[CT Birds] Red Knots & Horseshoe Crabs

[Robert J. Bitondi]

Scott's post is very timely.  I'm watching the Nature program devoted to the knot-crab relationship on CPTV.  The crabs are harvested for bait to catch other marine species.  The fishery provides a startling small economic advantage given the catastrophic impact on the red knot.  When will our society get to the point at which a majority of people understand that the extinction of a species that has been around for millions of years is NEVER worth an economic advantage that can be measured in months or a few years?  

Bob Bitondi
Pomfret Center



Message: 10
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2008 20:09:42 -0500
From: "Scott Ricker" <ptbagger at verizon.net>
Subject: [CT Birds] Horseshoe crab debate concerning Red Knots
To: "'MASSBIRD'" <massbird at theworld.com>
Cc: ctbirds at lists.ctbirding.org
Message-ID: <000001c86c4a$c9173460$2f01a8c0 at reliabil1855b4>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1250"

Mass & CT Birders,

 

I have cut & pasted a segment of an article pertaining to the debate
 over
the protection of the Red Knot; a link to the full article is below the
 2
paragraph sections;

 

Vote expected on horseshoe crab fishing ban to protect birds

By REBECCA SANTANA | Associated Press Writer 

10:28 AM EST, February 10, 2008 

 

TRENTON, N.J. - A battle is brewing between environmentalists trying to
protect threatened migratory birds that feed on horseshoe crab eggs and
fishermen who have harvested the crabs along the Delaware Bay for
 years. 

 

Members of the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council are expected to vote
Monday on a measure proposed by the state Department of Environmental
Protection to indefinitely ban the harvesting of horseshoe crab to
 protect
the crabs and the red knots that feed on the crabs' eggs.

 

HYPERLINK
"http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newjersey/ny-bc-nj--threatenedshoreb
i0210feb10,0,3023990.story"Vote expected on horseshoe crab fishing ban
 to
protect birds

 

Scott Ricker

Southwick, MA.

Ptbagger(at)verizon(dot)net