Red tide disaster declared in Maine

[SportFishStaff]

Red tide disaster declared in Maine

UNITED STATES
Thursday, December 23, 2010, 22:40 (GMT + 9)

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke has determined that the economic effects of closing shellfish fisheries in Maine in 2009 due to a harmful algal bloom, commonly referred to as red tide, caused a commercial fishery failure.

"The natural disaster, which forced the closing of shellfish beds to protect human health, hurt Maine's commercial shell fishermen and their families," said Locke. "Should Congress appropriate funds for disaster assistance, the Department of Commerce and NOAA will work with Maine to develop an effective program to provide assistance to the fishery."

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In October 2009, Maine Governor John Baldacci requested the disaster determination in a letter to the Department of Commerce and provided information detailing how the disaster affected the softshell clam, blue mussel and mahogany quahog fisheries.

The closures due to the harmful algal bloom began in April of 2009 and resulted in closures of 97 percent of the fisheries at the peak. Some areas of the Maine coast were closed to shellfishing until late September. After reviewing this information, the Department of Commerce determined the natural resource disaster met the requirements of a commercial fishery failure under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.


editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

[LuckyLady]

Sadly there is major problems with our ecosystem that have been left unattended for years and this is just the begining of the end with a lot of this ...Just sucks

The barnegat bay here is a diaster and in need of major help

Cape May County is refusing to donate 1$ of each beach badge sold to the barnegat bay and getting it cleaned up

Sadly Cape May County goverments do not realize that if this spreads south the whole coast is F ed..

All of it sucks!

Red tide disaster declared in Maine

UNITED STATES
Thursday, December 23, 2010, 22:40 (GMT + 9)

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke has determined that the economic effects of closing shellfish fisheries in Maine in 2009 due to a harmful algal bloom, commonly referred to as red tide, caused a commercial fishery failure.

"The natural disaster, which forced the closing of shellfish beds to protect human health, hurt Maine's commercial shell fishermen and their families," said Locke. "Should Congress appropriate funds for disaster assistance, the Department of Commerce and NOAA will work with Maine to develop an effective program to provide assistance to the fishery."

">

In October 2009, Maine Governor John Baldacci requested the disaster determination in a letter to the Department of Commerce and provided information detailing how the disaster affected the softshell clam, blue mussel and mahogany quahog fisheries.

The closures due to the harmful algal bloom began in April of 2009 and resulted in closures of 97 percent of the fisheries at the peak. Some areas of the Maine coast were closed to shellfishing until late September. After reviewing this information, the Department of Commerce determined the natural resource disaster met the requirements of a commercial fishery failure under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.


editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com