Invasion
Invasion Description
Marthas Vineyard/MA/Vineyard Sound (Gould 1841)
Geographic Extent
Marthas Vineyard/MA/Vineyard Sound (Gould 1841; Verrill and Smith 1873); "Buzzards Bay, Vineyard Sound, and the various connecting ponds and estuaries" (Sumner et al. 1910).
Vectors
| Level | Vector |
|---|---|
| Alternate | Dry Ballast |
| Alternate | Hull Fouling |
| Alternate | Natural Dispersal |
Regional Impacts
| Economic Impact | Fisheries | |
| Carcinus maenas is a major predator in invertebrate communities in Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound. Studies of its effects on Mercenaria mercenaria (Quahaug; Hard Clam) populations in coastal lagoons ('salt ponds') on Martha's Vineyard indicate that C. maenas is a major source of mortality to clam populations. Evidence for this includes caging (predator exclusion) and massive removal experiments (Walton et al. 1999; Walton and Walton 2001; Walton et al. 2002). | ||
| Ecological Impact | Predation | |
| Carcinus maenas is a major predator on commercial shellfish in Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound. Studies of its effects on Mercenaria mercenaria (Quahaug; Hard Clam) populations in coastal lagoons ('salt ponds') on Martha's Vineyard indicate that C. maenas is a major source of mortality to clam populations. Evidence for this includes caging (predator exclusion) and massive removal experiments (Walton et al. 1999; Walton and Walton 2001). This species is well-known as a shellfish pest in this area. | ||