nps presentaion on horshoe crabs in jamaica bay

Assessment of Spawning Horseshoe Assessment of Spawning Horseshoe Crabs in Mid-Atlantic National ParksCrabs in Mid-Atlantic National Parks

Patti RaffertyPatti Rafferty

National Park Service, Gateway National Recreation AreaNational Park Service, Gateway National Recreation Area

Dr. Mary-Jane JamesDr. Mary-Jane James

University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography, Narragansett, RINarragansett, RI

Global Distribution of Global Distribution of Horseshoe CrabsHorseshoe Crabs

Horseshoe Crab Life CycleHorseshoe Crab Life Cycle

Ecological and Socio-Economic Ecological and Socio-Economic Value of American Horseshoe Value of American Horseshoe Crabs (Crabs (Limulus polyphemusLimulus polyphemus)) Important part of the marine ecosystemImportant part of the marine ecosystem

predators and preypredators and prey

eggs - food source for migrating shorebirdseggs - food source for migrating shorebirds

proposed listing of Red Knotproposed listing of Red Knot

Valuable socio-economic speciesValuable socio-economic species

bait for eel and conch fisherybait for eel and conch fishery

Limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL)Limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL)

Coastal New York and New Coastal New York and New Jersey National ParksJersey National Parks

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C AE X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Understanding Movement and Understanding Movement and Population DynamicsPopulation Dynamics US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Cooperative US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Cooperative

tagging programtagging program

Sonic transmitter tagsSonic transmitter tags

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C AE X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Release location← Big Egg← Breezy Beach← Canarsie← Elders East/West← Wildlife Refuge← Yellow Bar

Graphical representation of horseshoe crab movement as detected on the Jamaica Bay SUR array. Arrows indicate direction of travel from release location. Colored lines indicate the different release locations and where the crabs were detected within the SUR array after release.

Where are Horseshoe Crabs in Where are Horseshoe Crabs in Jamaica Bay?Jamaica Bay?

USFWS Cooperative USFWS Cooperative Tagging ProgramTagging Program

USFWS provides tags, signage and manages USFWS provides tags, signage and manages national data basenational data base

Prosomal width, sex, and location of each tagged Prosomal width, sex, and location of each tagged horseshoe crab are recorded and reported to horseshoe crab are recorded and reported to national data basenational data base

Recapture sightings provide data on regional Recapture sightings provide data on regional movement patterns and population dynamics movement patterns and population dynamics

Reward for reporting tag number, location of crab, Reward for reporting tag number, location of crab, and if crab was live or dead by phone or on-lineand if crab was live or dead by phone or on-line

Please Report Suspected PoachingPlease Report Suspected Poaching

Please do not confront the harvester(s). Your safety is Please do not confront the harvester(s). Your safety is always the highest priority. always the highest priority.

Be a good witness - record location and time that you Be a good witness - record location and time that you observed the harvest activity; boat registration numbers observed the harvest activity; boat registration numbers (on the side of a boat); description of the boat or any (on the side of a boat); description of the boat or any persons; license plate, make and model of vehicles (if persons; license plate, make and model of vehicles (if any); etc. any); etc.

Report the incident:Report the incident:Park Police (718) 338-3988Park Police (718) 338-3988New York State Department of Environmental New York State Department of Environmental

Conservation 877-257-5680. Conservation 877-257-5680.

To Volunteer Contact:To Volunteer Contact:

Jolene WillisJolene Willis

EcologistEcologist

Gateway National Recreation AreaGateway National Recreation Area

(718) 338-3338 ext. 223(718) 338-3338 ext. 223

[email protected][email protected]

Keith E. WhiteKeith E. White

VIP/Volunteer Coordinator VIP/Volunteer Coordinator

Gateway National Recreation AreaGateway National Recreation Area

(718) 354-4657 (718) 354-4657

[email protected][email protected]