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Fish traps; brown algae

From: Tom Leach[SMTP:tleach@CAPECOD.NET]
Reply To: Ocean Farmers of America Forum
Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 1999 11:45 AM
To: OCEANF-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Fish traps; brown algae

Ocean Farmers, I want to report something of an obvious phenomena that is taking place on Nantucket Sound and I think should be studied by someone.

This has to do with reports of the trap fishermen at my office. Three weir operators have reported an increase in the amount of brown filementous algae being captured on the many pound nets along the south side of the Cape. They recall this being a problem to the west many years ago and have had to reduce the fishing effort from Great Point towards Woods Hole as the leader fence netting from shore to the heart of those traps were getting smothered with the stuff and making the gear stand up to the ebb-flood flow of the tide a real challenge.

The waters at the Chatham end of the Sound were clear of this problem until a few years ago when the trap fishermen began notice light amounts of the algae hanging onto the nets. The seaweed floats in the water column. Today, the algae has become a serious issue and the nets become so engulfed with weed that the leader net smothered with the stuff are leaned over with the current.

These fishermen are taking measures by increasing the number of leader poles holding the net in the same distance, incresing the net mesh size in hope to allow the weed to float through and shortening their season to just a few months hoping to get the gear out of the water before it gets unmanageable.

Their collective hunch is that the quality of the nearshore waters of the elbow of the Cape is in a transition. The cause may be an increase in nitrogen and phosphate from run-off or outflow from the sole source aquifer of the Cape. As we complete the overbuilding of the Cape, the drainage of this humanity thru our individual septic systems, lawn chemicals, etc. is over-fertilizing the the shallow near shore and beyond.

They point to noticeably heavier quantities occuring near the river mouths at Herring River, Swan River, Bass River. This I think is evidence that the estuary is driving this super charged water into the sound. These estuaries are loaded with macro blue-green algae and all show signs of eutrophication so we know they are already over fertilized. Now the coastal waters for the first time are aggressively showing signs of mesotrophic transition. Macro algae as codium clobbered the beaches last summer in such endless waves that the beach cleaners could not keep up.

I hope I have described this issue adequately, enough that you might understand. Can any of you advise me on where I should take this information? A study is definitely in order monitoring the increases in nutrient and algae types and quanity as continues through these phases? Do any Fishfolk out there interested or know of similar studies? These trap fishermen are genuinely concerned and want to know more. Please contact me.

Tom Leach, Harwich Harbormaster/Natural Resourcess Director.
Harwich Port, MA
Phone 508-430-7532

PS. You might be interested in viewing our website at:
http://www.capecod.net/harbormaster/