When a young Sealaska intern walking a beach in July 2022 found the first evidence of European green crab presence in Alaska – a discarded shell on a beach on Annette Island in the state’s far southeast corner – it was an ominous sign about the invasive species’ northward spread.

Since then, the Metlakatla Indian Community , the tribe based on Annette Island, and its partners, which include Alaska Sea Grant, have found not just more shells, but live invasive crabs. Discoveries numbered just a handful at first, then dozens, then hundreds, then thousands.

This year, the Metlakatla tribe’s team has trapped more than 40,000 of them on and around Annette Island, a representative said.

“This year we’ve had a complete explosion of green crab — over seven new locations on Annette Island w

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