Octopus reinforcements deployed in Adriatic blue crab battle

Italian scientists are releasing thousands of tiny octopuses into the Adriatic Sea in an experimental effort to combat an invasive North American blue crab species that has devastated local fisheries, The Local Italy reported this week. The octopuses, released from a fishing trawler, are intended to prey on the crabs, which have spread rapidly along the Italian coast.

The blue crab, a voracious predator with no natural enemies in the Mediterranean, has caused significant damage to shellfish farms and fishing grounds, particularly in the northern Adriatic. The region's clam and mussel harvests have suffered heavy losses, and fishermen have reported finding their nets filled with the crabs instead of their usual catch.