The horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus , is an ecologically, economically and medically important species on the east coast of the United States. Horseshoe crabs occur from Maine to Florida and the eastern Gulf of Mexico, with the center of abundance between New Jersey and Virginia. In the mid-Atlantic region, they spawn primarily during full and new moon periods in May and June. Coincident with horseshoe crab spawning, shorebirds migrating from their wintering grounds stop in the Delaware Bay area to feed, relying heavily on horseshoe crab eggs to supply the energy required to complete their migration to Arctic nesting grounds. Horseshoe crabs also are harvested commercially as bait for the American eel and whelk fisheries. Finally, biomedical companies catch horseshoe crabs to collect their blood, from which they produce Limulus amebocyte lysate, or LAL. LAL is used to detect contamination of injectable drugs and implantable devices by Gram-negative bacteria, and is the most sensitive means available for detecting endotoxins. Ecotourism associated with the annual bird migration, the eel and whelk fisheries, and the biomedical industry contribute a combined $93 to $123 million to regional economies, and at least $175 million to the national economy.

Despite supporting a fishery for over 100 years, horseshoe crabs have largely been ignored by fisheries managers until recently, when concerns arose regarding the exploitation of the populations. As increasing commercial landings raised concerns about the resource's status, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) implemented a fishery management plan to regulate the harvest. The goal of the fishery management plan is to ensure a sustainable population level to support the continued use by all these diverse interests. Unfortunately, management policies have been hampered by a lack of scientific data needed to attain that goal. The ASMFC noted several key research needs, including: (1) a trawl survey specifically designed to sample horseshoe crabs, (2) tagging and genetic studies to identify geographic subpopulations, which may influence management decisions, and (3) determining the relationship between horseshoe crab egg abundance and shorebird condition and survival. Hence, the goal of the Horseshoe Crab Research Center (HCRC) is to provide information required to sustainably manage the horseshoe crab resource for the benefit of all resource users.