The red knot migrates yearly from South America to breeding grounds in the Arctic Circle, stopping along the Delaware Bay to fuel up on the eggs of horseshoe crabs. The birds are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, and crab numbers are dwindling. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is proposing an increased take of the female crabs, and opponents say this will further hurt horseshoe crabs and red knots. What’s the solution?
- We’ve lived on the Indian River Bay for more than 20 years. This season, we’ve seen more horseshoe crabs mating, over more nights, than we can remember in previous years. I mean, swarms of them, especially several days each side of full and new moons. It’s only anecdotal for this stretch of beach near Millville, but we thought it an encouraging sign. A number of neighbors patrol the beach after high tides and get stranded crabs back into the water. It makes for a fascinating spring. — Ron Wohlust
