An important fact to know is that Red Knots do not forage on horseshoe crab
eggs in Virginia. They are foraging on bivalves while here. So the
horseshoe crab harvest in Virginia does not affect Red knots directly but I
do not know how the harvest impacts other species (including other birds),
horseshoe crabs, or the ecosystem at large. It is also important to know
that while migratory populations of Red Knots have declined greatly in
Delaware Bay, the peak numbers during migration in Virginia have not changed
in 10 years. So, aside from the impact on other species that may be
unknown, the biggest issue is that Virginia remains the loophole for
fisherman to harvest horseshoe crabs in Delaware Bay and land them here.
The other unknown is the spatial extent of horseshoe crab population
dynamics. Does Virginia play a role in population recruitment of crabs in
Delaware Bay? I don't know the answer to that question but it obviously has
implications. Perhaps a key element is to regulate the Virginia harvest and
landing and not impose a full moratorium on the harvest. Although I have no
suggestion how that could be accomplished.
Rather than attach a population target to the bill, as was done, a better
strategy may have been to have the bill simply follow the moratorium of the
states in Delaware Bay. That is, Virginia maintains a moratorium until NJ
lifts their prohibition and so on. I do not know how those states
moratoriums are written into law but that could be problematic as well.
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