The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has prolonged a ban on harvesting female horseshoe crabs for bait in the Delaware Bay, protecting them from potential harm to red knots and other migratory shorebirds. The commission rejected a proposal to permit the harvest of 175,000 female crabs in 2025. Male horseshoe crabs will still be allowed to be harvested, and the quotas for Maryland and Virginia have been increased to balance the lost female crab harvest. However, future male harvests may be jeopardized, as 23 conservation organizations have requested horseshoe crabs to be listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Conservationists are advocating for the use of synthetic alternatives to horseshoe crab blood, which are being adopted in Europe.