Mr. Colvin reported that a meeting was held shortly before today’s Council meeting between DEC staff and commercial fishermen to discuss issues related to implementing New York's commercial harvests quotas for various species.  The overall outcome was successful in that a management program was worked out that everyone would be able to live with, although some participants were not as happy as others.  A letter outlining the harvest periods, percentage of quota allocated to each period, the threshold triggers, trip limits, etc. will be mailed shortly to all license-holders.

Mr. John German of the Long Island Sound Lobsterman's Association, noted that DEC had apparently informed ASMFC that New York would not implement regulations in 2007 to take full advantage of its 2007 commercial horseshoe crab quota.  The decision not to take full advantage of the horseshoe crab quota was allegedly made in response to the urgings of environmental groups concerned that continued high catches of horseshoe crabs would further imperil migratory shore birds that rely on the consumption of horseshoe crabs eggs on the seasonal migrations.  He urged the Council to contact the DEC Commissioner and ask that this decision be reversed.

Councilor Davi moved that the Council recommend to the DEC Commissioner that New York accept the full 2007 horseshoe crab commercial quota allocated by ASMFC.  The motion was seconded by Councilor Freierman.

Mr. Colvin commented that, at the time it was first agreed not to take the full horseshoe crab quota in 2007, New Jersey and Delaware had just announced they would voluntarily reduce their commercial horseshoe crab catch to 150,000.  Representatives from several conservation organizations had written to the Governor and Commissioner suggesting do’s and don’ts for New York.  Commissioner Crotty accepted the concept of a voluntary reduction in the quota , but did not accede to some of the other suggestions that were made.  Ironically, Mr. Colvin noted, New Jersey and Delaware have now actually closed their entire horseshoe crab fishery.  This is partly because of the decline of red knots, the reasons for which are not fully understood.  The Audubon Society’s concern that the red knots have enough to eat (their diet consists of horseshoe crab eggs) has helped lead to the closure of the horseshoe crab fishery in those states.  This creates a certain sympathy for New Jersey and Delaware, but at the same time, since their initial quotas were a lot higher than New York’s, this creates pressure for New York to help meet the coastwide demand for horseshoe crabs.

Several present noted that red knots do not use beaches and mud flats in New York to nearly the same extent they do in Delaware Bay, center of the geographic range of the horseshoe crab along the U.S. East Coast.  Mr. Davi's motion was passed by the vote of 6 in favor, 4 opposed, and 2 abstentions.  

 

Page last modified Tuesday, February 27, 2007 by George E. Carroll