Maryland Praises Federal Decision To Restrict Virginia Horseshoe Crab Fishery

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Secretary Sarah Taylor-Rogers has praised this week's announcement by U.S. Commerce Department Secretary Norman Y. Mineta of the federal government's intention to follow the recommendations of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), that would establish a 30-mile protected zone for horseshoe crabs in the mouth of Delaware Bay, and close the Virginia horseshoe crab fishery unless the state complies with ASMFC mandated catch quotas.

"Virginia's refusal to come into compliance with the new quotas has been most disappointing, and we welcomed Secretary Mineta's statements at this week's news conference regarding federal support of the Commission's finding of noncompliance within the Virginia horseshoe crab fishery," said Secretary Taylor-Rogers. "This refusal threatens the efforts made by Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey to protect the Mid-Atlantic horseshoe crab population by reducing annual harvests."

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission consists of representatives from all 15 Atlantic states, from Maine to Florida. ASMFC, which oversees the horseshoe crab fishery in state waters, granted Virginia an annual quota of 152,495 crabs for 2001, but the state instead declared a self-imposed quota of 710,000 crabs. Last month, Virginia voted to decrease their quota to 355,000, but this still exceeded the quota allowed by the ASMFC. To date, Virginia is the only state not to comply with the Commission's management strategy and reduced quotas. The Commission asked the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service to intervene and impose a moratorium until Virginia joins the other states and lowers its harvest to a sustainable level.

Maryland has strongly supported the horseshoe crab conservation effort since its inception. Among the first to enact new regulations to substantially reduce horseshoe crab landings, Maryland representatives to ASMFC have also strongly supported the federal sanctuary adjacent to the

Delaware Bay, and have worked alongside other Atlantic coast states to enact the new harvest quotas.

Mineta made his announcement at a gathering in Cape Henlopen, Delaware, where he was on hand to unveil the federal plans to establish the horseshoe crab sanctuary off the mouth of the Delaware Bay, site of the largest concentration of horseshoe crabs on the East Coast.

Posted: 8-16-2000