Assemblymember Deborah J. Glick, 66th Assembly District Manhattan, announced today the passage of her legislation A.4779 to prohibit the harvesting of horseshoe crabs from the waters of New York. Under this bill, the taking of horseshoe crabs will be prohibited, including for commercial and biomedical purposes.

Assemblymember Glick said, “Despite thriving on our planet for 400 million years, horseshoe crabs are struggling to coexist with humans as we overharvest them for bait and for their astoundingly unique blood. Not only does the commercial fishing and biomedical industries put the horseshoe crab’s future on the east coast of the US in jeopardy, but this keystone species’ decline is also directly tied to other species’ survival. The DEC has recently designated the red knot shorebird as a threatened species, and the American eel as a species of special concern. By protecting the horseshoe crab from its population decline as confirmed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, we will also be protecting these species that are ecologically entwined with one another. Current DEC protection measures are not enough; we must put an end to the wasteful taking of these unique creatures.”

Companion legislation sponsored by Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal S.4289 awaits passage in the Senate.