As many of you probably know I am the founder of an organization known as the Friends of the Red Knot. I have contact with a state senator from Baltimore City who has expressed interest in the issue. In light of this years fiscal battle, our conversation has fizzled, but I'm looking to reopen the conversation as soon as I'm back in town. I have talked to Sen. Ferguson's staffer who has suggested a small delegation meet with the Senator to discuss the probability of meeting with Gov. O'Malley who is looking to build a presidential resum� and is using environmental issues as a main cornerstone of his base. The Red Knot issue is one that would look strong one the governor's record and he is someone who 'gets' environmental issues. If anyone would be interested in going with me to discuss these things once I have rekindled my dialogue please let me know!! I believe that the DOS Conservation Chair is interested in attending and Larry Niles and Patricia Gonzalez (the team leaders for groups studying knots on NJ and Argentina respectively) have also said they would support at such a meeting.
Mike H.
Baltimore City
On Jul 10, 2012, at 7:10 PM, Kurt Schwarz <krschwa1...> wrote:
> As I'm sure many of you know, the Red Knot is not a common bird in MD. And it has been in serious decline for decades, on the order of 75-90%. This in largely attributed to the horseshoe crab harvest. Horseshoe crab spawning in Delaware Bay fuels Red Knot migration in May and early June when the Red Knots arrive after a non-stop flight from northeast South America. They then must build body mass before embarking on the next and final leg to the breeding areas up in Canada. The Red Knot decline has occurred as the horseshoe crab harvest took off to provide bait for eel and conch fisheries. These delicacies are popular in Europe and Asia. New Jersey has halted its harvest and Delaware has curtailed it. But neither the horseshoe crab nor the Red Knot have bounced back. It turns out the Maryland leads the nation in horseshoe crab harvest. The Delaware Bay horseshoe crab population has been documented to occur in the MD waters, where they are subject to harvest.
>
> The Maryland Ornithological Society has written to the Governor and the Secretary for Natural Resources, seeking a moratorium on the bait harvest of the crabs. It would help the cause if individual birders also wrote. There are readily-available alternatives to horseshoe crab for eel and conch bait (cat food, chopped blue gills, dirty diapers� I am NOT kidding about the latter), though they don't work as well.
>
> The Anne Arundel Chapter of MOS began the campaign in May with an Op-Ed in the Washington POST. MOS has joined in, a little belatedly, but nevertheless. I invite you to join the swell, and consider writing yourself.
>
> You can write to Governor O'Malley at <governor...> and Secretary Griffin <jgriffin...>
>
> If you would like to see MOS' letter to the governor or to see any of the studies upon which we based this letter, contact me.
>
> Kurt Schwarz
> Conservation Chair
> Maryland Ornithological Society
>
> <Goawaybird...>
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