Quality Parks (Port Jefferson, NY) - Sandy loves rescuing horseshoe crabs at the beach. No wonder, as she is the main character of Sunrise Fire, a book written by Quality Parks president, Mindy Block. Taking the story one step further, Quality Parks will be contacting like minded citizens to become potential Horseshoe Crab Sanctuary Cooperators.

Quality Parks is a Port Jefferson based, 501(c)(3) charity that has recently published Sunrise Fire, a book about protecting life, property and the environment. "For me, it has always been a love story. Yes, a love story, because I love being in the water, and in late spring, I look forward to seeing my old friends, the horseshoe crabs, return," explains Mindy Block.

According to the Ecological Research & Development Group (ERDG),  Horseshoe Crab Sanctuaries aren't government connected. And they're totally voluntary. Quality Parks plans to act as a liaison between ERDG  and other interested parties, creating a cooperator's list of names and shared stories.

Why are these Sanctuary programs needed? Gina Verg in, "Biologist Works to Restore Horseshoe Crab Populations," explains that there are four species threatened by coastal development, pollution, medical research, and fishing. For example, in Southeast Asia, according to the Nature Society (Singapore), "They get entangled as a by-catch in abandoned or deployed nets left by recreational/artisanal fisherman at inter-tidal areas."

"I never see this kind of fish net entanglement," comments Mindy Block, who spends many hours on Long Island's beaches, both for recreation and conservation purposes. She hopes to bring awareness and additional actions to the plight of the horseshoe crab.

According to NYSDEC marine staff,  hand held nets and 40' shoreline seines can be used recreationaly. With anything else, net fishing is subject to commercial fishing regulations, such as the where, what and when you can catch fish, and net's mesh size. Net fishing closures began around the 1940's and regulations became codified into law by the late 1980's.

HORSHOE CRAB SANCTUARY COOPERATORS TO DATE

• Glenn Gauvry, Ecological Research & Development Group (ERDG)
• Mindy Block, Quality Parks

Our Location Data To Date (just getting underway)

• Horseshoe Crab Sanctuaries (google map)

For more information about how you can become involved, contact Mindy Block, Quality Parks - mblock@qualityparks.org - 631-473-6760 - www.qualityparks.org  - P.O. Box 143; Port Jefferson, NY 11777-0143