Beach walkers urged to report any sightings of 'invasive' blue crab

The first blue crab sighting in Ireland on February 15, 2021, on Dollymount Strand. Picture: Ruth McManus / National Biodiversity Data Centre

It may be a pleasantly exotic surprise when roaming the beach, but the public has been told that any sightings of blue crabs should be reported to biodiversity experts as soon as possible.

The National Biodiversity Data Centre, the organisation which collects and analyses data on Ireland’s biological diversity, warned that the first official blue crab sighting on the country's shores could be a sign that they have entered the Irish ecosystem, potentially threatening the existing environment.