[knowfish]

DEEP advises that the Chinese Mitten crab has been found in a few rivers in Southern Ct. The Mitten crab is an invasive species and is named for having hairy claws. Its carapace width is about 4 inches and its legs are about twice the shell width. It spends it juvenile life in fresh water and migrates to salt water to spawn. The female returns to brackish water to deposit the eggs after spending the winter offshore. The hatchlings then move back to fresh water. There is a market for the crabs in Asia and people pay good money for its meat. It is thought that the crab has made its way to the Eastern U.S. in the ballast water of ships. It is yet unclear what impact they will have in CT. waters and more study and information is needed . If you happen on one of these crabs please let DEEP know where you found it. There's a good amount of info and pictures on Google.Check it out.