Interested in joining our 2019 Horseshoe Crab monitoring effort?
In 2019 we will be participating in the Mass Division of Marine Fisheries' official Horseshoe Crab spawning survey. We’ll be monitoring during new and full moons during April – June, and we need volunteers interested in helping us monitor! Please sign up if you’re interested in participating in this citizen science program at https://goo.gl/forms/aQ2p5lLasY01n27J2, and we’ll let you know about training dates and monitoring times.
Why We Monitor
Horseshoe Crabs are a unique species that have been around for over 350 million years. The Atlantic horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) is classified as Vulnerable to extinction by the IUCN. This also affects shorebird species like the Red Knot that depend on horseshoe crab eggs for food during migration. Horseshoe Crabs are also widely used in the biomedical industry for their blue blood.
Monitoring local Horseshoe Crab populations will help to make decisions about where management is needed. Horseshoe Crab monitoring takes place during spawning at high tide during the new and full moon phases. Dedicated volunteers around Massachusetts conduct spawning beach surveys during the day and at night. Learn more here.
