Ørsted Joins New Jersey Horseshoe Crabs Initiative

Ørsted U.S. Offshore Wind is sponsoring a project led by the Wetlands Institute (TWI) dedicated to rescuing stranded horseshoe crabs.

The two parties will together execute this year’s ReTURN the Favor NJ project, an annual campaign implemented by TWI and partner organizations to support the recovery of New Jersey’s horseshoe crab population.

According to TWI, each spring horseshoe crabs come to area beaches to lay eggs but are often turned upside down by waves or entrapped in manmade hazards, making them immobile and vulnerable to predators, or drying out.

The program trains volunteers to free stranded horseshoe crabs so they can return to the sea or lay eggs, which is said to benefit the crab population and migratory shorebirds who feed on their eggs, and people that rely on a compound found in their blood that is vital to the pharmaceutical industry.

In addition, the program has had a great impact by returning breeding age crabs to the population and identifying areas to improve their habitat on the Delaware Bay, the institute said.

“The reTURN the Favor program is are remarkable program that shows the power of community-based conservation,” said Lenore Tedesco, TWI Executive Director.

“Support from Ørsted will enable us to continue this vital work and enable Wetlands Institute staff to coordinate the program, train volunteers, and examine program outcomes. Working with Ørsted is a wonderful way to have corporate partners participate in this impactful program.”

To remind, Ørsted submitted an application to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) for its Ocean Wind offshore wind project at the end of last year. The award is expected to be announced this summer.