Italy Releases 130,000 Octopuses to Fight Invasive Crabs

Italy is facing what could only be described as a unique environmental problem, and the nation’s response to it is equally unorthodox. In the face of an Atlantic blue crab invasion in the Adriatic Sea, Italian scientists are releasing approximately 130,000 octopuses into the water.

The image of thousands of baby octopuses being released into the sea might sound like the beginning of a particularly strange science-fiction movie. However, the project is an attempt to work with an existing part of the ecosystem rather than introduce another foreign species to deal with the first one. Researchers don’t expect the octopuses to completely wipe out the blue crabs. Instead, the goal is to introduce a native predator that could keep the invasive population under control.

The Crab Causing the Problem Isn't From There

The Atlantic blue crab is native to the western portion of the Atlantic Ocean, including areas along the eastern United States and the Gulf Coast. So when the invasive blue crabs made their way into the Adriatic Sea, it began to throw the entire ecosystem into a state of chaos.

Recent scientific research describes the species as one of the Mediterranean's rapidly expanding marine invaders, with documented impacts on fisheries and coastal ecosystems. Blue crabs are considered opportunistic feeders and aggressive predators. They routinely compete with other predators for the same food sources, a fact that has a ripple effect in an already balanced ecosystem. For coastal communities whose livelihoods depend on fishing and aquaculture, that creates a problem that is both ecological and economic.

Italian Fisheries Are Feeling the Pressure

One of the most prominent examples of the blue crab invasion damaging the area’s economy comes from the Sacca di Goro lagoon in the Po Delta, an important area for Manila clam production. In 2025, a study published in “Science of the Total Environment” found that Manila clam farming biomass in the lagoon declined by roughly 71.8% following the blue crab invasion. Researchers estimated the associated annual losses at approximately €65 million. Small-scale fisheries also experienced losses involving native fish and crustaceans.

The same study found that the emerging blue crab industry wasn’t enough to offset he damage. In 2023, the blue crab supply chain generated a positive economic impact for the area. However, by 2024, researchers determined that it had negatively affected the local economy after accounting for failing market prices and disposal costs.

On the surface, it may seem like local fisheries should just catch and sell as many blue crabs as possible. Unfortunately, when there are too many crabs for the local market to absorb, harvesting alone cannot solve the problem.

Why Are Researchers Using Octopuses?

The common octopus, which researchers are releasing into the sea, is already a natural part of the area’s ecosystem. Scientists hope that by releasing a species that already lives in the region, they’ll be able to offset the damage caused by the Atlantic blue crab without causing further issues for the ecosystem.

"We are not introducing a new species but working on strengthening the population of a native species already naturally present in the Adriatic," Antonio Casalini, an aquaculture research technician at the University of Bologna, told reporters.

Scientists Are Giving the Young Octopuses Somewhere to Hide

Unfortunately, scientists acknowledge that a large portion of the baby octopuses being released as part of the Octo-Blue Project may die. However, researchers are providing them with somewhere to hide. Scientists have installed artificial dens in the water to help provide the octopuses with a source of refuge.

That's important because the paralarvae are extremely vulnerable during their early development. Providing additional habitat could potentially increase their chances of surviving long enough to mature.

The Blue Crabs Are Reproducing Extremely Quickly

Finally, the invasion is difficult to deal with because of how rapidly the blue crab can reproduce. Recent research into blue crab populations in northern Adriatic lagoons found that females can produce roughly 2.4 million eggs and that reproduction peaks during the spring and summer.

Researchers are trying to better understand where the young crabs are able to survive and grow. A separate 2026 study found that factors including refuge availability, salinity and connections between lagoons and the sea can influence the abundance of juvenile blue crabs.

Ultimately, it will take some time before the octopuses are big enough to actually help control the blue crab population. The hope is that by the time they mature, those that survive will be able to help restore the natural balance of the Adriatic Sea.

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