Horseshoe Crabs Left on the Chopping Block by Governor Hochul

Governor Hochul gives horseshoe crabs the axe by vetoing the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act. Advocates are alarmed with the Governor’s decision to leave this keystone species susceptible to local extinction.

For immediate release: December 15, 2024

For more information, contact: Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director: 516-390-7150, aesposito@citizenscampaign.org

Albany, NY –  Governor Kathy Hochul has vetoed the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act (S.3185A/A.10140), which was resoundingly passed by the NYS Legislature and has immense support from the public. This law would have prohibited the taking of horseshoe crabs for commercial and biomedical purposes in New York. A broad coalition of advocates and environmental organizations are disturbed by the Governor’s decision to veto this bill.

In response to the veto, Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment said:

“Governor Hochul didn’t just drop the ball; she dropped the axe by vetoing the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act. It’s unacceptable to allow the continued antiquated practice of chopping up horseshoe crabs so they can be used as bait by fisherman. Overharvesting has drastically depleted horseshoe crab populations, to the point where they now face local extinction. This archaic harvesting practice should have been left in the past, but with this veto, horseshoe crabs may be lost to history. We are appalled that Governor Hochul squandered a rare and special opportunity to save an ancient species from extinction. The Governor’s inaction is not only harmful to horseshoe crabs, but also to the many other species that rely on them, such as the Red Knot. Other states have already passed or are considering legislation to end the taking of horseshoe crabs, but New York has repeatedly failed to implement any meaningful protections. We are truly saddened that we are now more likely to see horseshoe crabs in museums than on our shores.”

Horseshoe Crabs have existed for over 350 million years, having shared the planet with the dinosaurs. Horseshoe crabs act as a keystone species in the food web, their eggs are the single most important food source for millions of migrating shorebirds, including threatened birds, such as the Red Knot. As horseshoe crab populations have drastically dropped, so has the Red Knot’s. Experts predict the Red Knot may become extinct unless action is taken to protect horseshoe crabs. Sharks, sportfish, sea turtles, and other species also feed on horseshoe crabs, making them critical to the food web and a diverse ecosystem. 

According to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, horseshoe crab populations have been in decline for at least 15 years. This is largely due to harvesting by commercial fishermen who chop up the crabs and use them as bait for eel and conch. Horseshoe crabs are slow to mature and therefore very susceptible to harvesting impacts. Alternative eel and conch bait are in development to reduce the exploitation of horseshoe crabs while satisfying the needs of fishermen.

Horseshoe crab’s blue blood is used by pharmaceutical and medical manufacturers to test products for the presence of bacterial substances known as endotoxins.  However, New York has not issued permits for biomedical harvesting of horseshoe crabs in over 10 years. Now there are synthetic alternatives that are widely available and are an effective replacement for the blue blood of horseshoe crabs.

Over 40,000 letters, post cards, and emails from members of the public have been sent to the Governor in support of the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act and yet, the Governor ignored all of them. Connecticut has already banned the taking of horseshoe crabs and other states are considering similar action which may drive increased harvesting in New York’s waters. The Horseshoe Crab Protection Act (S.3185A/A.10140) would have prohibited that taking of horseshoe crabs for commercial and biomedical purposes and would have protected this vulnerable species and the many other species who rely on them.

Push for governor to sign Horseshoe Crab Protection Act intensifies as time runs out

SOURCE:

https://riverheadlocal.com/2024/11/18/push-for-governor-to-sign-horseshoe-crab-protection-act-intensifies-as-time-runs-out/

By Denise Civiletti - November 18, 2024

Environmental advocates have launched a full-court press to get Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign a bill that would ban the harvesting of horseshoe crabs in New York.

The Horseshoe Crab Protection Act, passed by the State Legislature in June bans the taking of horseshoe crabs from New York waters for commercial fishing or biomedical purposes. Hochul has until the end of the year to sign the bill into law. 

The legislation aims to protect an ancient species advocates say plays a vital role in the marine ecosystem but its decline is so serious they describe the  arthropod as “on the brink of local extinction.” 

Horseshoe crabs, which evolved more than 200 million years ago, are found from Nova Scotia to Mexico and live year-round in Long Island Sound. Its decline, due to harvesting and habitat loss, is documented by the Long Island Sound Study research.

