[NIGHTSTRIKES]

Addendum further limits horseshoe-crab harvest
By DAVID BENSON For The Press (609) 272-7206

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has approved an addendum to the interstate fishery-management plan that will reduce the annual harvest of the horseshoe crab in the tri-state area. Addendum III also introduces seasonal closures of the crab harvest, as well as revising the plan's monitoring requirements.

The annual harvest in New Jersey and Delaware has been capped at 150,000 crabs per state, while Maryland's annual quota remains at its 2001 level of 170,653 crabs. Horseshoe crabs are prohibited from harvest for bait between May 1 and June 7 in all three states.

The addendum encourages bait fisheries to allow biomedical companies to bleed harvested crabs prior to use. That may eliminate unnecessary crab deaths, as it could cut down on the process of bleeding and returning crabs to the ocean. Horseshoe crab blood has some medicinal qualities.

For more information, call (202) 289-6400 or visit

www.asmfc.org

 

[Ding]

Interesting thread!! They have been protecting the horse shoe crab for a few years now. I believe one of the reasons they use the blood is in cancer reasearch. It's because the blood is close to human blood. It also has antibodies we could use.

I had the opportunity to go through some untrodden terrain with a NJ trapper, hunter, bait catching pro. While out in this untrodden area, we came across a small beach area that was lined with thousands of dead horse shoe crabs. It appeared as a horse shoe crab ancient sacred death bed. I was wondering if the horse shoe crabbers would be able to use them. My friend told me no one goes back there and they don't know it is there. Does anyone know if the crabs can be dead, and still work for the bait industry. If so, this would be a gold mine. Right now the flies are eating them.

 

[ReelQuick]

Alway's wondered what people did with h-carbs?Are you seriose about the cacer thing?They sure make my day when I hook into one!Give u'm a kiss and send them back.(Why is it that you gotta spend 25 minutes to get them back into the briney)All your trying to do is help them out!Do they come to the shore to die?

 

[lost sole]

Originally posted by Ding:
[QB] ..... I believe one of the reasons they use the blood is in cancer reasearch. It's because the blood is close to human blood. It also has antibodies we could use.

Horseshoe crab blood is used to manufacture a tool for detection of Gram-negative bacteria which is lethal to humans should it get into the bloodstream.

LYSATE (Limulus amoeboecyte lysate) is a derivatrive of the Horseshoe crab's blood and is the substance required by the FDA to test syringes, scalpels, and vaccines like the flu shot for the presence of Gram-negative bacteria.

Gram-negative bacteria is a real killer and the lowly (and ancient) Horseshoe crab turns out to be a modern hero. It needs to be protected in order to survive in quantity so that it can be shared amongst the commercial fishermen, scientists/drug companies, migratory birds and anyone interested in human health that have an interest in it.

I find the Horseshoe crab a very interesting creature. I wrote about LYSATE about a year ago. Suggest you do a search if you're interested in learning more.

ls

 

[eelfisher]

ding, where is this beach at that you are talking about? i may have to check it out. as far as dead crabs... i dont think they're of much use. as in recreational fishing, bait must be fresh.

the conch and eel fisheries use the horseshoe crab for bait. in the conch fishery, i dont think it matters much if the crab is male or female. i think the only difference is that the female makes two baits, and the male only makes one.
in the eel fishery, the female crab is much more valuable, for the eggs she carries. the male crab beats all other baits available, but is not as an effective bait for eels as the female crab.

 

[eelfisher]

reelquick, the only time the horseshoe crab comes to the beach is to spawn, which occurs between the months of may and june, at high tides and full moons. you should check it out some time, it's quite a phenomenon. dont look for them at the oceanfront beach. look in the backbays or any of the delaware bay beaches. it's gotta be a sandy beach. i've seen them spawning way up tiny salt creeks just because there was sand in it.

horseshoe crabs are quite a remarkable creature. it's a shame they're not around like they used to be.

 

[faraway]

I believe that place that was spoken of is the old nude beach in Cape may. Where you have to walk hundreds of yards to get access to. I was there on a school trip when i was a lot younger and there were thouands of horseshoe crabs lined up. They were all stuck in the sand and on top of one another. We were trhrowing them back into the water not knowing why the hell they were creeping onto land. They came in with the tide but like i said, lots would get stuck in the sand and not able to move - then get baked by the sun. I dont know if they were commiting suicide or what but there was thousands!

