Invasive Species

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed a second 2025 sighting of the invasive Chinese mitten crab, captured alive in the Willamette River and reported in mid-November, according to a Tuesday news release. The find is about 150 miles from an April capture on the lower Columbia River, and ODFW—working with USFWS, Portland State’s Center for Lakes and Reservoirs, and the Oregon Invasive Species Council—has begun targeted monitoring using artificial habitats and eDNA sampling; the crab is prohibited to possess or sell in the state.