Thanks to you, female horseshoe crabs won't be used as fishing bait in Delaware Bay: [link removed]

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Dear Friend,

We did it! Thanks to much-needed public comments sent in by Earthjustice supporters, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) decided to forego lifting the prohibition on killing female horseshoe crabs in Delaware Bay for use as fishing bait, which will help the red knot shorebird get the food supply it needs during its yearly migration to its breeding grounds in the Arctic Circle. The commissioners acknowledged that public comments were a critical factor in their decision.

Due to the overharvesting of horseshoe crabs by the fishing industry, the Delaware Bay habitat has been degraded. As horseshoe crabs languish, the shorebird – which is protected under the Endangered Species Act and relies on horseshoe crab eggs for food – has suffered as well. Red knot shorebird numbers in Delaware Bay, which plummeted following the overharvest of horseshoe crabs in the 1990s, remained at historically low levels in 2022, while the horseshoe crab population continues to be precarious.

This story is not unique to the red knot or the horseshoe crab. Throughout the animal kingdom, increasing pressures from industry are putting threatened and endangered species at risk. Habitat destruction is the largest driver of biodiversity loss globally. Protecting the diverse range of species and the habitats on which they rely is more important than ever.

24,987 Earthjustice supporters turned the tide in this campaign. The ASMFC’s decision avoids worsening conditions for shorebirds, including red knots, which depend on crab eggs to complete their migration from as far south as Tierra del Fuego to the Arctic Circle. Thanks to you, the red knot shorebirds will have a fighting chance next year when they stop at Delaware Bay.

We may have won this round, but this decision is only for better protections for 2023, and we will need to keep the pressure on ASMFC to do the right thing moving forward.

At Earthjustice, our 356 attorneys represent our clients free of charge thanks to donations from supporters like you. And we rely on your financial support to sustain our highly effective advocacy program. Please consider making a donation today to help us win the fights ahead.

Sincerely,
Ben Levitan
Senior Attorney, Biodiversity Defense Program

TAKE ACTION: [link removed]

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