The spread of blue crabs in Albanian waters is increasing the damage to fishermen, who already see its consumption as the only solution. The crab that has come from the shores of the Gulf of Mexico in recent years is blocking nets and damaging the ecosystem, putting thousands of families living on fishing in difficulty.
It appears impressive in the Adriatic coast with its legs and claws that have given it the name "blue crab", but for the fishermen, it is turning, as they say, into a real curse.
"We named it 'alien' because it came that way and it is bringing us great consequences," says Besmir Hoxha, a fisherman in Divjaka who runs his family of five by fishing.
"It has been about six or seven years that this crab has become very problematic, it has entered the lagoons, it has adapted to the place here and we are not able to remove it. We named him "alien" because does not leaves you alone. "With its legs, she breaks the net," he says.
As Stilian Kisha approaches after 6 hours at sea on the shores of Divjaka with his boat, he has fished more crabs than fish for today.
"You see this invader yourself, the crab along with the fish is also damaging the nets that cost a lot", says Stiliani.
‘Besides fish our materials, our nets that are costly, hurt us. "In a three-month season where we fish sepia, we have to prepare the net two or three times to be able to fish."
"The blue crab is an invasive species that has spread rapidly in recent years in Albanian waters," says Ervin Allushi, a biologist at the Divjaka-Karavasta National Park Protected Areas Agency.
"The blue crab is an invasive species that originated in the West Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. We see it in the last ten years in Albanian waters and all over the Mediterranean. It is an invasive type that disrupts the natural balance of underwater creatures, but it is also a concern for fishermen as it damages their nets, but also damages the amount of fish they fish while hunting.
While the damage caused by blue crab is increasing not only in the maritime areas from Shengjin to Saranda, but also in rivers and lagoons, fishermen are skeptical about finding a solution. Fisherman Besmir Hoxha says that there is no market for this as the only solution would be its consumption.
"From year to year the fish is decreasing. Because it does not let the fish rest, come to graze on the seashore, find food and tease the fishes all the time. We did not find a solution because there is no sale. "If there were sales like the fish, we would hunt crabs."
Biologist Allushi also sees the improvement of the situation in the increase of consumption.
"Fishermen are skeptical because the number of crabs increases as they multiply at a rapid rate. "The only thing we can say is the greater consumption by humans and their greater collection at sea or in lagoons by fishermen."
In Albania, the blue crab is bought from some restaurants where a kilogram is solt for about 1 dollar. Fishing is generally at its survival, says Stilian.
"We fish with handicrafts, we make the boats ourselves, who has a small engine and he has defects because there is no maintenance. We have the seashore bare and unprotected and it makes the sea strong. These are survival conditions."