Well, I believe C. sapidus has been transplanted to the Mediterranean where it has actually become important.
But that's not where it's most famous, practically the city's mascot: Baltimore, Maryland. Come to think of it, it is the official state crustacean of the state of Maryland.
Blue crabs have been overfished, but aside from conservation I have absolutely no moral qualms about cooking and eating them. You really should try one.
Eating crabs directly from the shell takes some skill and practice and is very messy, so I'd recommend starting with a good crab cake. It must be Baltimore style, though; what passes for a "crab cake" out here on the West Coast is essentially compressed sawdust.