Can #Italy eat its way out of a #BlueCrab infestation?

September 4, 2023

Excerpt: "Italians are turning the killer crustaceans into a culinary delicacy, introducing them into risotto, pasta dishes and even salads.

"Italian farmers’ group Coldiretti suggests serving the blue crab with rosemary in a salad, or with sauteed garlic over spaghetti.

" 'These are some of the dishes recommended by chefs, fishermen and farmers of [Coldiretti] to fight the invasion of the sea killer, which is devastating the national coasts with damage into the millions of euros,' the group said in a statement in support of harvesting and selling the invasive crabs.

" 'The goal is to help contain the excessive diffusion of the crab, which is taking over the seabed of our coasts, identifying economic opportunities for the hard-hit territories.'

"Marine biologists say warmer seawater and above average temperatures mean that the crabs are thriving – and taking over.

"They’ve already been found all along Italy’s vast coastline and even in the Po Delta, a UNESCO heritage site known for its vongole veraci clam variety, which has been largely obliterated this summer.

" 'Usually when the water temperatures drop below 10 C (50 F), this variety of crab doesn’t survive,' Enridca Franchi, a marine biologist and researcher with the University of Siena, says. 'But now the crab finds the ideal temperature 12 months of the year.' "

Read more:
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/how-italy-is-solving-an-invasion-of-blue-crabs/

#SolarPunkSunday #ClimateChange #ClimateChangeAdaptation #BlueCrabs #InvasiveSpecies