 

[Fishpicker]

All for a factious bird yeah that right a bird that doesn't exist a crock of the stinkiest BS that you every casted your eyes on .

The only good think is that if crabs were still open I would have to called myself Master-Baiter or Mad-Potter instead of Fishpicker .

 

[chunking]

Tary are interesting to watch. Sad that their numbers were depleted when they were overharvested for bait. We need to leave them alone to get the numbers back up.

 

[NIGHTSTRIKES]

I believe there is a type of Bird that migrates
thousand of miles to reach the shorelines of
the Delaware Bay to Feed on the Eggs that the
Horseshoe Crabs Lay each Spring....

 

[Bob ECT]

If you want to save the crabs, don't use eels for bait.

 

[chunking]

Doing my part. In the past three years I've used two dozen eels.

 

[flukerat]

They make great minnow bait, but again they are protected so don't use 'em. I only know b/c they man who taught me how to minnow used them when they were around despite the fact they were protected, i should have reported him he was such a cheapskate- owned a baitstore and still used illegal horseshoe crabs for bait if he could

 

[eelfisher]

flukerat, you're wrong. horseshoe crabs arent illegal to use as bait. they're protected, but not banned. it's only been recently that you had to show proof of where you got 'em if stopped by a c.o.

bobect, i dont think abstaining from using eels is going to save the crabs. us eelers are the minority here.

fishpicker, i hear ya. if the crabs were open though, madpotter would be taken because that would be me

faraway, the crabs were spawning. females dig in the sand to lay their eggs, and males swarm around her to fertilize them. your story reminds me about a time about seven yrs. ago, took the kid to moores beach in may to see all the crabs on the beach. were a handful of birders down there with their binoculars, camera's, hats.... one guy was picking crabs up throwing them back in the water thinking he was saving them. didnt say a word to him. just shook my head and laughed. them people sure do come out of the woodwork.

 

[Fishpicker]

To chunking and all others : This question is gonna require some thought . You say that the crabs are gone because you can't see them . correct . We say that the crabs are still there a$$ deep .

What is the one thing that has changed in the DEL Bay ? everybody will agree to this . Please think .

The crabs are there the studies have proved it . No you don't see them . Why is that ?

 

[fshlot]

If you know someone with a permit to harvest crabs,you can still buy horseshoecrabs,rite?Of course, bird lovers might have something to say about that!

 

[Fishpicker]

Yes for the time being you can by bait last year they tried to slid in a NO Possession Law for NJ luckily that got knocked out .

I have just about 1200 to 1600 conch pots I'm certain that I will never use one again . Thats a shame .

Erosion is the answer if their are no beaches then where can the crabs walk up where there is a beach for them to walk up there are millions of them there .

Chunking I respect your views and opinions . However I must draw the line on this one . This issue has been filled with corruption since day one . Thats the truth . I could go on and on I would run out of ink .

If you would like me to give you the latest please just ask I have nothing to hide . Remember the more people know the better off we are .

 

[Bob ECT]

Originally posted by eelfisher:


bobect, i dont think abstaining from using eels is going to save the crabs. us eelers are the minority here.

Don't under estimate the demand for eels since the bass population came back. Crabs weren't a big issue before that. Millions of recs at a dozen a day, it'll have an impact, we're not blameless.

 

[Bob ECT]

Originally posted by Fishpicker:
We say that the crabs are still there a$$ deep .

Just like cod, huh? No offense but your opinions are a little biased, there's money involved.

 

[Fishpicker]

Originally posted by Bob ECT:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Fishpicker:
We say that the crabs are still there a$$ deep .

Just like cod, huh? No offense but your opinions are a little biased, there's money involved. </font>[/QUOTE]Bob your right on both accounts . I am very biased and yes there is big money involved .

The big money isn't really from my end like you insinuated . Why would PP&G all of the sudden team up with the Audubon society ? Why was a high ranking official of the Audubon society givin the job as director of DEP marine division ? Why did the survey work that was done last year by the fisherman never used ?

I have a list a mile long BOB the bottom line is that it all leads back to corruption . It smells up my office every time that I open the files . We have proved our case time and time again ,But it always get railroaded over . The only thing that I can hope for , is that someday the same thing doesn't happen in your work place .

[ 03-19-2004, 06:51 AM: Message edited by: Fishpicker ]