Views From the Tower Spring 2014 · Volume 42 · No. 1
Conservation in Action
by Dr. Lisa Ferguson
Most of us enjoy walks along the beach in the warmer months and are familiar with the sight of horseshoe crabs turned upside down in the intertidal zone. Often they are digging their tails in the sand, flexing their bodies this way and that, even waving their legs in the air, trying frantically to right themselves.
NJ DEP, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ, and Celebrate Delaware Bay, at least five other partner organizations, and many dedicated volunteers, we aim to increase the number of reTURN the Favor beaches to 15 this season, and save at least twice as many crabs.
There is a good reason for this effort. Horseshoe crabs are vulnerable to predation from gulls and the heat of the sun when they are overturned. In fact, thousands of crabs die each year during the spawning season when they become stranded on our beaches or trapped behind structures such as jetties and docks. With the horseshoe crab population at historically low levels, it is important that we do our part to help – especially along the Delaware Bay beaches were the largest concentrations of spawning horseshoe crabs in the North Atlantic are found.
Though many people already know to turn over crabs on the beach (not by the tail!), reTURN the Favor has several key objectives that require an organized and trained force of volunteers. It is important that all walks comply with New Jersey laws meant to protect horseshoe crabs and shorebirds. New Jersey is the only state that has a legislated moratorium on the take of horseshoe crabs - which means that no crabs, living or dead, can be removed from their habitat. New Jersey also enforces the closure of several beaches to protect breeding and migratory shorebirds – which means that only sanctioned groups with special permission from the state can access closed beaches to help the horseshoe crabs. It is also important that the reTURN the Favor program collect data on location and numbers of rescued crabs to aide in the management of horseshoe crabs and the restoration of their habitat.
A new program in New Jersey – reTURN the Favor – is doing just that. Launched in May 2013, The Wetlands Institute led the charge with the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife (NJ DEP) to get volunteers out on eight beaches in New Jersey to rescue stranded crabs. Nearly 5,000 crabs were rescued on 43 walks with the help of several local organizations, local homeowners, teachers, and others – 153 volunteers in all! We are building from the success and lessons of our inaugural year to reorganize and expand the program for 2014. Along with
We are excited to be a part of this new program. If you’d like to learn more, volunteer to lead walks, or just join us for a walk on the beach, check out the new website (designed by our very own Christine Mattera) for more information and a schedule of events: returnthefavornj.org