DNREC to Host Public Meeting on Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Horseshoe Crab Management Plan

The ASMFC’s Horseshoe Crab Management Plan is to be discussed at a March 27 public meeting /US Fish and Wildlife Service photo

 

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, through the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife, will host a public meeting on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) horseshoe crab management plan Thursday, March 27. The meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Little Creek Hunter Education Training Center, 3018 Bayside Drive, Dover, DE 19901. Information about attending the meeting virtually can be found on the ASMFC website.

The ASMFC seeks public input on proposed changes to the plan that would allow the ASMFC Management Board to set specifications for male-only harvest of horseshoe crabs for multiple years. Also to be discussed are options for managing male-only harvest limits, seasonal harvest restrictions, and horseshoe crab harvest caps for Maryland and Virginia.

The proposed changes came out of an ASMFC Horseshoe Crab Management Objectives workshop in Lewes last year that brought together stakeholders – including commercial harvesters, conservationists, biomedical representatives, and fishery managers – to explore management objectives for the Delaware Bay-origin horseshoe crab fishery.

For more information about the public meeting, call the DNREC Fisheries Section at 302-739-9914.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on more than 68,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov; 

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