Nicole Zehner
Blue Crabs in Italy: Laws and Tactics for Invasive Species Elimination
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Blue Crabs in Italy: Laws and Tactics for Invasive Species Elimination
Carey School of Law student Nicole Zehner traveled to Vento, Italy, which has contended with an invasion of blue crabs. Considered a luxury with a depleted population in the Chesapeake, blue crabs in Italy are bountiful and robust, eating off oysters relied upon by local fishermen. Nicole wanted to research how the blue crab invasion could have been prevented and how they are being mitigated in Vento now. Invasive species create not only complex international legal questions, but also cultural, social, and political responses. And seeing how people responded to a species that was not only known, but beloved in Baltimore, seemed like an opportunity she couldn't miss.
"Ultimately, my trip to Italy was not the one I had imagined. Instead of formal interviews, I found myself learning through unexpected openings—through shared meals, casual conversations, and following the leads of those willing to speak. I left with fewer institutional perspectives, but a much deeper appreciation for the human dimension of invasive species law. I listened differently, and in doing so, I uncovered a richer, more nuanced understanding of the crab invasion. In many ways, it was the locals who gave me the most valuable legal insight by showing me how law, policy, and ecology are lived out in everyday practice. This experience will shape how I approach my legal studies moving forward. My time in Italy showed me that scholarship is as much about resilience and adaptability as it is about expertise."