Release the Kraken: 150,000 Octopuses Could Help Fight the Invasive Blue Crab
Translated from German and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
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- The invasive blue crab is damaging clam and mussel stocks in Italy, including around Venice and the Po Delta.
- Researchers and authorities are considering the release of 150,000 octopuses as a natural counter to the crab’s spread.
- Italy appointed a commissioner two years ago to address the problem.
Release the Kraken. In the Mediterranean, 150,000 octopuses could be deployed against the invasive blue crab, a voracious species thriving in warmer water.
The crab gets its name from its ten legs, several of which appear blue, with two forming claws. The octopus, with its eight arms, is being considered as its natural enemy.
The blue crab is aggressive, highly reproductive and hungry. It has become an invasive species in the Mediterranean and is creating serious difficulties for Italian fishermen during the climate crisis. The crab feeds on clams and mussels, and stocks have collapsed around Venice and in the Po Delta.
Italy appointed a commissioner two years ago specifically to tackle the problem. Now the proposed response is biological: use the octopus to help curb an invader that has benefited from the region’s warmer waters.
About this summary
Originally published by Der Standard in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
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