Alternative Bait Workshop.pdf

Horseshoe crabs are a crucial resource for migratory shorebirds, Atlantic loggerhead turtles, and finfish, and are primarily used as bait in American eel and conch fisheries. Due to localized declines in the Mid-Atlantic region, significant restrictions have been imposed on horseshoe crab harvest, leading to a strained bait market and escalating prices.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Horseshoe Crab Technical Committee convened an alternative bait and trap design workshop to identify strategies for reducing dependence on horseshoe crabs. The workshop aimed to support the needs of fishermen and the horseshoe crab resource, assemble current knowledge, foster working relationships, and promote alternative baits and trap designs.

Key requirements for an effective alternative bait include lasting 2-3 days in the pot, being low-cost (< $0.75/day/pot), attractive to eels or conch, and readily available. Alternative baits such as Atlantic menhaden, female blue crabs, and cat food have been used, but underperform horseshoe crabs. A company in Maine has developed a salted ground fish product that may have potential as an alternative eel bait.

Fishermen have been exploring ways to extend the use of horseshoe crabs, including substituting whole female crabs with whole male and half female crabs, using companion baits, and grinding horseshoe crabs into a usable medium. Bait bags have been successfully used in the conch pot fishery to extend bait life, with some fishermen reporting a 75% reduction in bait needs and increased conch harvest.