Horseshoe crabs are an important bait for commercial fishermen of whelk and eel. Horseshoe crab is the only usable bait for commercial fishermen catching whelk, Rob Carpenter of the Long Island Farm Bureau told Times Beacon Record Newspapers in June. The bill would severely impact Long Island’s commercial fishing industry, he said.

Horseshoe crabs are also harvested for biomedical purposes. Their blood is used to perform safety checks for a variety of vaccines, injectable drugs, intravenous solutions and implantable medical devices such as pacemakers. Pharmaceutical companies have been developing synthetic alternatives to the horseshoe crab’s blood, and the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) is in the process of adopting guidelines for synthetic alternatives to horseshoe crab blood. The guidelines are expected to become official in May. 

Under current New York State law, the horseshoe crab is a fishery managed by the State Department of Environmental Conservation, which by regulation has imposed daily trip limits and an annual quota of 150,000 horseshoe crabs.

The Horseshoe Crab Protection Act, sponsored by Assembly Member Deborah Glick  and State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, both Democrats who represent districts in Manhattan, passed the legislature in largely party-line votes in both chambers. 

The East End legislative delegation, State Senator Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) and Assembly Members Fred Thiele (D-Sag Harbor) and Jodi Giglio (R-Baiting Hollow), opposed the bill.

Giglio told Newsday in June she feared the ban would put some commercial fishermen on Long Island out of business because horseshoe crabs are the best bait for conk and eel.

Over the past three decades, the horseshoe crab population has crashed and their habitat is rapidly disappearing, according to a petition by the Center for Biological Diversity in February, asking the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to list the Atlantic horseshoe crab as an endangered or threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act.

“American horseshoe crab populations have crashed primarily due to habitat loss and overharvesting by commercial fisheries and biomedical industries. In 2022, nearly one million crabs were harvested for biomedical bleeding, including female crabs. Biomedical harvests also can occur at any time of year, including during spawning season. Horseshoe crab blood harvests have nearly doubled since 2017,” the petition states.

Overharvesting for bait in the 1990s decimated the populations along the Atlantic coast, the Center for Biological Diversity said in its petition. The populations have never recovered and remain at one-third of what they were before the overharvesting of the 1990s.

“Despite low horseshoe crab populations and egg densities, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission…in 2021… recommend[ed] increased horseshoe crab harvests and harvests of female horseshoe crabs,” the petition states. 

The horseshoe crab’s overall vulnerability to climate change was ranked by NOAA as “very high” in 2023, according to the petition. 

“Sea level rise and extreme weather events fueled by climate change have resulted in the destruction of spawning beach habitat. Shoreline hardening through sea walls, jetties, and bulkheads, has further degraded horseshoe crab habitat. Habitat loss has reduced the available grounds for spawning horseshoe crabs and their eggs. Dredging and harbor deepening have increased across the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts and resulted in substantial mortality events for horseshoe crabs and destruction of their habitat,” the petition continues. 

The Group for the East End, based in Southold, has launched an email campaign to urge Hochul to sign the bill. 

“While horseshoe crabs have played an integral role in the biomedical and commercial fishery industries, it has been to their detriment. Alternatives for biomedical use of horseshoe crab blood exist and have become mainstream,” the Group for the East End said. 

“If alternatives are not utilized for commercial bait, the horseshoe crab population will likely continue to decline beyond repair. What impacts might this have on the fishery industry if action isn’t taken?” the organization said on its website.

Connecticut adopted “stringent regulations” last year to help boost horseshoe crab populations, Group for the East End notes. That will likely increase harvest rates in New York waters, the organization said.

The DEC’s management strategy “has brought horseshoe crabs to the brink of local extinction,” Group for the East End says.

The organization has published an online form for sending a message to the governor urging her to sign the legislation. Access the form here.

“This legislation will allow the populations to recover and ensure the survival of this important species,” Citizens Campaign for the Environment said in a press release yesterday. “Governor Hochul has been reluctant to sign the bill, and she only has 6 more weeks to do so.”

The Farmingdale-based organization released a letter yesterday written by conservation scientist Jane Goodall to Hochul on Nov. 12, asking the governor to sign the bill into law.

