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Humpback whales, laughing gulls, and fishing boats feeding on forage fish
Urge the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to approve a 5-year strategic plan that represents a positive shift toward managing the ocean in a way that recognizes it as a dynamic, interrelated system. We need to make sure the parts of the plan that protect the ecosystem as a whole are approved.
The council’s draft plan makes a commitment to look at the big picture through an “Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management”—a holistic, comprehensive view of the way the living ocean actually works. If the plan is approved with these ecosystem provisions, future fishery management decisions will be expected to account for predator-prey relationships, habitat impacts including nitrogen, and the numerous effects of climate change.
Taking an ecosystem-based management approach to forage fish rescues fishermen of predator fish that include striped bass and bluefish.
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Image from The Jacksonville Oberver, June 27, 2013
Dolphins, Manatees and Pelicans are suffering and dying in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon. Nitrogen pollution from fertilizer runoff has contributed to toxic algae blooms, making the waters a toxic soup for wildlife. The algae has also killed 30,000 acres of sea grass, about 80% of the grasses. Sea grass beds provide forage for the manatees and act as a nursery for fish. 51 dolphins, 111 Manatees, and more than 300 brown pelicans have died in the Lagoon. While Manatees are dying very quickly, often found with food in their mouths. Dolphins are found starved.
Nitrogen runoff has a deadly causal effect. Nitrogen from the land feeds the algae. Algae blooms kill sea grass by blocking light and by growths on grass blades. Loss of grass deprives manatees and other wildlife of food. Manatees have been forced by the loss of sea grasses to feed on algae. Dolphins are going hungry.
You can help save manatees, dolphins, and clean the waters by signing ORI’s petition to stop nitrogen pollution from fertilizers. Click here to take action!
Tomorrow, Thursday, Indian River County Commissioners are holding a special meeting at 9 a.m. They are considering passing a weak ordinance that does not include a ban on summer fertilizing. This is simply enact the state’s wimpy standards to be sure that counties do not differ. This is an excellent opportunity to speak up for responsible stewardship with stronger ordinances! For directions go to http://www.ircgov.com/Boards/BCC/Index.htm
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Friends of Nature Festival Tickets Available –
ORI Invites You to Come See Us in Miami
The Ocean River Institute is happy to announce its participation at the Friends of Nature Music Festival (FON Fest) in Miami, Florida on November 9-10, 2013. FON Fest aims to become Miami's first sustainable music and arts festival, with a sole purpose of raising environmental awareness. ORI will be there, tabling, educating the public about saving dolphins, nitrogen pollution and providing opportunities to take action for a healthy coastal waters. Stop by our table to say hello and to chat.
Reduced-price Early Bird Tickets are now on sale until July 30 at www.fonfest.com. You can support ORI by entering the promo code and we'll get 20% of the sale price. Just enter the promo code RIVER13 when buying tickets. Click here to get your tickets.
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Rob tells of cod, haddock, monkfish and wolffish when he is interviewed by Actress and Singer, Christine Larkin on this episode of Moir’s Environmental Dialogues. Christine reports on ocean life and storm changes to Long Island. Cod and stockfish brought people long ago to Stellwagen. Declining cod stocks in 1639 alarmed the Pilgrims to pass a law protecting cod, and it has been downhill for cod since 1620. Rob describes what makes tuna a Boston Bluefin and bubble netting by humpback whales. Rob also talks about redfish of muddy bottoms, haddock of gravel bottoms, monkfish of sandy bottoms, and the wolffish of boulder reefs. Christine and Rob end the show by exploring steps that each of us can take to save marine life and enjoy a more vibrant Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Click here to learn more and listen to the show.
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Ocean River Institute
12 Eliot Street | Cambridge, MA 02138 | 617.661.6647 |
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