regarding the health of Puget Sound. In particular, the grant program staff (Jeannie Abbott, Maria Hunter, Patricia Jatczak and Margaret McKeown) have been extremely helpful tracking reporting requirements and supporting the projects goals and needs, expected and unexpected.
The Crab Team would also like to thank the members of the West Coast European Green Crab Committee, coordinated by Stephen Phillips of the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, for their guidance, information and resources. In particular, Sylvia Yamada, Oregon State University, generously shared her research, expertise and field time to inform and support the project and some of its volunteers. We also appreciate draft reviews by Sylvia and by Tammy Davis of Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
As the primary agency partner in the project and as the leader of rapid response efforts, Allen Pleus, Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, helped shape the project and ensure its success, while being a strong advocate for the project’s future.
Tom Gries, Washington Department of Ecology, provided clear and critical guidance and timely review to establish the Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP), guiding successful data collection.
The complexity of the Crab Team dataset required database design guidance beyond the abilities of staff within the program. Jennifer Scheuerell, Sound Data Management LLC, graciously volunteered her professional talents to make the Crab Team database a reality.
Nine University of Washington (UW) undergraduate students have assisted the project at different times, assuming different roles. Before Crab Team even existed as an idea, Chris Tran and Jeffrey Woo took the first pass at suitable habitat identification and conducted the first molt surveys of the project. Their efforts and poster took top honors for a student poster at the 2014 Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference. Natalie White, Ian Anderson and Joey VanderWood all contributed to our understanding of volunteer experiences and needs, helping us adjust the protocol after the pilot year. Chelsea Bogrow and Madison Keeley launched and refined our efforts to draft outreach materials and gather contacts of targeted user groups. And Bryton Seyfert conducted his own field project to help us better understand the influence of bait types on trap catches.
Crab Team monitoring would not be possible without access to sites identified as high priority habitats; the Team thanks the diverse landowners, from national, state and local agencies to private entities and non-profits, who granted access.
The Crab Team’s deepest gratitude is reserved for the talented and committed array of individuals who have brought their passion for protecting and contributing to our understanding of Puget Sound by volunteering their time and personal resources.
iii CRAB TEAM STAFF
Penelope D. Dalton, Principal Investigator Washington Sea Grant (WSG), Director
Jeff Adams, Crab Team Lead WSG, Marine Ecologist
Emily Grason, Ph.D., Crab Team Coordinator WSG, Aquatic Invasive Species Specialist
Kate L