Pennsylvania had no horseshoe crab fishery at all, but when New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland implemented their regulations, the demand for ports in which to land horseshoe crabs was greatly increased. Some trawlers went up the Delaware River and landed tens of thousands of horseshoe crabs in Pennsylvania ports. Because they passed through Delaware waters, Delaware intervened and threatened to enforce their own regulations. The trawlers agreed to stop, but Pennsylvania wasn't taking any more chances and closed the state to horseshoe crab landings. As of May 1, 1999, Pennsylvania instituted a rule declaring: "It is unlawful for any person to import into or transport in this Commonwealth horseshoe crabs for the purpose of sale at wholesale or retial. It is unlawful to sell, offer for sale or purchase any horseshoe crabs."

Read the text of the rule here.

For more information, contact Perry Plumart.