Posted on 06/03/2005 7:53:47 AM PDT by SmithL
BOSTON -- One of New England's worst red tides in decades expanded southward this week, rounding Cape Cod and forcing some of the region's most prolific shellfish beds to close.
About half the state's shellfish beds have been closed to shellfishermen since the toxic algae bloom appeared in waters off Maine last month and began spreading southward with little sign of abating.
"It's spreading," said state shellfish biologist Michael Hickey.
First, shellfish beds as far north as New Hampshire were closed. Then, on Thursday, officials closed highly productive flats in the Monomoy Natural Wildlife Refuge, off Chatham.
It's the worst red tide to hit Massachusetts since 1972, when the state enacted a blanket closure of all shellfish beds, said Don Anderson, a red tide expert at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Nah, too easy.
Damn. There goes Ipswich fried clams this summer.
Ruh Roh! I am going to get my clams tomorrow.
The good ipswich fried clams come from Connecticut, anyway. Ipswich Shellfish has a big facility down here. The stuff goes north from here.
Clearly caused by global warming due to greenhouse gases escaping through the hole in the ozone layer caused by aerosols and fossil fuel burning by non-sustainable development and the over-exploitation of the world's resouces by the United States.
Translation: it's all George Bush's fault ;-)
PS: did I leave out any cliches?
Down here ijn Southern Maryland we dont have to worry about a red tide dessimating the shellfish beds, They are already dead. For years the oyster beds have provided less and less of the Bay oysters while the govt. has done practically nothing about it. Where once 1900 oyster licenses were issued in the county 9 were sold last year and even those guys could hardly make it. No one seems to be able to find out why the oysters die just when they are about to become large enough to harvest, but die they do. Aty one time they thought of introducing an oriental oyster that seems able to survive, but then they said it may take over the beds and kill the local oyster. Well have no fear of that , the local oyster is already dead.
You neglected to point out that all aerosols are manufactured by Halliburton.
The Asian Oyster may still be introduced in the Chesapeake Bay. Governor Erhlich has been pushing for this to happen. But the Chesapeake Bay foundation, DNR, and other groups are urging caution and slowing down the process. Down in Virginia they have a colony of neutered oysters actually in the bay.
Our oysters are being killed off by dermo and MsX in over 90% of the bay. For more information go here: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/dnrnews/infocus/non-native_oyster.asp
Try Appalachicola Oysters from the Gulf Coast! ALL YOUR CLAMS ARE BELONG TO US!......
Odd. Why does the red tide spread south, from colder waters to warmer waters, when we are in a warming season -- and when the currents south of the Cape are from south(west) to north(east)?
Yes, no oysters, but plenty of oyster shells still around.
You forgot that women and minorities, as ever, are hardest hit.
All climate and weather problems are Bush's fault ...
Well in the bay the oyster spat used to stick to the old shells on the bottom and produce new oysters , Unfortunately even those shells are being sanded over as many hard bottom oysters beds dissappear. If they dont do something for these beds soon there wont be any left.
I thought the headline was a metaphor for Northeastern liberalism.
It's those dang migratory oysters bringing the stuff back from Cancun...
I thought they were talking about the migration of Taxachusetts Socialists to warmer climates.
I was born and raised on the Potomac. I went from seeing hundreds of boats on sheepshead bar to seeing none. Last year I went out to sheepshead to get just a mess of oysters for Thanksgiving and came home with half of a 5 gallon bucketfull after 4 hours of scratching, and threw some of those away after shucking because they didnt look right.I was the only boat on the bar. I only know 2 people still trying to eke out a living in te water here. To make matters worse the State doesnt know the Potomac exists, they spend all their money and efforts in the Bay. There are a few crabs left but this spring has been so cold I guess they wont arrive until July. When I was 12 my mother made my Dad move off the water he loved so much and take up farming because she didnt want my brother and myself growing up to be watermen. Most watermen have been starved out and with tobacco being under attack the farmers are selling their land to become homes for workers in DC. It was a great way of life while it lasted, I miss it. Farming and the Water are things of the past in Southern Md. A few are hanging on by a thread but its dead, just like the waters.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.