scholarly journals Oyster aquaculture does not impede spawning beach access for Atlantic horseshoe crabs Limulus polyphemus

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 81-90
Author(s):  
DM Munroe ◽  
TM Grothues ◽  
NE Cleary ◽  
J Daw ◽  
S Estrada
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Oyster ◽  
Delaware Bay ◽  
Limulus Polyphemus ◽  
Oyster Aquaculture ◽  
Horseshoe Crabs ◽  
Eastern Usa ◽  
Crab Abundance ◽  
Oyster Farm ◽  
Oyster Farms ◽  
And Behavior

Farms for eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica, which are commonly located along shallow estuarine shores of the eastern USA, use a range of farm equipment and require regular access to care for and harvest oyster livestock. In some cases, these farms are located in areas used by Atlantic horseshoe crabs Limulus polyphemus as they come ashore during spring to spawn. The sandy shores of the Delaware Bay host the largest spawning aggregations of this species in the world. Limited studies have examined interactions between horseshoe crabs and intertidal oyster farms, and concern has been raised about the horseshoe crab’s ability to traverse oyster farms to reach spawning habitat. This study examines potential farm interactions with horseshoe crabs in Delaware Bay during the 2018 and 2019 crab spawning season. Our studies included a range of experiments and surveys during high and low tide to observe crab abundance and behavior at rack-and-bag oyster farm and non-farm sites. In all cases, results indicated that crabs can successfully traverse rack-and-bag farms and reach spawning beaches. Crabs do not differentially use farm versus non-farm areas, and crab behavior is relatively unaltered by farm gear. These results provide important context for developing frameworks for managing ecological interactions among farms and wildlife species of concern.

scholarly journals Circulation and behavior controls on dispersal of eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) larvae in Delaware Bay

2012 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 411-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego A. Narváez ◽  
John M. Klinck ◽  
Eric N. Powell ◽  
Eileen E. Hofmann ◽  
John Wilkin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crassostrea Virginica ◽  
Eastern Oyster ◽  
Delaware Bay ◽  
And Behavior

scholarly journals DELAWARE BAY MISPILLION INLET ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION PROJECT

2018 ◽  
pp. 8
Author(s):  
Peter Kotulak
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Control ◽  
Tidal Flow ◽  
Hurricane Sandy ◽  
Delaware Bay ◽  
Limulus Polyphemus ◽  
Environmental Restoration ◽  
The North ◽  
North Side ◽  
Horseshoe Crabs ◽  
Red Knot

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has received grants from Hurricane Sandy funding to rehabilitate and improve environmental functionality and sustainability for areas along the Delaware Bay shoreline. The Mispillion Inlet Complex near Milford, Delaware was one of the projects selected due to its importance as habitat for both American Horseshoe Crabs (Limulus polyphemus) and shorebirds, specifically the threatened species Rufa Red Knot (Calidris canutus rufa). The complex includes the Mispillion River and Cedar Creek that connect at Mispillion Inlet and provide access for tidal flow and navigation into the Delaware Bay via federally-authorized and maintained channels. Efforts to stabilize Mispillion Inlet first occurred in 1859 when a 560-foot long timber pile jetty was constructed along the north side of the inlet. In 1908 a south jetty was constructed, and in subsequent years, several additional jetty extensions were made to a total length of about 5,800 feet. In 1985, the barrier spit separating Mispillion River and the Delaware Bay north of the inlet breached and was subsequently closed with a stone dike and sand fill. Two years later, the repaired area was breached again, followed by placement of more rock and sand.

scholarly journals Reduced horseshoe crab abundance and feeding activity beneath intertidal oyster aquaculture structures in the Delaware Bay

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph A.M. Smith ◽  
Lawrence J. Niles ◽  
Stephanie Feigin
Keyword(s):  
Horseshoe Crab ◽  
Feeding Activity ◽  
Tidal Flats ◽  
Economic Management ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Oyster Aquaculture ◽  
The World ◽  
Horseshoe Crabs ◽  
Crab Abundance

AbstractAround the world, tidal flats play a unique ecological role in estuaries and are a primary feeding habitat for shorebirds and other benthic feeding organisms. Development and economic use of tidal flats can exclude species that depend on this habitat and disrupt ecological processes. In this study we examine patterns of abundance and feeding activity of American horseshoe crabs among oyster aquaculture structures on tidal flats that are adjacent to one of the most important horseshoe crab spawning sites in the world. We used custom-designed traps to sample horseshoe crab abundance beneath rack and bag aquaculture structures and adjacent areas without structures. In addition, we developed predictive spatial models representing three hypotheses regarding the movement of horseshoe crabs through aquaculture structures when transiting to and from spawning beaches. We tested the predictive power of each model using data from traps and found the strongest support for an avoidance model, where on average, horseshoe crabs are avoiding arrays of aquaculture structures when moving across inundated tidal flats. The best-supported spatial model also indicates that patterns of structure avoidance by horseshoe crabs can potentially affect abundance on spawning beaches, particularly with larger gear arrays that are closer to shore. We found additional support for aquaculture structure avoidance by examining an independent data set of horseshoe crab feeding pits on the tidal flats. Patterns of feeding pit density mirrored our trapping results, with fewer pits beneath and among aquaculture structures when compared to adjacent control areas. Horseshoe crabs are important constituents of the benthic food web and their displacement by aquaculture may translate to significant disruptions to the ecological function of tidal flats. This impact can be limited through deliberative spatial planning that seeks to balance ecological and economic management objectives.

Environmentally-determined production frontiers and lease utilization in Virginia's eastern oyster aquaculture industry

Aquaculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 736883
Author(s):  
Jennifer Beckensteiner ◽  
Andrew M. Scheld ◽  
Pierre St-Laurent ◽  
Marjorie A.M. Friedrichs ◽  
David M. Kaplan
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Oyster ◽  
Oyster Aquaculture ◽  
Aquaculture Industry ◽  
Production Frontiers
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