Mussel farmers in northern France are grappling with a deepening crisis as spider crabs devastate their crops. A prized marine resource themselves, the crustaceans have become relentless predators of mussels and other shellfish – threatening the future of the industry.
In the gulf between Brittany and Normandy, the spider crab population has exploded fourfold over the past decade. They’re fished year-round these days, no longer just from early autumn to early spring.
