Horseshoe Crab Resighting Form

The Maryland Fish & Wildlife Conservation Office has been coordinating a coast-wide tagging program for horseshoe crabs since 1999. Crabs have been tagged by researchers and biomedical companies conducting numerous studies on horseshoe crabs along the Atlantic Coast.

We are providing an online reporting method for your convenience, but if you have any questions or comments or would like to report this information over the phone, please call 1-800-448-8322.


Circular white tag (attached to left corner of shell by a plastic pin):
To report multiple tags with matching data (date, location, etc.), add them using the button below.
2. Was the tag removed or found detached?
3. What was the condition of the horseshoe crab?
4. Date of Capture/Found?
5. Disposition of horseshoe crab?
6. Finder:
7. How did you find or capture the crab?

8. In which state did you find or capture the horseshoe crab?

9. What was the name of the body of water where you captured/found the horseshoe crab?
Ex: Atlantic Ocean, Delaware Bay, Long Island Sound, etc.
10. What was the nearest town or city to the capture/found location?
11. What was the specific location or beach name where the crab was found?
(Optional) Provide latitude and longitude:
Information Receipt Method

With this program, we can send you information about where and when the crab was originally tagged and released.
Please indicate how you would like to receive information about the crab that you found:

Will receive a pewter horseshoe crab pin for the first crab tag reported from the provided mailing address.
Will arrive as an attachment to the provided email address.
Will receive information only to the provided email address. No certificate will be sent.

Comments (Optional):

Please do not submit extra tags in the comments. You will have another chance to add other tags after submitting this.

250 character limit


NOTICES

PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT
Authority: The information requested is authorized by the Fish and Wildlife Act (P.L. 105-242), the Anadromous Fish Conservation Act (P.L. 96-118) and the Sustainable Fisheries Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-297).
Purposes: The contact information requested is to assist in the description and location of the individual's tagging of horseshoe crab. The capture location and tag information will help to provide data on distribution, movement, longevity and mortality of horseshoe crabs and will help track their management strategy.
Routine Uses: The contact information requested may be used by Fishery Managers and FWS biologists to determine location of capture. More information about the routine uses may be found in the Systems of Records Notice, FWS-21 Permits System.
Disclosure: The contact information requested is voluntary.

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT
We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to collect vital information used by fishery managers about the migration patterns, distribution, and abundance of horseshoe crabs along the Atlantic coast and to respond to requests made under the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act of 1974. Your response is voluntary. According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. OMB has approved this collection of information and assigned Control No. 1018-0127.

ESTIMATED BURDEN STATEMENT
Public reporting for this collection of information varies with the convenient availability of the requested information. The relevant burden to complete FWS Form 3-2310, "Horseshoe Crab Recapture Report" averages 10 minutes. This burden estimate includes time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form. Direct comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of the form to the Service Information Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: BPHC, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803. Please do not send your completed form to this address.