Oregon Coastal Dead Zone Worse Than First Thought - Independent

[hatrack]

EDIT

Strong winds pushed a low-oxygen pool of deep water toward shore, suffocating marine life, said Jane Lubchenco, a professor of marine biology at OSU.

After inspecting the area via a camera on a remote-controlled submarine, she said: "Thousands of dead crab and molts were littering the ocean floor. Many sea stars were dead, and the fish have either left or died."

The effect on commercial fishing isn't yet known, said Hal Weeks, a marine ecologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Al Pazar, chairman of the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission, and a crab fisherman out of Newport, said this season is likely to be the second best ever, but most crabs are caught before the appearance of the dead zones.

Dissolved oxygen readings taken last Tuesday off Cape Perpetua, north of Florence, are between 3 per cent and 10 per cent of levels needed for survival, and near zero in some areas. Smaller zones have been found along the Oregon and Washington coasts.

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http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article1218888.ece

[Broken_Hero]

1. Oh, I smell a sugar coating....

"The effect on commercial fishing isn't yet known, said Hal Weeks, a marine ecologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife."

I see the effects, and impact of commerical fishing, and I am an idiot. I think this guy is sugar coating the impact of commericial fishing, but I can see his point, refraining from comment, until a study has been done. But damn, commerical fishing is a joke...

I hate the fact, that with my fishing liscense, my bag limit was ...3 fish a day, and yet, they impose some hefty fines on you for going over that limit, yet trollers, seiners, and all the commericial fisherman are out in the bay/channel catching TONS of fish...makes zero sense...