The currents of the Salish Sea may bring invaders into Puget Sound — European green crabs hidden beneath the water, blending in with native crabs.
Volunteers are on the lookout here, and so far the search for the invasive crabs has proven fruitless, which is welcome news to wildlife managers and the state’s multimillion-dollar shellfish industry.
Peter Heffelfinger leads a four-person Salish Sea Stewards volunteer team that takes a post at a lagoon adjacent to the Kukutali Preserve on Kiket Island near Anacortes.
“They’re not here yet, but with the warming of the ocean ... they have reached Vancouver Island,” Heffelfinger said. “It’s only a matter of time and tide.”
