OCEAN CITY, Md. — A contractor is cleaning up dead horseshoe crabs Thursday at the 94th Street Canal in Ocean City as the town continues responding to an ongoing die-off that has created foul odors and frustrated nearby property owners.
The town said cleanup crews will be wearing personal protective equipment as a standard safety precaution while handling the dead crabs.
People are being asked to avoid the area and give crews enough space to work safely during the cleanup.
The cleanup comes after Ocean City said the recurring problem has become more severe this year. Town Manager Terry McGean previously said crews had already removed dead horseshoe crabs from the canal multiple times, but more continued to wash into the area. McGean previously said the 94th Street Canal is uniquely positioned at the end of a complex of canals, limiting the natural flushing that would normally carry away dead horseshoe crabs. He said the town has reached the limits of what it can do with its own resources and has sought assistance from Maryland agencies because the canal is part of state waters.
Researchers have also been studying the recurring die-off, which has been reported on and off since 2016.
Town leaders have said they are also exploring long-term solutions to reduce the number of horseshoe crabs entering the canal, although any permanent changes would require state approval.
