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Statewide Survey for Horseshoe Crab Nesting Beaches in Florida

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute is asking the public to report their observations of horseshoe crab mating activities in order to help biologists identify nesting beaches around the state.

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Unfortunately, horseshoe crab abundance is declining throughout much of the species’ range. This decline is probably due to a variety of factors, including the degradation of reproductive habitat and overfishing. The horseshoe crab’s reproductive activities can be disrupted when seawalls or other types of development alter shoreline configuration; moreover, in the past 30 years , the eastern United States’ annual harvest of horseshoe crabs for the bait fishery has climbed from about 6,000 to nearly 2,400,000.

Migratory shorebirds rely on horseshoe crab eggs as a primary food source during their long migrations. The decrease in horseshoe crab abundance has contributed to notable declines in the abundance of many shorebird species. As a result, many states have put restrictions on horseshoe crab harvesting, and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission developed a Horseshoe Crab Fishery Management Plan. To gain a better understanding of horseshoe crab biology and mating activities, this management plan requires all Atlantic coastal states to identify horseshoe crab nesting beaches.

Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) biologists have initiated a statewide survey for nesting beaches where horseshoe crabs mate and spawn their eggs. FWRI needs the help of the public for this survey; observations of the public and data collected by volunteers will directly contribute to our success. The horseshoe crab has existed for hundreds of millions of years—let's all pitch in to ensure they will survive for many years to come.

If you have observed horseshoe crab nesting activities in Florida (two or more horseshoe crabs connected together), please report this information to us. You can report your information with our Online Survey, or you can contact us directly by e-mail or phone. The e-mail address and telephone number are listed at the end of this article.

We also need survey volunteers to collect information about the abundance and size of male and female horseshoe crabs. If you or your friends are interested in becoming more involved with this effort, please contact us by e-mail or phone.

E-mail: horseshoe@myfwc.com

Toll-free phone: 1-866-252-9326

Horseshoe Crab Survey