Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about bioRxiv. We used a Bayesian analysis of a Jolly-Seber model, which accounts for turnover in the population and the probability of detection during surveys. Theyre also seeing more horseshoe crab eggs on the beaches. Date Posted: June 1, 2023, 21st Annual Diabetes Wellness Expo Set for June 20 in Dover Date Posted: June 6, 2023, 11 Young People, 5 Emerging Leaders, 4 Groups to receive Governors Youth Volunteer Service Award at June 21 Ceremony Once full and rested, they will resume their migration north to begin nesting. In 2015, the U.S. Red knot stopover population size and migration ecology at Delaware Bay Date Posted: June 6, 2023, Delaware Natural Resources Police Announce Winners of Youth Fishing Tournament Horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) are a marine arthropod found along the Atlantic coast from northern Maine to the Yucatan Peninsula and the Gulf of Mexico. Founded in 1897, and one of the oldest independent Audubon societies, New Jersey Audubon fosters environmental awareness and a conservation ethic among New Jersey's citizens; protects New Jersey's birds, mammals, other animals, and plants, especially endangered and threatened species; and promotes preservation of New Jersey's valuable natural habitats. It's always a big deal to land a five-star recruit. Your contribution is tax-deductible. Photo courtesy of Rusty Kaiser, Tanners grandfather. John Carney Promote Affordable Internet Access for All, Listening Sessions Set for Input on Ocean and Bay Plan, Lt. In fact, the model shows no correlation at all with the most reliable survey, the annual trawl conducted by Virginia Tech that measures horseshoe crab numbers around Delaware Bay. Governor Bethany Hall-Long Issues Call to Action for Reproductive Freedom on Anniversary of Dobbs Decision With a spottier distribution of horseshoe crabs and shorter spawning periods that last only a few days during lunar tides, rather than weeks, egg resources on the bay are no longer reliable to the birds. Date Posted: June 30, 2023, DSAMH Announces Funding Availability to Address Rising Overdose Deaths Among Black, African American Communities Red knots are drawn to Delaware by the abundance of protein-rich horseshoe crab eggs. With horseshoe crab fishery restrictions now in place, however, and a new, synthetic compound available for medical testing, smoother sailing may be ahead for crabs and birds. Other key U.S. stopover sites include coastal islands off Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, and Massachusetts. Cape May, NJ. But after two years of successful restoration work, plans to restore both the bay and the local economy are starting to align. To save Delaware Bay for migrating shorebirds, conservationists recruit residents in the area to build an oyster reef for horseshoe crabs. Date Posted: June 26, 2023, Governor Carney, Lt. Without local expertise our projects would be much less successful, says Wheeler, who is executive director of New JerseyCWF. Defenders of Wildlife is celebrating 75 years of protecting all native animals and plants in their natural communities. Date Posted: July 7, 2023, Annual Announcement for School Nutrition Programs Last, year, 35 percent of red knots left the bay at the weight deemed sufficient to reach the Arctic and successfully breed 180 grams, or a little more than six ounces. Additional Press Contact: We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer. If crabs were allowed to recover to historic numbers, birds would have abundance in any conditions.. Horseshoe Crabs, Shorebirds and the Delaware Bay Every spring 70 percent to 80 percent of the population stops to refuel in the bay during one of the longest bird migrations in the world9,300 miles from Tierra del Fuego, Chile, to the Arctic. When Hurricane Sandy destroyed 70 percent of the horseshoe crab habitat here in late 2012, local conservationists had to act quickly to prevent massive die-offs. But in the 1990s, commercial demand quickly grew for horseshoe crabs as bait to catch conch. Photo: Dick Dickinson/Audubon Photography Awards. Gross Receipts Tax In addition to local businesses, Niles says he hopes more birders can get organized in time to defend Delaware Bay. Correction: The article previously stated that horseshoe crab numbers at Delaware Bay have dwindled to 200,000. David Mizrahi, Ben Levitan and Christian Hunt, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Date Posted: June 30, 2023, Middletown Fire Luckily, passion for conservation runs deep in Cape May County, and conservationists like David Wheeler were able to call on residents to point out damaged areas so they could clear away debris and put down new sand on the beaches. Photo credit: Gregory Breese, USFWS. If more people followed New Jerseys lead in 1997, this would have never happened. