New York State Regs

[jack1747]

https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/75333.html  updated 2022

[wantcrabs?seeme!]

I checked out the NYS DEC link, and there seems to be an error about Horseshoe Crabs. As far as I know, they are a protected species, both state-wise and federally. According to this link, you can keep 5 per day with no size limit, year-round. I wouldn't recommend trying to keep any, because I have a feeling you will still run afoul of the game warden, should you be caught.

[jack1747]

I don't think so.... http://www.asmfc.org/   

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES MANAGEMENT MEASURES
The provisions of this Addendum are limited to New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.
All other jurisdictions remain status quo with previous requirements established by the FMP and
previous Addenda. In accordance with Article IX of the ASMFC Compact, states may
implement regulations more restrictive than those required by the Commission. At the time of
this Addendum, New Jersey has in place a full moratorium on the harvest of horseshoe crabs for
use as bait.
Bait Harvest Level Threshold/Closed Season Combinations
Addendum V prohibits directed harvest and landing of all horseshoe crabs in New Jersey and
Delaware from January 1 through June 7, and female horseshoe crabs in New Jersey and
Delaware from June 8 through December 31. It also limits New Jersey and Delaware's harvest
to 100,000 horseshoe crabs per state per year. These provisions are in place for one year, from
November 1, 2008 to October 31, 2009.
Based on tagging release and recapture information from the USFWS tagging database, the
Horseshoe Crab Technical Committee and Plan Development Team found that at least a portion
of crabs harvested in Maryland and Virginia waters are "crabs of Delaware Bay origin." Crabs
tagged in Delaware Bay were recaptured in state waters of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and
Virginia from 1999 to 2006.
To provide additional protection to crabs of Delaware Bay origin, Addendum V prohibits
directed harvest and landing of horseshoe crabs in Maryland from January 1 through June 7 for
one year, from November 1, 2008, to October 31, 2009. It also prohibits the landing of
horseshoe crabs in Virginia from federal waters from January 1 through June 7. Addendum V
mandates that no more than 40% of Virginia's annual quota may be harvested east of the
COLREGS line in ocean waters. It also requires that horseshoe crabs harvested east of the
COLREGS line and landed in Virginia must be comprised of a minimum male to female ratio of
2:1. Virginia's provisions are in place for one year, from November 1, 2008, to October 31,
2009.
The Horseshoe Crab Management Board may extend the management measures contained in this
Addendum through a Board vote. The measures can be extended for a period of up to one year.
The Board can utilize this extension only once.
The provisions of Addendum V will expire on October 31, 2009, unless extended, through Board
vote, for another year. The Board may choose to develop another addendum or amendment to
the FMP to follow the provisions of Addendum V. If Addendum V expires and the Board does
not take management action to follow Addendum V, management measures for New Jersey,
Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia revert back to those contained in Addendum III.

[wantcrabs?seeme!]

OK. Thanks for clearing that up. I called NYSDEC to verify, and they confirmed that up to 5 Horseshoe crabs may be harvested per recreational fisherman, per day. The NYC Parks Dept. is confusing matters by installing signs that tell beach users that the Horseshoe Crab is an ancient species from the "days of the dinosaurs", and that it must not be disturbed or handled.

[johnproc]

Why would someone harvest horseshoe crabs? Are they edible?

[masspi]

They are used in medical research, blood clotting and disorders of the blood

[SHELLFISH]

They are also used for bait (broken up) for Eel and Scungelli traps.

[robc22]

They were for years, by far, the best eel bait you could use.Nothing else has ever come close.

[unclebuttsy]

"The horseshoe crab plays a vital, if little-known, role in the life of anyone who has received an injectable medication. An extract of the horseshoe crab's blood is used by the pharmaceutical and medical device industries to ensure that their products, e.g., intravenous drugs, vaccines, and medical devices, are free of bacterial contamination. No other test works as easily or reliably for this purpose. Read below for more detail."

http://www.horseshoecrab.org/med/med.html

[Dreampixels]

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[CoastalLifePhotography]

2014
http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7894.html

[K Williams]

2016

http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7894.html

[GreatSouthBay]

2022:
https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/75333.html