It is still illegal to eat artificially bred horseshoe crabs. Although the country has not banned artificial breeding of horseshoe crabs, horseshoe crabs are still strictly protected by law because there are currently no standardized breeding techniques and it is difficult to raise them.

The horseshoe crab is a precious national second-level protected animal and a key protected animal in Guangxi, Guangdong and Fujian. Any use of horseshoe crabs is prohibited. Units or individuals illegally hunt, purchase, process, carry, and artificially breed.