Spring Break
Invasive Asian shore crab species digs up trouble in South County
Jeff Sullivan
Issue date: 1/25/08 Section: News
The Asian shore crab is from the coasts of China and Japan, and was first brought to the United States in the ballast water of a cargo ship in New Jersey. The ballast water is pumped in or out of the ship depending on the weight of the cargo to give the ship the low center of gravity it needs to keep from capsizing. Since the 1990s, they have migrated up to the Narragansett Bay area.
Narragansett Bay Area "has one of the highest rates of invasive species in the United States," she said. "This is mainly because of the temperate climate and high traffic the region experiences, and many non-native species find this combination to their liking."
Morito's interest in studying this species and its effect on the local habitat was sparked from childhood experiences on her father's boat.
"I would have to say that introduction to marine and coastal law with Professor Nixon really got me interested in the field of Environmental Law," she said. "I learned that while it is the scientists who provide the research and information, it's the lawyers and the legislators who take that information and turn it into actual regulation and policy."
Narragansett Bay Area "has one of the highest rates of invasive species in the United States," she said. "This is mainly because of the temperate climate and high traffic the region experiences, and many non-native species find this combination to their liking."
Morito's interest in studying this species and its effect on the local habitat was sparked from childhood experiences on her father's boat.
"I would have to say that introduction to marine and coastal law with Professor Nixon really got me interested in the field of Environmental Law," she said. "I learned that while it is the scientists who provide the research and information, it's the lawyers and the legislators who take that information and turn it into actual regulation and policy."
