Charles Epifanio, interim director of the University of Delaware's School of Marine Science and Policy, says the concern is that mitten crabs may prove to be a competitor for the native blue crabs.
The mitten crab is named for the fur-like growths on its claws that give the appearance of wearing dark-colored mittens. The Chinese crabs were found several years ago in the Mid-Atlantic, and are believed to have been brought here in the ballast water of ships.