it all depends upon clean water and a healthy Chesapeake Bay. While that seems obvious especially to clam and oyster farmers, it’s also no secret that much of the Bay system continues to be plagued by pollution. Runoff from farms, city streets, and suburban lawns, inadequate and leaky sewer systems, failed septic tanks, even air pollution still threaten water quality and the seafood industry that depends upon it. This week, algal blooms sparked by excess nutrient pollution continued to blossom in the York, Lafayette, and Elizabeth rivers in Virginia’s Hampton Roads region. Such blooms not only stunt vital underwater grasses but also contribute to “dead zones” of oxygen-starved water that can stress or kill oysters, clams, and fish. The blooms are a regular summer occurrence in the lower Bay.
Posted on: Sat, 17 Aug 2013 02:57:34 +0000