Bill > S05922

This bill requires the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to consider specific factors when managing and conserving horseshoe crabs, which are marine arthropods important to the ecosystem. These considerations include evaluating the effectiveness of using bait bags in whelk pots (traps for marine snails), assessing the ecological impacts of setting fishing seasons during horseshoe crabs' spawning and non-spawning periods, analyzing the effects of setting harvest limits based on whether the crab is male or female, and incorporating ecologically based harvest limits and quotas that account for factors like shore bird consumption, using data from the Atlantic States Marine Fishery Commission. This act will take effect immediately but will expire and be repealed on December 31, 2017.