Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2000 17:25:43 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Marcia Watson-Whitmyre Organization: University of Delaware Subject: horseshoe crabs protected - good news for birds/birders MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This just in from our friends in Delaware; as you can see, it is of interest to MD birders, since MD waters are affected by the new federally-mandated moratorium on horseshoe crab taking. It's always nice to hear of battles being won. Marcia Watson-Whitmyre Cecil County Simpson Ronald RJ wrote: > hot off the press from the "State of Delaware" website: > > U. S. Secretary of Commerce announces plans to establish Delaware Bay > horseshoe crab preserve > -- Carper applauds federal response to protect 350-million-year-old species > -- > > LEWES - As a result of his earlier efforts to protect horseshoe crabs, > Governor Thomas R. Carper today received word from the United States > Department of Commerce that a horseshoe crab moratorium will be in place by > late October. > > At an event along Delaware Bay in Cape Henlopen State Park, U.S. Secretary > of Commerce Norman Y. Mineta reported that efforts are underway to establish > a horseshoe crab preserve by October 30. The planned federal preserve, part > of a state/federal program, will provide additional protection for local > horseshoe crabs by prohibiting their harvest in a prime spawning area. > > The proposed horseshoe crab preserve will be located in federal waters off > the mouth of Delaware Bay, closing an area approximately 60 nautical miles > long and 30 nautical miles wide. The closed area adjoins state waters south > of Pecks Beach, New Jersey, to just north of Ocean City, Maryland. The area > was proposed because horseshoe crabs are most abundant from Virginia to New > Jersey with their center of abundance being around the Delaware Bay area. > The closed area would prohibit fishing or trawling for horseshoe crabs > within a 30 nautical mile radius of the mouth of Delaware Bay. > > In May, Gov. Carper urged the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), > which falls under the responsibility of the Commerce Department, to > institute the horseshoe crab moratorium. He indicated that the action was > necessary to complement the restrictions established by surrounding states > to ensure the preservation of horseshoe crabs along the Atlantic coast. > Researchers estimate that the horseshoe crab population continues to decline > along Delaware Bay. > > "Horseshoe crabs are part of the Atlantic coast ecosystem, providing food > for migrating seabirds, and are essential for both fishing and medical > purposes. Creating this preserve will help protect a valuable natural > resource," Secretary Mineta said. "It is imperative that we do everything we > can to protect the horseshoe crab, especially here in Delaware Bay, which is > home to the largest population of American horseshoe crabs." > > Carper said, "Establishing a moratorium as soon as possible is essential for > the preservation of the horseshoe crab. I'm relieved to hear that we're on > track to establish this preserve in the coming weeks. The fate of the > horseshoe crab is in jeopardy and Delaware Bay contains one of the world's > greatest concentrations of this species. We must take necessary steps to > employ sound, scientific-based conservation measures for horseshoe crabs. > We're also quite pleased that the Secretary is taking aggressive action to > bring Virginia into compliance." > > Under guidelines established by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries > Commission (ASMFC), all Atlantic coastal states must reduce their horseshoe > crab bait catch by 25 percent. While 14 Atlantic states including Delaware, > Maryland and New Jersey have taken action to implement the horseshoe crab > conservation measures, Virginia has refused to abide by the ASMFC edict, > effectively wiping out the conservation efforts of neighboring states. The > action taken today by the Department of Commerce will ensure that Virginia > complies with the ASMFC measures. > > "Governor Carper's strong leadership was crucial to the establishment of the > horseshoe crab preserve," said Daniel P. Beard, senior vice president at the > National Audubon Society. "This preserve is critical to our efforts for > horseshoe crabs and migratory shorebirds. Everyone who cares about horseshoe > crabs and migratory shorebirds has a reason to thank Governor Carper." > > The Delaware Audubon Society, the Delaware Nature Conservancy, the Delaware > Nature Society and the Ecological Research & Development Group were all > represented at the event to support the moratorium and to urge the overall > preservation of horseshoe crabs in Delaware Bay. ========================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ========================================================================== =========================================================================