A group of environmental organizations is seeking an official declaration that American horseshoe crabs are endangered.
The groups have requested the declaration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The U.S. agency administers the Endangered Species Act, which was established in 1973.
The American horseshoe crab – known as a “living fossil” – is one of the oldest living creatures on Earth. It is believed to date back at least 450 million years. Scientists do not actually consider horseshoes true crabs. This is because they are more closely related to spiders and scorpions than to other sea creatures.
If NOAA approves the endangered declaration, it would generally make it unlawful for people to harm or kill a horseshoe crab without an official permit to do so.
Research suggests horseshoe crab populations in the U.S. have decreased sharply over the past 30 years. For example, growth numbers for the animals are down two-thirds from 1990 in an area of the Delaware Bay. Environmental groups say this body of water in the northeastern state of Delaware once held the largest population of horseshoe crabs.
Research also shows that egg densities for the animals have fallen more than 80 percent over the past 40 years. The reproduction drops are linked to environmental changes causing other sea creatures to eat their larvae and eggs, researchers say.
A collection of 23 environmental groups have joined to seek the endangered declaration. The request, or petition, also seeks the establishment of a “critical habitat” for horseshoe crabs to be protected.
The request names numerous threats to the animals – all of which are blamed on human activities. These include harvesting the crabs to be used for bait, use in biomedical activities, habitat loss and climate change.
A spokesperson for NOAA confirmed to Reuters news service the agency was examining the groups’ petition, but did not comment further.
Will Harlan is a senior scientist at the Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity. He told Reuters, "We're wiping out one of the world's oldest and toughest creatures." His group is one of those seeking the endangered declaration.
Drug manufacturers harvest horseshoe crabs in large numbers for their blue-colored blood. The blood is used to test and develop drugs and medical devices. The petition states that in 2022, nearly 1 million of the animals were used for medical purposes.
Current law permits the biomedical industry to capture small amounts of horseshoe crab blood before releasing the animals alive to areas where they were collected.
However, NOAA says between 10 to 15 percent of harvested animals die during this process. Harlan said non-industry research suggests this rate is even higher. Those estimates show that 30 percent of horseshoe crabs captured for blood collection die in the process.
Harlan noted that while synthetic blood versions are widely used in Europe, American companies have been slow to use them.
The petition says the other main cause of population drops is overharvesting of horseshoe crabs for commercial fisheries. Environmental activists say this is likely to continue, with no sign of recovery even after harvesting limits were established.
I’m Bryan Lynn.
