faced with the invasion of the blue crab, Corsican fishermen are trying to adapt

On the Biguglia pond in Corsica, fishermen have to face a visitor from elsewhere: the blue crab, by the dozen kilos. An invasive, voracious species, native to North America and which is rapidly colonizing the Mediterranean lagoons. “He is very fast in the water, very aggressive”, explains fisherman Pierre Planet. A sworn enemy of traditional fishermen, this crab is a threat to the biodiversity of ponds. “How are we doing financially? It was paradise to fish on the pond, but here we are rather in hell”deplores Michel Guerrini, fisherman.

Crab hunting, a priority

To reduce the impact, overfishing and culling this invasive species is a priority. The first short circuits were developed to help fishermen. A restaurateur has been trying for several months to promote the flesh of the crustacean. Price: 5 euros per kilo, lower than that of oilcake. “I think it’s becoming a local species, we’ll have to learn how to cook it. It could become a traditional Corsican recipe”, jokes Alessandro Capone, chef of the restaurant “I Fuletti” in Penta-di-Casinca (Corsica). A militant cuisine to counter the invasion of a crab that is certainly tasty, but still dangerous for the ecosystems of the Mediterranean lagoons.