[BCNnet] FW: Major Victory on Horseshoe Crabs/Shorebirds

Sat, 1 Mar 2003 15:34:10 -0600

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BCNnet friends –

Here’s great news form the American Bird Conservancy.

Donald R. Dann
Highland Park/Lake County

DELAWARE AND NEW JERSEY CLOSE DELAWARE BAY AND ALL SPAWNING BEACHES TO
HORSESHOE CRAB HARVEST, MAY 1-JUNE 7: A SIGNIFICANT CONSERVATION VICTORY!

At the February 26 meeting in Virginia of the Horseshoe Crab Management
Board of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, Delaware and New
Jersey officials announced a major decision to close all horseshoe crab
harvesting in the Delaware Bay between May 1 and June 7. This includes
closing all spawning beaches to harvest during this critical period for
spawning crabs and feeding shorebirds.  This is the peak time when the crabs
come ashore to spawn.  All crabs taken in NJ are from beaches and 2/3 of
crabs taken in DE are from spawning beaches.  The crabs are taken for use as
bait in conch and eel pots as the crabs are easily picked off the beaches,
which ends their spawning and disturbs shorebirds and makes less eggs
available for feeding.
Delaware and New Jersey also agreed to cap their harvest at 150,000 crabs
each, nearly one-half of 2002 levels and they will require all conch potters
to use bait-saving devices such as bait bags (already required in Virginia).
These bags, advocated and given out free by ABC, can reduce crab use by 50%.
Restrictions will also be imposed on access to state and federal beaches
during the May 1-June 7 peak spawning time. This will apply to bird
watchers, beach goers, local residents, and researchers alike.  TAKE NOTE
ABC BIRDERS: SOME BEACHES MAY BE CLOSED TO BIRDING MAY 1-JUNE 7; OTHERS MAY
BE RESTRICTED.
The states of NJ and DE have also agreed to seek funding to stabilize and
enhance horseshoe crab spawning beaches, to conduct outreach and education
programs to sensitize people to not disturbing the crabs/birds (e.g. dogs
running on the beaches), and funding will be pursued for research into
alternative baits and trap designs that will reduce the pressure on the crab
population.
Significantly, the reason cited for the closure was concern over shorebird
declines, particularly Red Knots, linked to decreased crab egg availability.
About 90% of the world’s Red Knot (Rufa subspecies) population flies from
Tierra del Fuego each spring to feed voraciously on horseshoe crab eggs in
the Delaware Bay. Recent crab declines, confirmed by the 2002 Delaware Bay
trawl survey, have meant that many of these shorebirds are not gaining
sufficient weight to migrate to the arctic and successfully breed. Dunlins,
Semipalmated Sandpipers, Ruddy Turnstones, and Sanderlings are also highly
dependent on crab eggs.
ABC and Policy Council groups, including National and New Jersey Audubon
Societies, Delmarva Ornithological Society, and Defenders of Wildlife, along
with leading international scientists from Canada, Argentina, Brazil, and
Europe, had urged New Jersey and Delaware to put a halt to the harvest to
protect Red Knot populations.  ABC participated and served as a panelist in
a two day workshop in Philadelphia in November convened by the FWS on
horseshoe crabs and shorebirds with key state officials from NJ and DE.  ABC
also attended another crab/shorebird workshop in Dover, DE earlier in
February that led to that state's actions.
Despite past actions by the states and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries
Commission to reduce crab harvest for bait, reported harvests went up by in
2002 by 25% to 1.257 million crabs Much of this increase occurred in
Delaware (up 22.5% from 2001), Maryland (up 63%), and New Jersey (up 7.6%).
Maryland exceeded its voluntary quota by 67,000 crabs before closing its
harvest. Now, responding to requests by DE and NJ for other states to
further limit harvest, Maryland has also agreed to maintain a voluntary cap
of 211,000 crabs while saying it will endeavor to keep landings even lower
at 170,000, its 2001 level.
The Delaware and New Jersey crab harvest limitations will be implemented
through emergency regulations. These or other restrictions will later be
made permanent.
Thanks to all who helped make these conservation efforts happen.  Shorebirds
clearly will benefit as will horseshoe crabs and the entire web of life
dependent on the crabs.

