Horseshoe Crabs in the Delaware Bay

Crabs are Critical for Birds and People 

Horseshoe crab eggs are critical in sustaining birds that migrate up to 10,000 miles each year. The threatened red knot, for example, flies from wintering grounds in South America to the Arctic each spring, stopping in Delaware along the way to fuel up on horseshoe crab eggs. Without the food, the red knot cannot complete its journey.

Why Count the Crabs?

Some evidence suggests that the crabs are over-harvested in North America, which has led to a harvesting ban in New Jersey and restrictions in Delaware. Knowing how many horseshoe crabs there are helps fisheries managers develop effective policy for managing populations.

Every May and June, during the evening full and new moon high tides, volunteers count horseshoe crabs at 23 beaches along the shores of the Delaware Bay in both Delaware and New Jersey. This data is used to create the annual Delaware Bay Horseshoe Crab Survey which is utilized by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries, state agencies and scientists.

In New Jersey, TNC participates in the annual census and reports its findings as part of the collective effort. In Delaware, TNC's Milford Neck Preserve provides nearly a mile of undeveloped beachfront that hosts thousands of spawning crabs and hungry shorebirds.