Horseshoe Crabs have been around for 450 million years but are now declining rapidly due to over harvesting. These primeval creatures were living in the oceans before the rise of dinosaurs but are now considered endangered by many scientists.

They spend most of their time in the deep ocean but come to east coast beaches during the June full moon to lay eggs, rendering them vulnerable to harvesting.

This spring, the state Senate and Assembly passed the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act (S.3185A / A.10140), which prohibits the commercial and biomedical use of horseshoe crabs.

This legislation would join New York in the efforts of our neighbor states to restore horseshoe crab populations and ensure the survival of this ancient species.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation allows fishermen to take 150,000 crabs annually. Since 2000, more than 4 million horseshoe crabs have been killed in Long Island waters alone.

Bans in New Jersey and Connecticut have put more pressure on horseshoe crabs in New York.

The crabs taken in NY waters are primarily chopped up to use as bait for eel and whelk fisheries. There are no biomedical use permits in NY.

The fate of the Horseshoe crabs is directly tied to the survival of the Federally Threatened Red Knot shorebirds.

These 4-ounce birds time their arrival to the June breeding cycle of the crabs and depend on feeding on the protein rich crab eggs before continuing the last leg of their 9000-mile journey.

Many other shorebirds gather on the beaches during the crab mating season to get a feeding boost before the rigors of nesting and raising young.

The Center for Biological Diversity and 22 partner organizations has petitioned NOAA Fisheries to list the American horseshoe crab as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. Horseshoe crab populations have crashed in recent decades because of overharvesting and habitat loss.

In September a letter from over 50 New York environmental and waterfront organizations was sent to Governor Hochul, urging her to sign the Act into law.

“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, Massachusetts, and  New Jersey, to implement policies limiting or banning the taking of horseshoe crabs. New Jersey’s ban went into effect in 2008 and Connecticut’s ban went into effect in 2023. It’s time for New York to join in this preservation effort. This session, the NY Senate and Assembly passed the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act (S.3185A / A.10140), which prohibits the taking of horseshoe crabs for commercial and biomedical uses. This legislation will allow New York to join in the efforts of our neighboring states to restore the population of horseshoe crabs and ensure the survival of this crucial species for future generations. We urge Governor Hochul to sign the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act (S.3185A / A.10140) into law this year.”

The Governor needs to hear from citizens and can be contacted at correspondence.office@exec.ny.gov