Coastal Journal quotes Beal, mentions UMaine research in report on green crab summit
The Coastal Journal quoted Brian Beal, a professor of marine ecology at the University of Maine at Machias, and referenced University of Maine research in a report on the Green Crab Working Summit in Portland June 6–7. The summit brought together a variety of people from different research, business and consumer backgrounds to discuss creative solutions to the problem of invasive green crabs that threaten local native shellfish populations, the journal reports. Bouhee Kang, a graduate research assistant with the Sustainable Ecological Aquaculture Network (SEANET) at UMaine, presented nutritional benefits of the crabs — isolated green crab proteins can be used as supplements to regulate blood glucose levels, and have antioxidant properties to counteract the effects of damaging free radicals. UMaine researchers also created a mechanical separator to produce green crab mince for culinary purposes, the article states. “We can eat them, but we can’t eat them to death. We can trap them, but we can’t trap them to death,” said Beal. “We need to adapt.” Beal suggested protecting and enhancing the population of soft-shell clams, in addition to focusing on ways to reduce the green crab population, according to the article.