The New York State Department of Conservation is halting the harvest of horseshoe crabs across the state at midnight Saturday until further notice, after the annual state quota was surpassed.
A DEC statement says that the annual quota was set at 150,000 horseshoe crabs, and since that limit has been exceeded there will be no harvesting permitted this winter.
The DEC estimates that 170,897 horseshoe crabs were harvested in 2012, including 169,964 in the spring and 933 in the fall. The estimates may change, the DEC advised, because compliance monitering is still ongoing.
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Over the winter, the DEC plans to meet with harvesters to determine the 2013 quota, and ensure it is not exceeded.
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