“By signing this bill, you can ensure the survival of the horseshoe crab and the many species that depend on it,” Goodall wrote.  “I have devoted my life to preserving the planet and I hope together, we can make a lasting difference in this important corner of the world.”

Dr. Jane Goodall Joins the Fight to Protect Horseshoe Crabs in New York

For immediate release: November 18, 2024

For more information contact: Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director,  cell 631-384-1378  aesposito@citizenscampaign.org

Erin McGrath, Policy Director for National Audubon Society’s New York State office – Cell 518-860-426

Farmingdale, NY – As the battle to protect Horseshoe Crabs in New York heats up, one of the world’s most prominent conservationists weighs in to call on Governor Hochul to sign the Horseshoe Crab Protection Bill.  Horseshoe Crabs have roamed the earth for over 350 million years and shared this planet with the dinosaurs.  However, this species is now vulnerable to local extinction unless action is taken soon. Horseshoe crab populations have become depleted largely due to commercial fisherman who catch them and chop them up for bait for catching eel and conch.

This year the NY State legislature passed the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act (S3185A/A10140) which prohibits the taking of Horseshoe crabs from New York waters. This legislation will allow the populations to recover and ensure the survival of this important species.  Governor Hochul has been reluctant to sign the bill, and she only has 6 more weeks to do so. 

Dr. Jane Goodall is one of the world’s most prominent conservation scientists and has almost 60 years of traveling the world to successfully advance conservation and protection of endangered species. Dr. Goodall penned a letter to Governor Hochul on November 12, 2024, requesting that the Governor sign the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act.  Dr. Goodall’s letter states, “I believe New York has an opportunity to lead in this conservation effort. By signing this bill, you can ensure the survival of the horseshoe crab and the many species that depend on it. I have devoted my life to preserving the planet and I hope together, we can make a lasting difference in this important corner of the world.”

“It’s a rare and special event when Dr. Goodall reaches out and requests New York help her in saving our planet’s endangered species.  Governor Hochul should heed the wisdom and vision that Dr. Goodall provides and immediately sign this important legislation,” said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment.

NY Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal said, “Dr. Jane Goodall, the most respected conservationist in the world, has joined our cause to protect New York’s ancient horseshoe crab population. Dr. Goodall knows what she’s talking about when she says that we can help preserve our planet by making the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act (S.3185A) law. The Horseshoe Crab Protection Act will bring New York in line with neighboring states that have already banned the taking of horseshoe crabs and protect this crucial ‘keystone’ species. I’m hopeful Governor Hochul will sign this bill into law soon.”

“I am thrilled to be joined by Dr. Goodall in our efforts to protect the horseshoe crab within the waters of New York. Very few people understand the importance of species conservation better than Dr. Goodall; when she speaks, we should carefully listen to her words. Despite the current fishery management scheme, there has been a disturbingly steep decline in this species which cannot continue. We must ensure a future for this ancient keystone species” said NYS Assemblymember Deborah J. Glick, who is the Assembly sponsor of the legislation.

"We are grateful that Dr. Jane Goodall has lent her voice to our collective efforts to protect horseshoe crabs. Horseshoe crabs are a keystone species that supports a number of migratory shorebirds, fish, and other marine life that rely on them for a food source. Unfortunately, the horseshoe crab population has been declining drastically, and the species that rely on them have followed suit," said Erin McGrath, Policy Director for the National Audubon Society’s New York State office. “Neighboring states, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, have closed their horseshoe crab fisheries in order to protect this important species, and we believe it is time for New York State to join them. We urge Governor Hochul and the Department of Environmental Conservation to take immediate action to help our horseshoe crab population recover and thrive. “

"With the support from Dr. Jane Goodall, as well as scientists and conservationists from around the world, it is becoming abundantly clear how urgent the preservation of horseshoe crabs truly is," said Caitlin Ferrante, Conservation Program Manager, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter. "Horseshoe crabs are essential to the ecological resilience of New York's shorelines and by signing into law A.10140 (Glick)/S.3185-A (Hoylman-Sigal), the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act, Governor Hochul would be ensuring protections for this keystone species and the health of our vulnerable coastline ecosystems. We are grateful for the support of Dr. Jane Goodall and urge Governor Hochul to sign this bill into law today."