The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is to vote today on a proposal that would lift a ban on harvesting female horseshoe crabs.
The eggs the crabs produce are a critical food source for the red knot and other migratory shorebirds on their spring journey north. The concern is the continued depletion of eggs, hence fuel, for the red knot, whose numbers have plummeted.
A New York Times article says, “The commission defended its proposals, saying they were not the result of pressure from the fishing industry.”
It appears the commission is determined to forge ahead with its plan to further degrade the ecology of the Delaware Bay in spite of universal public opposition. Will someone from the commission please explain where the pressure for these proposed changes is coming from, if it is not from the fishing industry?
Is the commission a proxy for another entity? What is that entity?
It seems clear that the commission is pursuing a horseshoe crab harvest expansion with great urgency, and that pressure is coming from somewhere. The commission is not being transparent by not revealing the source of this pressure. My suspicion is that it is from well-financed lobbyists for out-of-state horseshoe crab-bleeding companies. It should be noted that there is no longer justification for the practice of drawing blood from horseshoe crabs because an effective, environmentally benign synthetic alternative is available.
This is information that officials in Delaware need to know as they decide if they are willing to allow continued environmental and economic harm to the state of Delaware.
Access to today’s virtual meeting can be found at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4231613862377585163
Steve Cottrell
President, Delaware Audubon
