title: The Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus in southern European coastal waters: Distribution, impact and prospective invasion management strategies.
abstract: The native distribution of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus in the western Atlantic extends from Nova Scotia to Argentina. Introduced to Europe at the beginning of the 20th century, it is currently recorded almost ubiquitously in the Mediterranean and in the Black Sea. An overview of the occurrence, abundance, and ecological impact of the species in southern European waters is provided; additionally, we present a pragmatic assessment of its management scenarios, explicitly considering the dual nature of C. sapidus as both an invasive species and a fishery resource. We emphasise that the ongoing expansion of C. sapidus in the region may represent a stimulating challenge for the identification and implementation of future strategies in the management of invasive crustaceans. The impact of the invader could be converted into an enhancement of the services delivered by southern European coastal ecosystems, while mitigation costs could be transformed into profits for local populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy. Electronic address: giorgio.mancinelli@unisalento.it.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mancinelli
authors.affiliation: MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chainho
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Science (ISMAR), National Research Council (CNR), Lesina, FG, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucrezia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cilenti
authors.affiliation: Institut d'Investigació per a la Gestió Integrada de zones Costaneres (IGIC), Universitat Politècnica de València, Grau de Gandia, Spain.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Falco
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, HCMR, Anavissos, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Kostas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kapiris
authors.affiliation: Technological Educational Institute of Western Greece, Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology, Messolonghi, Greece.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Katselis
authors.affiliation: MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Filipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001118:Argentina; D059038:Black Sea; D003386:Brachyura; D005060:Europe; D058865:Introduced Species; D009674:Nova Scotia; D011446:Prospective Studies
keywords: Callinectes sapidus; Control management; EU regulation 1143/2014; Invasive species; Marine strategy framework directive; Mediterranean and Black Seas