December 27, 2024 — Environmentalists are outraged over Gov. Kathy Hochul’s recent decision to veto the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act, which prohibits the taking of horseshoe crabs from New York waters. The legislation would have allowed the populations to recover and ensured the survival of the important species, advocated said.
In her veto message, Hochul wrote: “This bill would prohibit the taking of horseshoe crabs for commercial or biomedical purposes and also extend the authority of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to manage crabs.”
She added: “DEC has significant rules and regulations regarding commercial and recreational fishing in the state and adheres to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission management plans to ensure healthy coastal fishery resources. DEC has already announced four lunar closures for the upcoming year to address concerns about overharvesting the horseshoe crab population.”
Also, Hochul said: “This bill could have unintended consequences on the management of other species such as whelk and eel, and could harm the commercial fishing industry and impair advancements in the biomedical field. While this bill is well-intentioned, the management of marine species is better left to the experts at DEC.”
She urged the legislature to restore DEC’s specific authority to regulate crabs, and said she was “directing DEC to evaluate and implement further administrative measures to protect this species pursuant to its broad authority to protect and regulate the state’s marine resources. Therefore, I am constrained to veto this bill.”