Date: Wed, 28 May 2003 18:28:58 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Denise Ryan Subject: More on Horseshoe Crabs - DE law MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" For a direct link to the release, click this http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/DNREC2000/Admin/Press/Story1.asp?PRID=873 May 1, 2003 Volume 33, Number 121 Division of Fish and Wildlife Contact: Lloyd Alexander, Acting Division Director, phone: (302) 739-5295 DNREC Withdraws Emergency Horseshoe Crab Regulations, Files Order to Institute Interim Regulations for 2003 Harvest The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control filed an Order today with the Delaware Secretary of State adopting Interim Horseshoe Crab Regulations to reduce the 2003 commercial horseshoe crab harvest after DNREC Secretary John A. Hughes withdrew the emergency Order issued Friday, April 25. The interim regulations reduce the annual quota for harvesting horseshoe crabs in Delaware to 150,000 for all harvesting methods combined and supercede any previous regulations that conflict with their provisions. "These interim regulations are similar to those instituted last Friday under our emergency order," said Division of Fish and Wildlife Acting Director Lloyd Alexander. "We continue to support our assessment that a need exists to conserve horseshoe crab eggs during this spawning season. The horseshoe crabs are moving in more slowly this year so we don't believe the spawning has been compromised. As we said last week, the harvest reduction and May 1 to June 7 closure are designed to help provide an adequate number of eggs available to support a variety of resources in Delaware Bay and to help restore the crab population to former levels of abundance." Beginning with today's May 1, 2003 filing date with the Secretary of State and continuing through midnight, June 30, 2003, it will be unlawful to collect or attempt to collect, or dredge horseshoe crabs from any state or federal land or the tidal waters of Delaware except: 1. Horseshoe crabs may be lawfully collected on weekdays from state owned lands to the east of state road No. 89 (Port Mahon Road) during the period beginning 12:01 a.m., June 8, 2003 and continuing through midnight, June 30, 2003 for persons with valid horseshoe crab collecting permits and eel licensees and their alternates. 2. Horseshoe crabs may also be lawfully collected on weekdays and Saturdays from lands not owned by the state and federal government during the period beginning 12:01 a.m., June 8, 2003 and continuing through midnight June 30, 2003 for persons with valid horseshoe crab collecting permits and eel licenses and their alternates. Collectors must have on his or her person written permission signed by the owner of the land with the owner's address and phone number, indicating the individual to whom permission to collect horseshoe crabs is granted. ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================