Ep. 20: Green crabs aren't native to New England, so can we use an "eat them to beat them" approach? Dr. Gabby Bradt has spent more than a decade trying to find out.
Gabby is the Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension Specialist for UNH Cooperative Extension and New Hampshire Sea Grant, and she’s been on my guest wish list since before this show had a name. She interned for my dad at the EPA back when I was a kid watching him tow a boat up to Maine for fieldwork (and deciding that looked way better than an office). Years later, we ended up working across the hall from each other at UNH.
From a PhD in squid biology to becoming known as the "green crab lady" (to her great annoyance), Gabby has had an exciting and varied career throughout the marine sector.
In this episode, we get into:
- How European green crabs got here 200+ years ago, and why it took so long for anyone to care
- Why Gabby doesn’t think wiping them out is the goal anymore
- The two summers she spent photographing crabs to figure out when they’re about to molt (and why that matters for your dinner plate)
- Why the word “invasive” was getting in the way of people eating them
- The Great Green Crab Hunts, where anyone from toddlers to grandmas can help
- Her honest take on careers off the tenure track, learning to say no, and bringing your kids along for the ride
- What it’ll actually take to turn green crabs into a real market
Gabby is an absolute force in the world of marine science and someone I've admired and looked up to for a very long time. She's a riot, a joy, and an inspiration. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did!
EPISODE SHOW NOTES (click for all the links!) 🦀
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