Long Island Sound: Eutrophication

The Chesapeake Bay is a 200-mile-long estuary extending from Norfolk, VA to Havre de grace Maryland. On average this bay contains about 68 trillion liters of water. This bay is the largest estuary in North America. It inhabits more than 3,000 species of plants, animals, and fish. “Since the early twentieth century, the Chesapeake Bay has experienced serious environmental degradation. Problems include large reductions in sea grass, reduced amounts of finfish and shellfish (especially oysters and crab), seasonal depletions in dissolved oxygen, and increases in sedimentation.” (Atkins & Anderson, 2003) These changes are brought on by pollution (Eutrophication and Toxic Contamination), development, deforestation, and agriculture. And according

Scientists and researchers began giving a large volume of effort and look into the extremely complex problems that face the Chesapeake Bay. When research for the improving and saving of the Bay’s overall health began it seemed very simple and there were only a couple of problems. The problems included nutrients from agricultural runoff; these nutrients were phosphorus and nitrogen. The combination of the nutrients in the Bay caused a large volume of algae that choked some of the marine life. While bringing in algae the nutrients also killed grasses on the seafloor. These seafloor bed grasses that once covered more than half of the Chesapeake Bay’s floor now only covered a tenth of their original area. Though the estuary was having problems it did not receive the terrible pollution from industries that many large rivers and lakes do in other urban areas (Brown, p. 397).

Human activities pose a threat to Seagrass beds because of boating, stepping on the seagrass, which damage the root system, dredging, pollution and construction practices.

One of the most commonly shared beliefs about aquaculture is that it has potential to amplify and transfer disease/parasites to wild fish populations, but strict management practices and guidelines have been utilized and supplemented to ensure that US farming operations mitigate current and potential environmental risks associated with aquaculture (NOAA, 2015). Among these practices are regular diver-led inspections to investigate the integrity of nets and net infrastructure, surveillance cameras and even public webcam feeds that monitor the fish farms and in particular monitor efficient use of feed, regular health inspections in efforts to have a head start on disease prevention and detection, and “comprehensive sanitary and biosecurity programs to prevent the introduction and/or spread of pests or diseases from one farm site/cage to another or into the environment.” (NOAA, 2015). Additionally, movements are being made to stop the spreading of disease and to limit oceanic pollution by containing salmon in solid tanks rather than in netting. “In Washington State, Domsea Farms has launched a land-based, freshwater system to produce coho salmon.” (David Suzuki Foundation, n.d.) This method is not only environmentally sound, but it opens up aquacultural boundaries. By containing fish in these large tanks, there is potential for salmon aquaculture to

The oceans need to be protected because it is where life began and if not taken care of, life as we know it will end. The well-being of the ocean is constantly being threatened and needs to stop. When dangerous substances go into the ocean, ecosystems suffer and become endangered along with the lives of people and marine life. The importance of protecting and preserving the quality and biodiversity of the world 's coasts must be recognized because they are truly irreplaceable. If humans are not educated , and become careless about what is thrown on the ground or sprayed on lawns, disastrous effects follow when it comes to the condition of the ocean’s ecosystems, which can endanger life itself, leading to a problem only we can correct. There is historical evidence of ocean pollution, although the problem still shadows us today.

Eutrophication is a concern in the Chesapeake Bay. Eutrophication is caused by excessive amounts of nutrients. Excessive nutrients in the bay have negative effects on the bay's ecosystem. The extra nutrients make the environment unbalanced. The extra nutrients cause a chain reaction that eventually kills most of the organisms in that area. This is what is known as a dead zone.

Guy Mills provided the board with a summary of selected site and segment data (see Appendix 1), and reported that the decreased profits in 2009 were caused by the Site 3 problems, the decrease in market value, the strengthening Canadian dollar versus the U.S. dollar, and the increased feed costs. He also indicated that he expected the four sites to yield an average of 3.8 million kilograms (950,000 kilograms per site) of harvested fish per year, assuming that no further unusual losses were incurred. Given the current market conditions and the risk of having to decrease prices or lose export sales to the U.S., the board decided that the company should move into other markets and diversify into shellfish farming. No dividends would be paid for the next year or two to free up some cash to invest in new projects. The board directed Mills to investigate establishing shellfish aquaculture sites and develop a business strategy for increasing the profitability of the current salmon operations. They indicated that any proposed investment should generate a minimum after-tax return of 10% within five years. Shellfish Aquaculture Opportunity Mills explored opportunities for diversifying into shellfish aquaculture. He found two potential opportunities (a mussel farm and an oyster farm) and wondered which one should be pursued or whether both should be pursued. A summary of the costs and yields for establishing these farms is provided in

On March 21st, our class went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The purpose of this trip was not only to explore Earth’s natural habitat’s, but it was also to gather information on our upcoming project and to gather information on how the community of St.Mary, affects the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The answer that we found out is one based off of what we eat. The Monterey Bay Aquarium released an app where it showed which type of seafood were lower in numbers than others. So, if plankton were very low in numbers, it is advised that we not fish for them or not eat as much of it. This shows based just off of what we eat, we can affect the numbers of in the ocean. Also, those plastic bags we buy at Target and Walmart, that we drop outside, drifts itself to the streams, which flow to rivers, which go to oceans, they are floating there, not doing much harm, until sea turtle comes by starts eating it, but gets tangled and choked in it, dies.

