IN SIGHT. TED: TE -- TED: A YEAR AGO ON THE NEW HAMPSHIRE SEACOAST, WE GOT A REPORT ABOUT A VERY REAL PROBLEM, THE EXPLODING GREEN CRAB POPULATION. THIS SPRING IN BIDDEFORD, WE CHECKED IN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND MARINE LAB FOR AN UPDATE. >> UNFORTUNATELY, YOU SEE THE PROBLEM GETTING WORSE? >> ABSOLUTELY. TED: NOT THAT THIS MARINE SCIENCES PROFESSOR ISN’T TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY. GREEN CRABS FIRST REACHED THE EAST COAST ABOUT 200 YEARS AGO VIA SHIPPING FROM EUROPE BUT TODAY, RISING SEA TEMPERATURES >> THEY MULTIPLY IN NUMBERS FOR TO MUCH UNPRECEDENTED. THAT LEADS TO COMPETITION WITH NATIVE SPECIES, THEY EAT ALL THE AVAILABLE FOOD AND THEREFORE IT LEADS TO MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DAMAGE. TED: GREEN CRABS DON’T PLAY WELL WITH OUR NATIVE SPECIES, JONAH CRABS AND ROCK CRABS. YOU MIGHT WONDER, WHY CAN’T THE BIGGER HOMETOWN BOYS AND GIRLS FEND FOR THEMSELVES AGAINST THE METER BUT SMALLER GREEN BULLIES? >> THE GREEN CRABS GO FOR THE JUVENILE ONES. TED: FRIEDRICH AND HIS TEAM ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY GREEN CRABS ARE HEARTIER AND HARDER TO KILL THE NATIVE SPECIES. I TAKE IT THIS IS NOT ACTUALLY A MINI MARINE PLANET FITNESS FOR CRABS? >> IT IS A TREADMILL THAT ALLOWS US TO MEASURE HOW WELL CRABS PERFORM IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT. ♪ TED: AS IF ALL THAT WASN’T BAD ENOUGH, IN RECENT YEARS GREEN CRABS HAVE OPENED A SECOND FRONT FROM THE NORTH, INVADING THE GULF OF MAINE FROM THE CANADIAN MARITIMES. AND THESE GUYS ARE CRABBY OR THAN ANY CRABS FRIEDRICH HAS SEEN. >> THEY ARE SCARY. AND THE REALLY BAD NEWS IS, IF WE THINK IT IS BAD NOW, IN 15 YEARS WHEN ALL THOSE CANADIAN CRABS COME DOWN HERE IT WILL BE WAY WORSE. TED: THE SCREEN CRABS COMING DOWN FROM THE MARITIMES, THEY ARE NOT FOLLOWING - THE GREEN CRABS COMING DOWN FROM THE MARITIMES, THEY ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE CANADIAN ETHOS? >> THEY DID NOT GET THE MEMO. TED: THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND CAMPUS AS A REMINDER THAT ONLY MINUTES FROM DOWNTOWN BIDDEFORD LIE STUNNING VIEWS OF THE WATER. A MORE HIDDEN GEM WITH EXPANSIVE VIEWS. >> THE PENINSULA STICKING OUT IN THE OCEAN. YOU HAVE TO GO NORTH OR SOUTH TO FIND ANOTHER PROMINENT SPOT LIKE THIS. TED: DOUG IS WITH THE AUDUBON SOCIETY WHICH OWNS EIGHT POINT -- EASTPOINTE SANCTUARY IN BIDDEFORD. THE BIRDLIFE EAR IS EXTENSIVE, SOMETIMES ATTRACTING SNOWY OWLS INTO MAY. BUT NOT EVERYONE IS LOOKING FOR A FLYCATCHER HERE. >> THOSE GREAT TRAIL SYSTEM HEAR THE GOES AROUND THE COAST AND RIGHT UP TO THE WATER, YOU CAN SEE THE ISLAND, THE BEAUTIFUL LIGHTHOUSE. ♪ TED: SINCE THE AUDUBON SOCIETY ALSO OWNS THE 35 ACRE ISLAND -- MOST OF THE 35 ACRE ISLAND, OUR CURIOSITY WAS PIQUED. OUR FRIENDS AT THE MARINE LAB OFFERED AS A CLOSER LOOK, AND WE MADE OUR WAY DOWN THE RIVER INTO SACO BAY AND THE ATLANTIC. >> IS ONE OF THE OLDEST LIGHTS IN MAINE. TED: IT IS ONE OF ONLY TWO ISLAND LIGHTHOUSES IN MAINE WITH REGULAR TOURS, BUT THIS ONE MIGHT WELL HAVE BEEN LOST. >> IN 2003 IT WAS ON THE LIST OF MOST-ENDANGERED LIGHTHOUSES. TED: THE FRIENDS OF THE LIGHT STEPPED IN, FUND RAISED, AND RESTORED THE HISTORIC PROPERTY TO ITS LOOK IN 1906. FROM JULY THROUGH AUGUST THE FRIENDS FAIRY VISITORS THREE MILES TO THE LIGHT, WERE A BOARDWALK LEADS VISITORS TO A UNIQUE DESTINATION. >> THERE AREN’T MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ON AN ISLAND AND THE SPECTACULAR VIEW. TED: AND A SPECTACULAR PRESERVATION EFFORT FOR SPECIAL LITTLE ISLAND CURIOUSLY CLOSE TO THE MAINLAND. >> WHEN YOU ARE IN THE LEE OF THE LIGHTHOUSE RIGHT HERE YOU ARE ONLY MINUTES FROM DOWNTOWN BIDDEFORD. >> I CAN HEAR THE ICE CREAM MAN GOING THROUGH BIDDEFORD WHILE YOU ARE ON THE ISLAND. IT’S A GREAT WAY TO SPEND A MORNING OR AFTERNOON AND A BEAUTIFUL PLACE IN MAINE. ANTHONY: FRIENDS OF THE WOOD ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE ARE GETTING READY FOR SUMMER. SHAYNA: VISITORS CAN GO BOATING TO THE ISLAND FOR THREE DAYS UNTIL AUGUST 31ST, BUT THEY RECOMMEND YOU BOOK IN ADVANCE. FOR MORE INFORMATION YOU CAN CHECK ON OUR WEB