New Artificial Bait May Save Horseshoe Crabs that Lure Eel and Whelk

Horseshoe crabs are a tasty treat for eels and whelk, also known as conch. That's why they're harvested in such vast numbers to be used as bait to lure in these species. Now, though, researchers may have found a way around harvesting so many crabs. They've created an artificial bait that has the same allure as the horseshoe crabs.

Horseshoe crabs look like something out of the past. They have hard shells and scuttle across the bottom of the ocean. It's not surprising that they look prehistoric, though. These creatures are among the world's oldest animals and are estimated, evolutionarily, to be at least 300 million years old. In fact, the oldest of this species was crawling around Earth's coastal seas at least 100 million years before the dinosaurs even arrived. While the horseshoe crab may be named as a "crab," it's actually more closely related to spiders and scorpions.

Yet the helmet-shaped horseshoe crab has a unique property that lures in predators. It exudes a scent that's a veritable magnet for both eel and whelk, which means that it makes the perfect bait for fishermen trying to trap these two species. In fact, the horseshoe crab was so popular as bait that its harvest reached 2.7 million crabs coast-wide in the 1990s, according to Philly.com. Yet other species also rely on the horseshoe crabs; the massive harvests have caused a decline of migrating shorebirds that stop at Delaware Bay every spring since there are no crab eggs to feast on.

Now, though, researchers may have found a way to solve this dilemma. They've developed a recipe for artificial bait that uses a small amount of crab and food-grade chemicals that lasts for four days, according to the AP. In fact, the recipe was just as effective for catching eel and whelk as using a piece of crab in a trap.

Currently, LaMonica Fine Foods has already devised a commercial version of the bait. It's being marketed as "Ecobait" and is widely viewed as a success. Researchers hope that by next season, Ecobait will be used widely by fishermen as opposed to real crab.