With the algae growing so close to the edge or shoreline they are constantly taking in the run-off or whatever may be on the shoreline. This makes it very bad for not just the algae but also the the water and species living down under. A lot of this pollution may come from the big city plants. Their disposals might just be fed right into the Chesapeake Bay and they probably do not care. This is a big problem all over the world, not just the Chesapeake Bay. (Decline of Submerged Plants in the Chesapeake Bay) Another reason to why there is such a decline in not just algae but other grasses is that the warming trend over the last 20 years, global warming. By the looks of it, the warming trend is not going to stop, so this may be a problem to deal with for a longer time. Natural diseases is another way the decline in algae and other grass plants is happening. Mostly dead organisms is the reason for these natural diseases. Once you get a bunch of bacteria and fungi, you will hope to get rid of the algae or grasses because it will most likely just end up making the Bay worse, and turning away species. The number of hurricanes the Chesapeake Bay takes does not help the cause. Hurricanes are affecting the salinity of the Bay. The salinity affects the growth and the amount that grows in a plant as well. (Decline of Submerged Plants in the Chesapeake Bay) The pollution can fall down into the water and you may find pollutants in the sediment. The sediment is home to many species. It can be very protective to large predators and large predators can possibly hide in there while they wait for an attack. Ways the pollutants are getting down there is carelessness by the fisherman and the people in charge of it to take

Even though, fertilizers are needed to supply essential nutrients to the growth of plants; an excess of them is one of the major issues contributing to pollution in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Fertilizers are mainly composed of two elements: nitrogen and phosphorus.(4) Throughout the years, millions of pounds of this nutrients are applied all around the Chesapeake Bay Watershed; everything not absorbed by the soil or taken up by plants eventually reaches the Chesapeake Bay through storm-water runoff. This nutrients end up creating algae blooms in the water, which reduce the amount of sunlight available to underwater grasses; not allowing plants to photosynthesize and produce the food they need to survive. Algae then decomposes creating dead zones killing fish and other species since oxygen is needed for any organism to live. (5)

In the 1920’s if you were wealthy and had a good reputation and everyone knew of you, you had made it. There were many popular rich families in Long Island sound during the 1920’s, but Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller may be two of the biggest names of that time, and they did not acquire that title very easily. Carnegie and Rockefeller did many things to help this nation advance majorly through Carnegie's steel industry and Rockefeller’s oil refinery’s.

"The Long Island Sound is a national treasure, to be prized for its beauty, abundant and diverse resources, and recreational and commercial opportunities" (Long Island Sound Study). It is true that for many of the residents of the area the Long Island Sound is a source of inspiration and renewal. The Sound is widely believed to be the most substantial natural component adding to the beauty of the entire island. The Long Island Sound provides more then just beautiful scenery, but crucial natural elements that aide both human and animal residents. Despite all that the sound provides, it suffers many of the same problems as most natural features, pollution. The sound is a crucial part in maintaining the quality of life on Long Island, so its

New England Seafood Company is a leader in the northeastern United States in harvesting and processing seafood. The company’s senior executives believe that there must be a change in the corporate strategy to maintain their competitive advantage, as foreign producers are affecting their current yields. Currently, New England Seafood Company operates in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico dealing exclusively in saltwater fish. Management feels that a move into the freshwater fish sector will provide the company with a new directive and future stability.

Fertilizer is causing great harm to oceans and the Gulf of Mexico is a great example. Excess nitrogen causes algae to bloom, which later die depriving the area of oxygen killing marine life. One example of a way to reduce fertilizer burden in the Gulf Of Mexico is using nitrogen more efficiently. According to “Can Farming Changes Help Shrink The Dead Zone In The Gulf,” “By embracing practices that increase efficient use of nitrogen, farmers could cut nitrogen runoff from their farms by 20-25%, (Janet Pelley). This reduction is not enough to affect the dead zone unfortunately. There needs to be an even sharper decrease in nitrogen concentration in the water to make a difference. Some of these practices to use nitrogen more efficiently include,

Since the beginning of the human race, the ocean has been a major source of food. People near the shores have been taking of advantage of the ocean’s rich and diverse source of nourishment for centuries, both as a source of food and a livelihood. However, since the dawn of the industrial age, humans have begun to take from the ocean more that it can give. As a result, the ocean can no longer provide the human race with the abundance that it once did. As technology rapidly advances, populations skyrocket, and global warming spreads havoc, the ocean’s biodiversity and once abundant supply of fish is dwindling, calling marine scientists and experts to race to find solutions that will restore the oceans health while battling world hunger.