Mitten Mania

The Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) continues to make its mark on the east coast of the USA...just a few days after sightings were reported in both Maryland and Delaware comes news that the crab has been spotted in New York's Hudson River. This looks to be the first confirmed record of the species in New York state.

Meanwhile, The News Journal is reporting that three more of the mitten crabs have been caught in Delaware. The crabber who found them says he's been seeing them for years and throwing them back :-(.

Found Their Mittens - Again!

Just a few days after it was reported that a Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) was discovered off the coast of Maryland in the Chesapeake Bay, a crabber has yet again found one of the crabs, this time in the Delaware Bay. This is the first record of the mitten crab for Delaware. Delaware Online has the full story, including interviews with the crabber's dad and a most excellent quote from a guy in charge at the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control:

"I know almost nothing about them, except what I'm reading now,"

Eesh. Let's hope for Delaware's sake that was taken out of context.