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<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3DEmailStyle17><font size=3D4 =
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mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"'>BCNnet friends =
&#8211;<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>

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<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3DEmailStyle17><font size=3D4 =
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face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"'>Here&#8217;s great news form the =
American
Bird Conservancy.<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3DEmailStyle17><font size=3D4 =
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Donald R. =
Dann<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3DEmailStyle17><font size=3D4 =
color=3Dblack
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"'>Highland Park/Lake =
County<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3DEmailStyle17><font size=3D4 =
color=3Dblack
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
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<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
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color=3Dblack><span =
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/p>

<p><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;
color:black'>DELAWARE AND NEW JERSEY CLOSE DELAWARE BAY AND ALL SPAWNING
BEACHES TO HORSESHOE CRAB HARVEST, MAY 1-JUNE 7: A SIGNIFICANT =
CONSERVATION VICTORY!</span></font><font
color=3Dblack><span =
style=3D'color:black;mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font><=
/p>

<p><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;
color:black'>&nbsp;</span></font><font color=3Dblack><span =
style=3D'color:black;
mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

At the February 26 meeting in Virginia of the Horseshoe =
Crab
Management Board of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries
Commission,&nbsp;Delaware and New Jersey officials announced =
a&nbsp;major
decision to close all horseshoe crab harvesting in the Delaware Bay =
between May
1 and June 7. This includes closing all spawning beaches to harvest =
during
this&nbsp;critical period&nbsp;for spawning crabs and feeding =
shorebirds.&nbsp;
This&nbsp;is the peak time when the crabs come ashore to spawn.&nbsp; =
All crabs
taken in NJ are from beaches and 2/3 of crabs taken in DE are from =
spawning
beaches.&nbsp; The crabs are taken for use as bait in conch and eel pots =
as the
crabs are easily picked off the beaches, which ends their spawning and =
disturbs
shorebirds and makes less eggs available for feeding.<o:p></o:p><=
/p>

Delaware and New Jersey also agreed to cap their harvest at
150,000 crabs each, nearly one-half of 2002 levels and they will require =
all
conch potters&nbsp;to use bait-saving devices such as bait bags (already
required in Virginia). These bags, advocated and given out free by ABC, =
can
reduce crab use by 50%. Restrictions will also be imposed on access to =
state
and federal beaches during the May 1-June 7 peak spawning time. This =
will apply
to bird watchers, beach goers, local residents, and researchers =
alike.&nbsp; TAKE
NOTE ABC BIRDERS: SOME BEACHES MAY BE CLOSED TO BIRDING MAY 1-JUNE 7; =
OTHERS
MAY BE RESTRICTED. <o:p></o:p>

The states of NJ and DE have also agreed to seek funding to
stabilize and enhance horseshoe crab spawning beaches, to conduct =
outreach and
education programs to sensitize people to not disturbing the crabs/birds =
(e.g.
dogs running on the beaches), and funding will be pursued for research =
into
alternative baits and trap designs that will reduce the pressure on the =
crab
population. <o:p></o:p>

Significantly, the reason cited for the closure was concern =
over
shorebird declines, particularly Red Knots, linked to decreased crab egg
availability. About 90% of the world&#8217;s Red Knot =
(Rufa
subspecies)&nbsp;population flies from Tierra del Fuego each spring to =
feed
voraciously on horseshoe crab eggs in the Delaware Bay. Recent crab =
declines,
confirmed by the 2002 Delaware Bay trawl survey, have meant that many of =
these
shorebirds are not gaining sufficient weight to migrate to the arctic =
and
successfully breed. Dunlins, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Ruddy Turnstones, =
and
Sanderlings are also highly dependent on crab eggs.<o:p></o:p><=
/p>

<p><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;
color:black'>ABC and&nbsp;Policy Council&nbsp;groups, including National =
and
New Jersey Audubon Societies,&nbsp;Delmarva Ornithological Society,
and&nbsp;Defenders of Wildlife, along with leading international =
scientists
from Canada, Argentina, Brazil, and Europe, had urged New Jersey and =
Delaware
to put a halt to the harvest to protect Red Knot populations.&nbsp; ABC
participated and served as a panelist in a two day workshop in =
Philadelphia in
November convened by the FWS on horseshoe crabs and shorebirds with key =
state
officials from NJ and DE.&nbsp; ABC&nbsp;also attended another =
crab/shorebird
workshop in Dover, DE earlier in February that led to that state's
actions.&nbsp; </span></font><font color=3Dblack><span =
style=3D'color:black;
mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

Despite past actions by the states and the Atlantic States =
Marine
Fisheries Commission to reduce crab harvest for bait, reported harvests =
went up
by in 2002 by&nbsp;25% to 1.257 million crabs Much of this increase =
occurred in
Delaware (up 22.5% from 2001), Maryland (up 63%), and New Jersey (up =
7.6%). Maryland
exceeded its voluntary quota by 67,000 crabs before closing its harvest. =
Now,
responding to requests by DE and NJ for other states to further limit =
harvest,
Maryland has also agreed to maintain a voluntary cap of 211,000 crabs =
while
saying it will endeavor to keep landings even lower at 170,000, its 2001 =
level.<o:p></o:p><=
/p>

The Delaware and New Jersey crab harvest limitations =
will&nbsp;be
implemented&nbsp;through emergency regulations. These or other
restrictions&nbsp;will later be made permanent.<o:p></o:p><=
/p>

Thanks to all who helped make these conservation efforts
happen.&nbsp; Shorebirds clearly will benefit as will horseshoe crabs =
and the
entire web of life dependent on the crabs. <o:p></o:p><=
/p>

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