The Maryland Coastal Bays Program is looking for dedicated volunteers to join the Stranded Spawning Horseshoe Crab Recovery Team. Volunteers will be responsible for routinely checking popular spawning grounds to rescue stranded or flipped horseshoe crabs during the spawning season from May to July. This volunteer program helps prevent mass casualties of horseshoe crabs and allows us to better understand stranding patterns throughout the Coastal Bays.  

Volunteers must undergo training before participating in this program to ensure the safety of themselves and the horseshoe crabs. An in-person training session will take place on May 1st at 3:30pm at the Sarbanes Coastal Ecology Center (6695-6699 Verrazano Bridge, Berlin, MD 21811). The training will include information about how to safely handle horseshoe crabs, how to fill out the data sheet, and the importance of horseshoe crabs. Volunteers will also be given all materials needed to participate. The in-person training is highly encouraged for all new volunteers. If you are unable to attend the in-person training event, an online training video is available here (video link: https://youtu.be/H9kFXNSYPCY?si=V3B89VNOR2vtjP9a). Interested volunteers who watch the online training video can schedule a pick- up time for materials with Kelsey at our office (8219 Stephen Decatur Hwy, Berlin, MD 21811).

If you have any questions regarding the volunteer program, please contact Kelsey Poisal at kpoisal@mdcoastalbays.org.