Injurious Species Alert

Service employees working on invasive species issues were recently contacted by Scott Robinson, Aquaculture Liaison for Georgia (770-918-6418) regarding the importation of the mitten crab to the United States for propagation at aquaculture facilities as a food product. Mr. Robinson apparently did not know that this species was federally listed as injurious. Two firms from China have inquired about permits to culture the Chinese mitten crab (or river crab) Eriocheir sinensis. These firms also planned to inquire about importing mitten crabs to Georgia,

Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Kentucky for aquaculture purposes.

Paul Zajicek, Aquaculture Coordinator with the State of Florida had already been contacted and refused any offers of the crab after checking with the State of California where it has become established. While many aquaculture coordinators recognize and acknowledge the negative economic and ecological impacts of the mitten crabs, few seem to be aware that the injurious wildlife provisions of the Lacey Act prohibit its importation.

The mitten crab has become established in the Sacramento River/San Joaquin River Delta in California over the last several years and has adversely impacted fish and wildlife species and water diversion facilities, as well as important commercial and recreational fisheries. The mitten crabs also represent a serious threat to levees and agriculture.

The firms from China inquiring about importing are:

Wuhan Haitian Industrial Company Limited - Yang Bo 027 857 93034
C. Lam (Hong Kong) - 852 255 96076