Bill > A08218

This bill, concerning the management and conservation of horseshoe crabs, directs the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to consider specific factors when developing regulations. These factors include the potential use of bait bags in whelk pots (fishing gear used to catch whelks, a type of sea snail), the effects of setting fishing seasons during horseshoe crab spawning and non-spawning periods, and the impact of imposing harvest limits based on whether the crab is male or female. Additionally, the DEC must incorporate ecologically based considerations for harvest limits and quotas, taking into account elements like shorebird consumption, using information gathered and utilized by the Atlantic States Marine Fishery Commission, an interstate body that manages fisheries. This act is set to take effect immediately but will expire and be repealed on December 31, 2017.