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Assembly advances chapter amendment to phase out horseshoe crab harvesting to aid recovery
Summary
The Assembly passed Senate 8823, a chapter amendment to the Environmental Conservation Law that phases out horseshoe crab harvesting over several years and extends DEC authority, amid debate about monitoring, enforcement and impacts on fisheries (Ayes 101, Noes 37).
The New York State Assembly on Feb. 3 passed Senate 8823, a chapter amendment to the Environmental Conservation Law that would phase out the commercial taking of horseshoe crabs and extend regulatory authority for the Department of Environmental Conservation.
Supporters said the measure gives the state a structured, multi-year approach to allow horseshoe crab populations to recover. The sponsor described the species as “a keystone species which mean other species depend upon them for their survival,” and said the phase-out (to be completed by 2029) is intended to give the fishing community time to adjust and avoid sudden disruption.
Opponents and questioners pressed for details on how DEC will measure the law's impact, asking whether the current 150,000 annual take cap is being reached and how migration and population trends are monitored. A questioner asked whether neighboring states—noting Connecticutand New Jersey restrictions—would place more pressure on New York waters. The sponsor said DEC issues a $35 annual permit and that universities and conservation groups conduct egg counts and other monitoring that would augment DEC efforts.
Assemblymember Glick, in explaining her vote, thanked staff and advocacy organizations for their work and said she would vote in the affirmative, formally withdrawing a prior request and announcing, “I withdraw my request and vote in the affirmative.” The clerk recorded the vote as Ayes 101, Noes 37, and announced the bill passed.
The measure now proceeds with the chapter-amendment language as passed by the Assembly. Proponents said scientific monitoring and the phased schedule are intended to allow the population to rebound while providing time for commercial operations to identify alternatives; opponents questioned enforcement capacity and the sufficiency of monitoring plans.
The Assembly took the vote after members stated their conference positions; the bill was passed on the recorded tally announced by the clerk. The session moved on to other business after the final tally.
