The Scarborough Land Trust is partnering with Professor Steven Jury and Saint Joseph’s College this summer to start a blue crab monitoring project in the Scarborough Marsh. Beginning in early June, students from St. Joe’s, along with SLT’s seasonal employees, will begin tracking blue crab activity in the Scarborough Marsh.
Historically, blue crabs have inhabited the waters of the mid-Atlantic in the Chesapeake Bay, but as ocean temperatures have begun to rise, blue crabs have been found in the waters of Maine as far north as the mid-coast. In 2023, the Wells Reserve conducted a blue crab observation project that took place in the Webhannet River Marsh. Project leader, Steven Jury, is interested in comparing the blue crab population further north in the Scarborough Marsh.
This project creates opportunities for undergraduate and graduate research as well as potential volunteer opportunities for the public. This project is aligned with SLT’s objective to promote research in the marsh and increase public awareness and education about our coastal systems.
