After a 30-minute nighttime helicopter chase in pursuit of a fleeing boat, the New York Police Department busted two poachers in Jamaica Bay on Memorial Day for possession of 200 illicitly obtained horseshoe crabs.
The arthropods, which come ashore in May and June to lay their eggs along the East Coast, can be sold as bait for up to $5 a piece.
While New Jersey banned harvest of the species in 2008, it’s still legal in New York waters within limits and with proper permits. The poachers, however, lacked the appropriate documentation and could face a $500 fine or up to six months in federal prison.
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