To: Chris French, Valley Birders "everywhere", Richmond Listserv, and MDOspreyers..... In response to your query, the following completely unofficial chronology from a variety of publicly-available materials has been compiled. It is TIME NOW for calls, e-mail notes, etc... to voice your concerns. The squeaky wheel needs to get "squeakier".... Attend the VMRC meetings (1/26), etc. if you can. Why should Virginia do any less than Maryland or Delaware ! Also, if anyone has any additional details or more current information, we would love to hear from you. HORSESHOE CRAB MANAGEMENT in VIRGINIA Chronology of Events 1998-99 Spring 1998. Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey were sufficiently convinced by evidence of decreasing horseshoe crab and associated shorebird populations on Delaware Bay to strengthen horseshoe crab harvest restrictions. Crab fisherman began landing crabs in Virginia which were caught offshore further north, raising the concern that Virginia's lack of regulations was undermining those states' efforts. [The crabs also provide food for endangered loggerhead turtles swimming near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.] May 1998. VMRC proposed a set of protections that included: a ban on harvesting during May and June, their spawning season; a limit of 1,000 crabs per trip for the rest of the year; and a cap on the number of people who are licensed to hand-harvest crabs from beaches. June 1998. VMRC held a public hearing on the proposal on the Eastern Shore. July 28, 1998. VMRC held another public hearing, in which its staff (Lewis Gillingham) had altered its recommendation to adopting only the hand- harvest restriction. The Virginia Pilot (7/29/98) reported that VMRC commissioners had heard many complaints from seafood merchants and fishermen on the proposal. The VP quotes Gillingham as saying he'd backed off after seeing new data showing that migratory birds and horseshoe crabs along Delaware Bay had increased in 1998. However, he was reported as saying that Virginia appears to be becoming the new landing point for crabs; that Virginia's 1998 harvest may reach 1 million pounds, as compared to its 1997 harvest of 87,000 pounds. The commission voted unanimously to pass no restrictions, and to postpone action until November 1998. Staff had said that by then a federal plan would have been completed (in October), and that the federal plan would be implemented in Virginia by the end of 1998, in place for the spring 1999 harvest. VMRC and Virginia Governor Gilmore were asked to reconsider by the environmental community, in order to prevent a rush for a hugely expanded and potentially damaging fall harvest before the federal plan could be enacted. August 4, 1998. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Horseshoe Crab Management Board approved a Draft Horseshoe Crab Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Virginia is an ASMFC member. The public review and comment period lasted through 9/30/98. Several different specific management options were proposed, include: maintaining status quo in current fisheries; a 50 percent reduction in harvest levels and effort; unrestricted harvest; and a seasonal closure on harvest from April 15 through June 15. Mid-September, 1998. NJ, DE, MD, VA held public hearings to obtain public comment on the plan. On 9/21/98 VMRC held its public hearing. October 20, 1998. The ASMFC Horseshoe Crab Management Board met to review public comment and external peer review on their draft plan. They concluded that there was insufficient data to support coastwide harvest reduction measures. Instead they approved the following: "The states of New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland must maintain existing state laws and regulations pertaining to the harvest and landing of horseshoe crabs. Other states are encouraged to implement a two day per week harvest prohibition within 1,000 feet of the low mean water line between April 15 through June 15." October 22, 1998. ASMFC approved the final "Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Horseshoe Crab." Published copies of the FMP, stock assessment, and external peer review will be available from ASMFC by the end of the year. Contact Tom O'Connell, the Horseshoe Crab Management Plan Coordinator for the ASMFC, at Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources, (401) 260-8271, toconnell@dnr.state.md.us. January 20, 1999. VMRC's web site indicates there have been no further public notices posted related to horseshoe crabs. The site gives the next monthly VMRC meeting as Tuesday, January 26th, 9:30 a.m., at their main office at 2600 Washington Avenue in Newport News. The agenda is not posted, but is likely available from VMRC. The website gives driving directions. Recall that VMRC had declined to act, justifying its action by assuring the public that Virginia's harvest would be restricted by the end of 1998 by the ASMFC, in time to limit the spring harvest. This however, did not happen. To find out whether Virginia has any proposals, meetings, or actions scheduled on this, VMRC lists the primary contact as Jack Travelstead, Chief, Fisheries Management, VA Marine Resources Commission, 2600 Washington Ave., Newport News, VA 23607, (757) 247-2200, email jtravelste@mrc.state.va.us. It's always valuable for them to hear directly from the public. Larry R. Lynch Chesterfield Co., VA birder6@juno.com