Join us for a Rally and Press Conference Urging Governor Hochul to Sign the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act into Law!
Horseshoe crabs have existed for over 350 million years, having shared this planet with the dinosaurs. Sadly, the species is now vulnerable to local extinction unless action is taken soon. Horseshoe crab populations are being depleted! Commercial fishermen catch them and chop them up for use as bait for conch and eel. Horseshoe crabs are an essential species in the food web—a decline in their population is harming the ecosystem and threatening bird species that depend upon the crabs for food.
The New York State Legislature passed a bill to ban harvesting of horseshoe crabs. Now Governor Hochul needs to act and sign this critical legislation into law this year!
Join us for a rally and press conference and urge Governor Hochul to sign the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act into law!
When: Tuesday, October 7th at 11:00 am
Where: The WaterFront Center, 1 West End Ave, Oyster Bay, NY
Even if you cannot attend the rally, you can still help! Email Governor Hochul today and urge her to sign this important bill into law!
Background
Why are Horseshoe Crabs Important?
Horseshoe Crabs are an integral part of the ecosystem and act as a keystone species in the food web. Each spring, horseshoe crabs travel from deep Atlantic waters to the shore for their breeding season. Beaches are stormed with mating horseshoe crabs, with females laying tens of thousands of eggs at a time in clusters buried under the sand. Every year, horseshoe crabs lay their eggs on beaches at full and new moon high tides from April to June.
Millions of shorebirds stop along our Atlantic beaches to nourish themselves on horseshoe crab eggs. These eggs are the single most important food source for migrating shorebirds, including threatened birds, such as the Red Knot. Experts predict that the Red Knot may become extinct in the coming years, unless more protective measures are undertaken to protect horseshoe crabs. The Red Knot was listed as an endangered species in May of this year. Furthermore, sharks, sea turtles, sportfish and other species also feed on horseshoe crabs, making them a critical component of the food web.
Biomedical Uses
The blood of horseshoe crabs contains a critical component, Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate, known as LAL. This unique compound clots when exposed to bacteria or bacterial endotoxins. Some medical equipment and devices such as IV tubing are also tested with LAL. Currently, scientists have created synthetic compounds that reproduce LAL, which are now being used by Pfizer, Eli Lilly and other leading pharmaceutical companies. There have been NO permits issued in over a decade for the harvesting of horseshoe crabs for medical uses in NY waters. All the permitted harvesting of horseshoe crabs is for fishing.
Horseshoe Crabs Under Threat
For decades, horseshoe crabs were looked upon as unimportant to our waters. They are slow to mature and therefore are susceptible to harvesting pressures. Horseshoe crabs were once used as fertilizer and livestock feed, which almost led to their populations being wiped out in the 1940s. In the 1970s, the population recovered only to see resurgence in their use as bait for eel, conch, and whelk fisheries. The horseshoe crabs are chopped up and used as bait by commercial fisherman.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission reported horseshoe crab stocks have been in decline for at least 15 years. Horseshoe crab populations were rated as “good” in 2009 but declined to “poor” in 2019. Newly published research shows horseshoe crab populations in Long Island Sound are falling by up to 9% each year, according to more than four decades of monitoring data. Study sites for this data include the Inner & Outer Norwalk Harbor, Manhasset Bay, Little Neck Bay, Central Sound, Peconic Bay, and Niantic Bay. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature has listed horseshoe crabs as vulnerable to local extinction in our region. The importance of horseshoe crabs to our ecosystem and the growing threat to the survival of the species had led other states, including Delaware, Connecticut, and New Jersey, to implement policies banning the taking of horseshoe crabs.
New York State Needs a Ban on Horseshoe Crab Harvesting
This year, the New York State Senate and Assembly introduced and passed the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act (S.4289 / A.4997), which prohibits the taking of horseshoe crabs for commercial and biomedical uses. This legislation will allow New York to restore the population of horseshoe crabs and ensure the survival of this species for future generations. Neighboring states, including Connecticut, have already enacted similar legislation. It is time for NY to step up and ban the harvesting of horseshoe crabs—Governor Hochul must sign this important bill into law!
Thank you for taking action!
Sincerely,
All of Us at CCE
