Protect Our Horseshoe Crabs

MA DMF Meeting commenter

MA DMF Meeting

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by

Mussel Point
in ,

Tonight’s MA DMF Meeting was held at Mass Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay.

Approximately 200 people were in attendance. Although it seemed the majority were in favor of the new regulations, there was a strong contingent of horseshoe crab fisherman at the meeting as well.

attendees and DMF staff at public comment meeting on 2-28-24

Director of MA DMF Dan McKiernan opened the meeting sharing the current conditions of horseshoe crabs around Cape Cod as well as a summary of the proposed new regulations. He also provided a timeline for decisions on these regulations.

  • Written Public Comment open until 5pm 3/8/2024
  • Recommendation Development: DMF will make final recommendation by 3/15/2024
  • Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission (MFAC): By Zoom 3/19/2024
  • Final Ruling Following Internal Review

Director McKiernan noted that DMF has already received 3000 written comments on the propose regulations.

chart showing Horseshoe crab abundance surveys for fall and spring 1978 to 2022

Topics of Director McKiernan’s presentation were:

  • Stock Overview & Abundance
  • Spawning Closure Proposal
  • Bait Fishery Trip Limit Proposals
  • Matching Federal Closures

After some questions regarding clarification on the data presented, Director McKiernan proceeded to take Public Comment from the audience.

Enhance Spawning Success…

Public comments were offered by both supporters of the new regulations as well as horseshoe crab bait fisherman that felt there was an abundance of horseshoe crabs and that their livelihood would be negatively impacted by the proposed regulations.

It is the opinion of CCHSC that the majority of public comment was in support the new regulations.

Chart of horseshoe crab abundance across cape cod

Comments in favor of new regulations included:

  • Nostalgia and love for the horseshoe crab
  • Importance to the ecosystem and shorebirds, keystone species
  • Massachusetts has the fewer regulations than any other states in the region
  • Concerns about the impact of habitat loss, sea level rise, and increasing water temperatures on the species
  • Horseshoe crabs are an important educational resource (kids love them)
  • Harvesting only male horseshoe crabs, not leg bearing female crabs
  • Adaptation strategies to support the bait fishers losses in the face of proposed regulations

There were also representatives from both Charles River Labs and Associates of Cape Cod, the two biomedical companies that harvest horseshoe crabs for their blood. Naturally they were opposed to the proposed regulations.

After almost two hours, Director McKiernan closed the meeting.

For more details about the proposed regulations and to submit public comment, click here. TAKE ACTION!