What is bycatch and how can it harm horseshoe crabs?

Bycatch refers to the portion of a commercial fishing catch that consists of marine animals caught unintentionally.1

While horseshoe crabs are often targeted intentionally for use as bait or by the biomedical industry, they are also frequently caught as bycatch in fishing nets designed to capture other species. This accidental capture contributes to the overall mortality of the species, further threatening populations that are already under pressure from habitat loss and overfishing.23

Protecting these ancient chelicerates is an ethical imperative, as they are essential to the health of estuarine ecosystems and the survival of various other species, such as the American red knot. Environmental management and conservation efforts are vital to ensure their continued presence and recovery.3