Horseshoe Crab Protection Act

Sep 17

Horseshoe crab with shells and barnacles on the beach heading toward the ocean during sunset

Governor Kathy Hochul has signed the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act into law.

Horseshoe crabs have existed for more than 350 million years. We see them spawning on our East End beaches and in the waters where children play. Their eggs serve as a vital food source to migratory shorebirds and numerous fish species. Horseshoe crabs play a vital role in our marine ecosystem, but now, their populations are declining at a rapid pace.

Harvesting for bait and biomedical purposes, along with habitat loss, are having a profound impact on our local horseshoe crab population. Here on Long Island, there is a documented population decline with no end in sight. While horseshoe crabs have played an integral role in the biomedical and commercial fishery industries, it has been to their detriment. Alternatives for biomedical use of horseshoe crab blood exist and have become mainstream. If alternatives are not utilized for commercial bait, the horseshoe crab population will likely continue to decline beyond repair. What impacts might this have on the fishery industry if action isn’t taken?

In February 2024, the Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to list the Atlantic horseshoe crab as an endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.

In 2023, Connecticut adopted stringent regulations to help boost populations for conservation purposes. Data has shown that when one area strengthens its regulations, other areas experience an increase in harvest rates. As New York and Connection share Long Island Sound, we see how critical it is for New York to follow suit and enact a similar ban. We cannot allow this ecologically-important species to face extinction.

In June 2024, the New York State Legislature banned horseshoe crab harvesting for fishing and biomedical use. Now, the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act (S.3185A/A.10140) is headed to New York State Governor Kathy Hochul’s desk to be signed into law this fall.

Despite bipartisan support in the New York State Legislature, input from numerous reputable science organizations, thousands of letters of support from concerned New Yorkers, and even a letter from Jane Goodall, Governor Kathy Hochul vetoed the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act on December 13, 2024.

It is both disappointing and embarrassing that New York failed to enact the same protections that have already been adopted by our coastal neighbors in New Jersey and Connecticut, and it is clear that this decision was not based on science.

Nonetheless, the Group is grateful to the hundreds of supporters across the East End who clearly understand the ecological importance of the horseshoe crab and joined us in advocating for the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act. While we are disheartened, we are not deterred.

In 2025, the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk released a report that reveals a severe population decline in the horseshoe crab population in Long Island Sound.

Though the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation maintains that they can manage the horseshoe crab population, it is clear their strategy has shown little, if any, improvement in the overall population. We do not need more data; we need action! Waiting any longer to act places the horseshoe crab population in severe jeopardy. New York State can and must do better.

New bills were reintroduced to both the Senate (S.4289) and Assembly (A.4997) that, again, ban the commercial harvesting of horseshoe crabs for bait and biomedical purposes. And in June 2025, both bills passed with overwhelming support! They were then sent to Governor Hochul’s desk.

The Group proudly supported these bills and advocated for Governor Hochul to support them. You can read more about our efforts in our most recent newsletter.

In December 2025, Governor Hochul signed the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act into law!

This victory is the result of one of New York’s largest conservation campaigns. We are grateful to our elected leaders, fellow conservation groups, and thousands of New Yorkers who stood up with the Group to protect an animal that’s been here for 350 million years, but will never be able to speak up for itself.