The present study was undertaken to determine the energy value and chemical composition of the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis Milne-Edwards, 1854, which is one of a few newcomers to the Baltic Sea. The average energy value of the studied specimens of E. sinensis was 10.96 +/- 2.11 J mg(-1) DW (15.30 +/- 2.42 J mg(-1) AFDW). Carbon was the major constituent of E. sinensis (33.2 +/- 3.5% DW), whereas the nitrogen and hydrogen content was 6.3 +/- 0.5 and 4.7 +/- 0.5% DW, respectively. The organic C:N ratio in E. sinensis was 4.8 +/- 0.6, on average.