2. The Chinese mitten crab can be found between China and Korea,
it is native to the Yellow sea. This crab is one of the ten most
unwanted species in the world. 3. How it got there? These crabs
were probably brought into Canada through ballast water or through
the live food fish industry. It first appeared in Canada in the
Detroit river in 1965. Now this species of crab has spread into the
Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. 4. This crab is affecting
the fresh water and brackish biological communities and ecosystems.
The mitten crab, when burrowing can cause bank erosion and disrupt
fisheries. The mitten crab feeds on salmon and sturgeon eggs. If
these crabs eat the eggs of other fish species, the fish species
will be in trouble. 5. The group MD DNR are trying to take these
encounters seriously. They are taking samples at Chesapeake Bay
watershed. Also, they are monitoring the mitten crabs if they are
present. They are net working with fisherman and power companies
that monitor the mitten crabs that are captured on the cooling
water intake screens. 6. 1. Learn to identify the Chinese mitten
crab. 2. If you find one DO NOT THROW back into the water. 3. You
either freeze it or preserve it with alcohol, if you cant do that
then destroy it. 4. Also, if you find one report it to the proper
authorities. 7. Identifying the mitten crab 1. This crab of course
has hairy tipped claws. 2. It is a greenish brown colour. 3. The
crab has a notch. 4. This crab has no swimming legs, but 8 sharp
tipped walking legs. 5. It has 4 spines on either side. 8. It first
appeared in the Great Lakes in 1965. This crab sometimes shows up
in Lake Ontario and Erie. Then the mitten crab appeared in the St.
Lawrence River in 2004. It was the first time that there was a
fresh water crab species that existed in North America before it
appeared. Map of distribution, where Chinese mitten crabs are. 9.
The mitten crabs habitat is in black brackish water or fresh in
estuaries, lakes, rivers, and wetlands. They are found down to the
depth of ten meters. They can even survive in disturbed and
polluted environments. They reproduce in saltwater, that is when
the males and females migrate downstream. The young crabs stay in
fresh water to 2-5 years.
