The Conch Podcast features interviews
with the most inspiring people in the world of seafood.
Join Julie Kuchepatov,
founder of Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE),
as she interviews people striving
to succeed in the sector, as well as those already making an impact,
and the challenges they face -
all while working to improve
the environmental and social responsibility
of the planet’s most incredible food source - seafood!
Have you heard of the GREEN CRAB, which is commonly known as the “world’s worst invasive species?”
Harming ecosystems and other species, the green crab is bad news—which makes it a great species to eat!
But how do you go about building a culinary market for an invasive species, especially given that many Americans don’t stray too far from seafoods like salmon, tuna, and shrimp?
Here to tell us on Season 5, Episode 9 of The Conch podcast is Mary Parks, the amazing Executive Director of Greencrab.org.
On a mission to spread awareness of its invasive impact, Mary’s taking the green crab from “problem to plate”!
Episode Guide
:04 Introducing Mary Parks, Executive Director of Greencrab.org.
01:00 Mary introduces us to the invasive green crab, commonly referred to as the world's “worst invasive species” and shares how they ended up in U.S. waters
04:08 The havoc that green crabs cause to both ecosystems and other animals
06:55 Green crabs are new(ish) to the West Coast
08:37 Mary’s journey to start Greencrab.org, a nonprofit that builds and supports culinary markets for European green crab, and also spreads awareness of their invasive impact
12:17 Venetians traditionally eat green crab roe. It’s a delicacy!
15:03 Mary shares the fascinating process of molting a green crab
20;00 How to build a market for an invasive species
25:39 Let’s say you’re a seafood harvester finding a lot of green crab—what do you do? Mary walks us through some critical steps and how Greencrab.org can help
31:23 A lot of communities, like the Khmer, cook green crabs in a variety of exciting ways and it’s important to acknowledge these communities in terms of their seafood buying power
35:17 Greencrab.org launched a harvester survey to understand who is participating in the fishery
36:43 Mary gives a shout-out to Isaura Buasier, an incredible chef who is redefining New England’s seafood cuisine
Resources:
Check out Greencrab.org to learn about the invasive green crab and even which restaurants serve them on their menus!
Recommend this episode to one person who is curious about stopping the spread of the world’s worst invasive species, the green crab
The Conch podcast is a program of Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE).
Audio production, engineering, editing, mixing, and sound design by Crystal Sanders-Alvarado for Seaworthy.
Theme music: “Dilation” by Satan's Pilgrims
Funding generously provided by
