Re: Hosreshore Crabs and Port Mahon Rd.
Larry Line (Lscrap@erols.com)
Thu, 13 May 1999 21:49:06 -0400
William Leigh wrote:
>
> This is sad news indeed. I thought that there were laws already in place to
> preserve Horeshoe Crabs. Perhaps we can organize some sort protest to this
> activity.....??????
> William Leigh
> Winchester Va
> tern@visuallink.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: peter vankevich <pvankevich@hotmail.com>
> To: mdosprey@ARI.Net <mdosprey@ARI.Net>
> Date: Wednesday, May 12, 1999 7:11 PM
> Subject: Hosreshore Crabs and Port Mahon Rd.
>
> > On Tuesday, May 11 1999 I and a couple of friends decided to take a day
> off
> >for day of birding in Delaware. After spending the day in the Pocomoke
> >Swamp, Redden State Forest and Prime Hook Wildlife Refuge, we ended the
> >afternoon on Port Mahon Road in Little Creek. What was planned as a
> pleasant
> >end to a good birding day, turned in a very disturbing sight. Along the
> >road, I counted 10 pickup trucks all nearly filled with Horseshoe crabs.
> >People were just throwing the crabs up to their trucks. There were hardly
> >any crabs visible and the "harversters" were wading in the water to take
> >others. Since the people were spread out along the road, there were not
> any
> >shorebirds near them. Finally, at one point near the end of the road were
> >hundreds of Ruddy Turnstones (with a lone Sanderling and no Red Knots)
> >huddled in a feeding frenzy.
> >
> > I am a frequent visitor to this great shorebird road. I, like most
> birders,
> >visit on weekends and never have I seen anything like this. The shorebirds
> >were obviously disturbed, not to mention what must be happening to the
> >Horseshoe crab breeding situation. I have been visiting this area since
> 1980
> >and have noted substantial declines in the Horseshoe crab population.
> >
> > If this activity is legal, why are there not any Fish and Wildlife
> >personnel or other state/federal agents observing and recording the numbers
> >of Horseshoe crabs taken in this manner?
> >
> > Is this not a serious disturbance to shorebirds in a critical and
> sensitive
> >area that is needed in order to feed, rest and prepare for the long flight
> >north?
> >
> > I realize changing regulations is a cumbersome and time consuming process.
> >But can't a "Sensitive Wildlife Area Do Not Enter" sign be placed along the
> >side of this road in the interim?
> >
> > Something must be done.
> >
> >Peter Vankevich,
> >President
> >New Columbia Audubon Society of Washington, DC.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________________________
> >Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com
What we need is a video of the people scooping up the horseshoe crab
eggs into their pick-up trucks and trailers. And of course selling the
crabs for $.10/lb to the buyer. That would perhaps excite and involve
the Delaware bird clubs. Larry Line , Clarksville, MD