The lawsuit alleged that one of the ways the state allowed crabs to be harvested – permitting unlimited amounts of horseshoe crabs to be stored in ponds away from beaches – was harming the crabs and endangering a migratory shore bird called the red knot.
Charles River and the Department of Natural Resources denied they were responsible for harm caused to wildlife. But the terms of the settlement require the company to comply with stricter rules than the bleeding industry has typically been held to in South Carolina. For the next five years, the horseshoe crab harvest will be banned across 30 island beaches and harvesters will be prohibited from keeping female crabs in ponds away from the shore.
"Charles River worked collaboratively with wildlife and environmental groups, as well as the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, to align on the best approach for protecting natural resources, while ensuring access to life-saving LAL to protect the medicines and medical devices used by patients worldwide," wrote a company representative in a statement emailed to NPR.