Scientists in Michigan and Louisiana are predicting a big summer "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico unless a tropical storm hits the area shortly before or during the annual measurement. In the Chesapeake Bay, scientists expect a smaller-than-average area where there's too little oxygen to support fish, shellfish and other aquatic life.
The hypoxic zone in the Gulf is likely to be the largest since annual measurements began in 1985, covering 8,561 square miles - about the size of New Jersey, according to scientists from Louisiana State University and the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium.
University of Michigan scientists predict that it will be smaller but still sizeable: the seventh-largest ever, at 7,286 square miles. That would be about the area of Connecticut, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia combined, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which released those estimates and the one for the Chesapeake Bay on Tuesday.
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Fill in the bay. Make it large park with basket ball courts.
ReplyDeleteI can assure you that there is something very fishy with regard to these "dead zones", at least in the Chesapeake Bay. For several months of the year they are teaming with rockfish. In fact, these dead zones is where the Tilghman charter fleet typically takes their parties. Last year my son was working as a commercial hook and line fisherman and often caught 600 pound of fish in the so called "dead zone" in a single day.
ReplyDeleteDo you think for one minute that the Chesapeake Bay Foundation could raise the money needed to support their huge organization, if the word got out that the condition of the bay is not nearly as bleak as they would like for you to believe!
Did someone say "Tax Zones" or was that "Fee Zones"?
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