DELAWARE - The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) is set to host a public hearing tonight on proposed amendments to horseshoe crab harvesting policies.
DNREC is introducing changes to state code regarding commercial harvesting of the crabs to comply with an Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s addendum approved in 2022. The department says the changes will assist in preventing overharvest and will clarify outdated or unclear parts of the current code.
Included in the revisions are changes to daily possession limits for commercial harvesters and how they are calculated. Currently limits are based on volume, capped at 300 cubic feet. DNREC proposes the limits be based on number, at 3,000 crabs per day. According to the department, these changes will make enforcement of possession limits less complicated. It will also be unlawful to collect or attempt to collect more than 3,000 crabs a day under the changes.
DNREC also plans to change their public lottery system for dredging of the crabs, removing specific dates for the lottery to enable the department to set dates and times as needed.
A virtual public hearing is planned for tonight at 6 p.m. and the link to the hearing be accessed through the DNREC Public Hearings site at https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/public-hearings/. The department will continue to accept public comment on these changes up until April 7th.