SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES: When environmental officials shut Long Island Sound to commercial lobstermen late last year, they expected another dismal year in the fisherys ongoing collapse. They didnt anticipate the total catch would be quite so bad. Rather than the 10 percent drop-off that state and federal officials expected in 2013, the total lobster catch from Long Island Sound fell by 54 percent, from 230,000 pounds to a mere 121,700 pounds. For what was once a thriving $100 million a year industry, the decimation of the Sounds lobster population goes beyond marine biology and environmental questions. The economic impact has reduced the number of full-time commercial lobstermen by 75 percent, from the nearly 600 at the fisherys height in 1998 to slightly more than 150 last year. For the full story, subscribe above.
Posted on: Sun, 20 Jul 2014 20:15:07 +0000
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