FWC asks for horseshoe crab sighting reports
(Courtesy FWC)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The beginning of March marks a critical time for one of the Bay Area's most important marine species. It's horseshoe crab mating season and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is asking anyone who sees them to file a report online.
They mate year-round, but it is most common to see mating groups along the shore of sandy, lower wave action beaches in March and April as well as September and October. Horseshoe crabs are likely to be sighted in the Bay Area on beaches in Hernando, Pinellas, Pasco, Manatee, and Sarasota courties.
FWC says mating horseshoe crabs are easily spotted, especially during high tide and within a few days of a new or full moon.
The smaller male will be attached to the larger female as they crawl up the beach up to the high tide line where the female digs a nest and lays her eggs.
According to FWC, horseshoe crabs have existed for more than 450 million years, but scientists are still learning about Florida populations. The agency it relies on public reporting of horseshoe crab sightings, through the Florida Horseshoe Crab Watch Program, which gives scientists valuable information about habitat use, population distribution and environmental conditions for nesting.
FWC says anyone who spots a horseshoe crab on its back, flip back over by gently picking it up, holding both sides of the shell, turning it over and releasing it back into the water.
The FWC asks the public to report sightings by visiting MyFWC.com/research and clicking on "Crustaceans" then "Horseshoe Crabs" and selecting "Report Your Nesting Horseshoe Crab Sighting."
Results of the public reporting survey are published seasonally and include the number of animals sighted, tagged and resighted in a given area.