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer. Date Posted: June 28, 2023, Odessa FFA Students Place First in Forestry Challenge Rufa Red Knot For annual harvest recommendations, the ARM framework requires annual estimates of horseshoe crab population size and the Red Knot stopover population. Included in this years harvest was the largest turkey recorded in Delaware history, weighing in at 27 pounds, 8 ounces. Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization. Personal Income Tax Date Posted: July 12, 2023, DSHA Announces Preliminary Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Allocation Quality hunting opportunities on public land continue to be widely available statewide and numerous hunters who seized on them were often rewarded in 2023, as evidenced by turkeys having been harvested from 19 different public land areas. Red Knot. Date Posted: July 5, 2023, Governor Carney Shares Highlights from Legislative Session PDF Horseshoe Crab Harvest in the Delaware Bay Inclusive of Red Knot One of those shorebird species, the red knot, has been designated a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, largely due to a major population crash from the overharvesting of. Governor Bethany Hall-Long, SIVAD, Community Partners Announce Groundbreaking Pilot Program to Reduce Opioid Deaths Your support helps secure a future for birds at risk. This article is a US Government work. Date Posted: June 14, 2023, Delaware Division of the Arts Announces Award Winners Group Exhibit to Open July 13 Mobile Apps The proposal, advanced by the bodys Horseshoe Crab Management Board in January, would almost certainly result in renewed killing or harvesting of female crabs for use as fishing bait, reversing a longstanding prohibition. With extinction now a real possibility, the decision to further reduce protections in Delaware Bay is incomprehensible. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) advanced a proposal earlier this year that poses a significant threat to both horseshoe crabs and red knots. What Should Be Done About Flaco, the Eurasian Eagle-Owl Loose in New York? Still, there are encouraging signs. Delaware Bay red knot numbers plummet | NJ Spotlight News . The Red Knots arrive shortly after the crabs in early May. Date Posted: June 13, 2023, DOJ, WPD Secure New Felony Charges in NorthPak Re-indictment The bill contains language, In a stunning abuse of power, the House Appropriations Committee Majority released its FY24 Interior Appropriations bill which is riddled with destructive riders that attack. Here are some of my favorite shorebird guidesfor a quick read(to save money buy used books): In addition, the models population estimates do not line up with actual trawl survey data for the horseshoe crab population. With fewer eggs, there will be fewer birds.. The Delaware Bay's shores are a critical stop for multiple species of migrating birds. Christian Hunt is senior federal lands policy analyst with Defenders of Wildlife. Date Posted: June 8, 2023, DNREC Issues Air Quality Alert Governor Bethany Hall-Long Issues Call to Action for Reproductive Freedom on Anniversary of Dobbs Decision, State and Federal Protection of Piping Plover Nest to Close Portion of Beach at Gordons Pond on Cape Henlopen, Recycled Cardboard Boat Regatta Registration now Open, Governor Carney Announces Appointment of Student to State Board of Education, Delaware Honors Middle and High School Digital Mapping Winners, Governor Carneys Statement on Senate Confirmations of Josette Manning, Steven Yeatman, Robert Coupe, Groundhog Tests Positive for Rabies; Delawares First Rabies Case in 2023, Lt. Date Posted: June 8, 2023, Lt. Date Posted: June 6, 2023, The Delaware Office of Highway Safety Launches Operation Braking Point 2.0 The horseshoe crabbreeding extravaganza is a sight to behold. Date Posted: July 6, 2023, New Castle Fire Going forward, the commission should allow full public involvement and respond to scientific critiques before any harvest expansion is again considered., We are pleased that the ASMFC took the precautionary approach to managing horseshoe crabs given their critical connection with the federally threatened red knot and the services they provide to the Delaware Bay ecosystem, said David Mizrahi, vice president of research and monitoring at New Jersey Audubon. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; Date Posted: June 23, 2023, Listening Sessions Set for Input on Ocean and Bay Plan Hungry migratory birds called red knots feed on the eggs of horseshoe crabs that come ashore in May on Delaware Bay. Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization. amzn_assoc_linkid = "6a2266ed563aca32a64d912836068968"; Coastal Review. Delaware Bay is a critical resting point for most red knots as they complete their epic migration from as far south as Tierra del Fuego to their breeding grounds in the Arctic Circle. About Us; Staff & Contributors; Governor Hall-Long Applauds Passage of Bill to Create Delawares First Rare Disease Advisory Council Date Posted: July 10, 2023, Future Educators Win Big at National Conference The ASMFCs horseshoe crab management policy over the last two decades has adversely affected the entire near-shore tidal ecosystem of Delaware Bay, said David Mizrahi, vice president of research and monitoring for New Jersey Audubon. Date Posted: June 7, 2023, Delaware Officials Provide Latest Updates, Underscore Urgency Surrounding Youth, Opioids, and Prevention Programs Date Posted: June 15, 2023, Governor Carney Releases Statement on Passage of Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 1 We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people's health, to preserve magnificent places and wildlife, to advance clean energy, and to combat climate change. By keeping the money for his programs in the neighborhood, Niles aims to support businesses with direct stakes in the well-being of the bay, and ultimately stave off the industrial pressures that have intensified species declines in the area. Red knots rely on horseshoe crab eggs to replenish and renourish before finishing their journeys, but due to the overharvesting of crabs in recent decades both egg availability and red knot numbers have suffered. The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation. The scientists who evaluated the commissions methods and conclusions determined that the modeling ignored red flags indicating that the horseshoe crab population remains precarious, and they caution against increasing the harvest, particularly of females. As Ive mentioned before, I spent a lot of time in 2020 exploring new places in New Jersey to find birds. Date Posted: June 23, 2023, State and Federal Protection of Piping Plover Nest to Close Portion of Beach at Gordons Pond on Cape Henlopen Red knot numbers grow in Delaware Bay, but population remains Horseshoe crab egg-eating red knots (subspecies rufa) are listed as "threatened" under the Endangered. The red knots modestly increased from 6,800 in 2021 to over 12,000 this year, but that number is less than half the . Delaware Bay Rufa Red Knot and Horseshoe Crab FAQ (pdf), Twitter For more information, visit defenders.org/newsroom and follow us on Twitter@Defenders. While bait harvest of female horseshoe crabs has been prohibited in Delaware Bay since 2012 in recognition of the crab populations depleted numbers and its important relationship to red knots, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is proposing to change the harvest rules in a way that would allow resumption of a female harvest. But the numberof crabby visitorshas shrunk, due to overharvesting by humans. Niles continues to come to the bay as chief biologist with the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey. Audubon protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. This spring, researchers are seeing positive signs, but its much too soon to say whether the birds have turned the corner. Shorebirds arriving from South America to feed as they prepare to continue their journey to the Arctic to breed, forage fish, and the young of several sportfish like weakfish and striped bass all depend on horseshoe crab eggs in abundance, which has been lacking over the last 20 years., With red knot numbers in Delaware Bay remaining at historically low levels, ASMFCs proposal is a huge risk to the birds survival and recovery, said Ben Levitan, senior attorney for Earthjustices Biodiversity Defense Program. Spring migration is timed to coincide with the spawning season for the horseshoe crab, whose eggs provide a rich, easily digestible food source. The estimated red knot population that stops and feeds each spring along Delaware Bay has remained steady over the previous 10 years, at approximately 40,000 to 50,000 birds annually as reported in the Red Knot Stopover Population Estimate for 2021 produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the DNREC Division of Fish and . Like other shorebirds, the red knot is threatened by coastal development, but the added pressure of overharvested horseshoe crabs has caused a rapid decline since the early 2000's. This year, thanks to the work of more than 100 local volunteers and staff from several conservation organizations, the crabs will be able to lay their eggs behind a protective, man-made oyster reef. Red knots, ruddy turnstones, dunlin and semipalmated sandpipers coming through the Delaware Bay near Fortescue, N.J., on May 23, 2022. Fish and Wildlife Servicethat participated in the reef-building event, not the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Service. Date Posted: July 10, 2023, Summer Experiences Benefit Every Student That number has recently dropped to as low as 7,000, Niles said. The record harvest and plentiful turkey hunting opportunities to be taken advantage of in the First State are testament to the conservation success story of this important species after a restoration effort in the mid-1980s returned the iconic native gamebird to Delaware for the first time since the late 1800s.
