Third Annual Nantucket Green Crab Week

Tess McCarthy • August 8, 2022

Nantucket, MA – Join the Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA), Nantucket Land Council (NLC), and Sustainable Nantucket (SN) for the third annual Nantucket Green Crab Week! The MMA, NLC, and SN will be offering fun daily events from August 8th to August 12th to learn about, and take action against, invasive European green crabs on Nantucket.


European green crabs were first introduced to North America in the 1800s, likely traveling the ballast water of merchant ships from Europe. This invasive species is now abundant on Nantucket, threatening crucial aquatic resources, including eelgrass beds, shellfish populations, and native crab communities here on the island. Together, as a community, it is possible to help prevent green crabs from destroying the natural resources that make Nantucket’s waters so special! So please come join us during Nantucket Green Crab Week to learn more.


The Maria Mitchell Association is a private non-profit organization. Founded in 1902, the MMA works to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages.


Nantucket Land Council is a 501(c)3 environmental advocacy organization – protecting and preserving open space, harbor, pond, and groundwater, and advocating for the environment at Select Board, Planning Board, and Conservation Commission meetings. The Nantucket Land Council also hosts the State of the Harbor Forum each year and Oysterfest each November to educate residents on the state of our water resources, and what we can all do to help maintain this critical resource. For more information on the Nantucket Land Council’s environmental work and initiatives, please visit https://www.nantucketlandcouncil.org.


Founded in 2000, Sustainable Nantucket’s mission is to preserve the community character of Nantucket while sustaining its economic and environmental vitality.

Sustainable Nantucket (SN) is a grassroots, local, non-profit organization that is building a more locally-based and self-reliant food system on-island through education, advocacy, training, and partnerships which include farmers, fishermen, local food producers, schools, restaurants, and other community stakeholders.

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Nantucket Green Crab Week Schedule


Monday, August 8th

Green Crab Identification Workshop & Derby Information Session

Maria Mitchell Association Aquarium 1pm-4pm

Join us at the Maria Mitchell Aquarium to learn how to identify green crabs! We will compare them to local species and show you how to tell their sex. This is also a great opportunity to seek advice about the 2nd Annual Nantucket Green Crab Derby! This program is FREE and designed for children ages 5 and up. All children must be accompanied by an adult.


Tuesday, August 9th

2nd Annual Green Crab Derby

Maria Mitchell Association Aquarium 12pm-4pm

Help the Maria Mitchell Association and the Nantucket Land Council fight the green crab invasion by participating in the 2nd annual Nantucket Green Crab Derby! Participate in a team of up to 4 to help us maintain healthy marine habitats and for a chance to win prizes! Rules and prize details are detailed in the reservation process. All eligible crabs must be delivered to the Maria Mitchell Aquarium between 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM on Friday July 16th to be submitted for prizes. Registration is required, click here to learn more.


Wednesday, August 10th

Green Crab Fertilizer Workshop with the Nantucket Land Council

Sustainable Nantucket Community Institute at 168 Hummock Pond Road 10am-12pm

In collaboration with the Nantucket Land Council, please join us for this free, fun, and exciting way to help control the population of the invasive green crab, all while creating an environmentally friendly fertilizer for your garden. For folks to make their own green crab fertilizer, they should bring completely waterproof boots they're comfortable crushing dead crabs with, as well as a sealable bottle or jar to take home their fertilizer. We will provide crabs, coolers, vinegar, and take-home fertilizer instructions. This program is FREE and designed for children ages 5 and up. All children must be accompanied by an adult, click here to register.


Thursday, August 11th

Nantucket Green Crab Survey by Wading & Hand Net

Hither Creek Beach Access (Around 24 Massachusetts Ave.) 4pm-5pm

Join Maria Mitchell Aquarium Director, Jack Dubinsky, on a survey for invasive European green crabs! This survey will be a part of the MMA Nantucket Green Crab Community Science Survey that you can do yourself at any time! In this session, we will be using the wading with hand net method. This program is FREE and designed for children ages 5 and up. All children must be accompanied by an adult, click here to register.


Friday, August 12th

Nantucket Green Crab Survey by Bait & Line

Madaket Beach Parking Lot 11am-12pm

Join Maria Mitchell Aquarium Director, Jack Dubinsky, on a survey for invasive European green crabs! This survey will be a part of the MMA Nantucket Green Crab Community Science Survey that you can do yourself at any time! In this session, we will be using the wading with hand net method. This program is FREE and designed for children ages 5 and up. All children must be accompanied by an adult, click here to register.

For Immediate Release

August 8, 2022

Contact: Tess McCarthy, Communications and Marketing Intern

marketinginterns@mariamitchell.org

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NANTUCKET, MA—The Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) invites the community to “Dark and Quiet: Astronomy in the Age of Satellite Constellation” presented by Dr. Joshua Reding for its April Science Speaker Series. This free presentation will take place Wednesday, April 15 from 7 – 8pm on Zoom. In the past decade, the number of active satellites in Earth’s orbit has grown by a factor of 10. This breakneck growth in the commercial space industry has turned entrepreneur, investor, and policymaker eyes to the skies, but in the process has boxed out the historic stewards of the space domain: scientists. Explorers and pioneers across human history learned that uncharted territory hides unprecedented challenges, but the consequences of decisions made towards occupying the “final frontier” do not abide by international borders. Space operators therefore ignore the warnings and concerns of scientists not only at their own risk, but at the risk of everyone living under increasingly crowded skies. In this conversation, Dr. Josh Reding will explain how astronomers are trying to inform and guide policymaking for the rapidly changing space environment, both informally through volunteer action and advocacy and formally in domestic and international policy forums. Dr. Reding is an optical astronomer by training and now a radio spectrum manager by profession. He completed his B.A. with a double major in Astronomy-Physics and Philosophy at Colgate University, and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Physics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research investigated unusual white dwarf stars that likely formed in stellar mergers as “failed” supernovae and he has also designed astronomical instrument components and installed them at world-class observatories. Concurrent with the completion of his Ph.D., Reding began his professional science policy career as a North Carolina STEM Policy Fellow in the NC Department of Commerce’s Office of Science, Technology & Innovation. He was then selected for the American Association for the Advancement of Science Science & Technology Policy Fellowship, which places scientists in federal offices as expert contributors to ongoing agency missions. This event will be held via Zoom. Pre-registration is required. To register for the free, virtual event, use the registration link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5MoAybp5QHCasQ0QE5xmgQ#/registration The Science Speaker Series is generously sponsored by the Maria Mitchell Association’s lead sponsor, Bank of America. The Maria Mitchell Association was founded in 1902 to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. After she discovered a comet in 1847, Mitchell’s international fame led to many achievements and awards, including an appointment as the first professor of astronomy at Vassar College. Maria Mitchell believed in “learning by doing” and today that philosophy is reflected in the MMA’s mission statement, programs, research projects, and other activities. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages. ###
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