June 15, 2017 — State Senator Bruce Tarr and state Representative Brad Hill were among those who turned out at Tonno in Gloucester June 12 to try owner Anthony Caturano’s best soft-shell green crab dish. The tasting was the latest for the Ipswich-based Green Crab R&D Project , which is addressing the invasive species problem by creating a market for its use. In recent weeks, green crab also has appeared at the Ipswich Ale Brewery and at Woodman’s in Essex. “We’ve been on a full-court press to try to confront the green crab from an environmental perspective and an economic perspective, but if we can find a way to market them, then the market forces will control the population,” Tarr said. Caturano’s creation received high praise all around. “I’m a big seafood person,” Hill said, “and if you’re a fan of seafood, this is something you’re going to like.”