Date: Tue, 30 May 2000 09:16:33 EDT Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Gail Mackiernan Subject: Horseshoe Crabs and Shorebirds Hi all -- I hope everyone who has gone to see (or plans to go see) this year's horseshoe crab/shorebird spectacle will take a small proposrtion of that time to write a letter supporting the establishment of a Horseshoe Crab sanctuary at teh mouth of Delaware Bay (in Federal waters). A post from Patricia Rossi was forwarded to this list last week, but I want to call attention to this urgent issue and ask for your support. As most of you are aware, the numbers of Horseshoe Crabs is in severe decline, most certainly due to overharvest. The states of Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey have established strict quotas on harvest and landings, to ensure constinuation of this unique phenomenon and also -- which is where we come in -- the millions of shorebirds which depend on horseshoe crab eggs for conditioning prior to breeding. Unfortunately, Virginia refuses to institute any reasonable harvest limit, and in fact, is the chief place crabs -- harvested in federal waters off the mouth of the Delaware Bay -- are landed. Virginia also threatens to ignore recently instituted National Marine Fishery Service (NMFS) regulations on Horseshoe Crab quotas. This NMFS has proposed (Federal Register, May 3, 2000) the establishment of a no-fish zone offshore of Delaware Bay. You can be assured that fishery interests will vigorously and loudly oppose this action. Unless we birders (and others who appreciate the wonder of this ancient creature) speak out, this proposal will be defeated. TIME IS NOW SHORT -- letters must be received by JUNE 2 -- thus at this time, I would suggest FAXING them to 301-427-2313. Letters should be addressed to Mr. Richard Schaefer, Chief, Staff Office for Intergovernmental and Recreational Fisheries, NMFS, 8484 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910. Patricia Rossi's earlier post gave a sample letter -- just emphasize your support for this proposal and the importance of the crab stocks to migratory shorebirds. Please stress that you travel to see this unique phenomenon and that you are only one of 1000's of people who do so every year. I would also add any observations that you, personally, may have made about declines in numbers of either crabs or shorebirds over the past decade (when harvests of crabs have skyrocketed). Oh yes, in case you were wondering -- the female crabs, laden with eggs,are used for eel and conch bait. In the past, eelers used bull lips (from slaughter houses) but now apparently "only" horseshoe crabs will do. In any case, please do not delay -- or your visits to see shorebirds at the Delaware -- plus the millions of shorebirds themselves, will only be a distant memory... Gail Mackiernan MC/MOS Conservation Chair ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================