Page 28 - ARUBA TODAY

A28 SCIENCE
Tuesday 11 June 2019

Testing shows these waves are sick, in totally the wrong way

By WAYNE PARRY when bacteria levels are
Associated Press high, the Monmouth re-
LONG BRANCH, N.J. (AP) — search is aimed more at
Most surfers know it’s best documenting local condi-
to avoid surfing near pipes tions at particular beaches
that dump storm water into throughout the year.
the ocean soon after a Larry Hajna, a spokesman
storm, due to the increased for the New Jersey Depart-
chance of getting sick from ment of Environmental Pro-
bacteria that enter the surf. tection, said the state has
Many do it anyway be- no plans to incorporate the
cause the periods just after Monmouth research into its
storms often bring bigger own beach monitoring pro-
waves, prompting them to gram, and noted “the con-
hold their nose and brave nections between heavy
the so-called “chocolate rainfall, storm water pipe
tube” or the “root beer discharges and temporary
float.” increases in bacterial levels
Although the relationship are well documented.”
between heavy rain, out- Similar work has been go-
fall pipes and water-borne ing on for years wherever
bacteria has been well es- surfers take to the water.
tablished, it continues to be High school students in
studied around the country Santa Monica, California,
and the world. have tested the waters at
One such study is underway popular surfing beaches
at New Jersey’s Monmouth This May 30, 2019 photo shows Skye Post, who will be a junior at Monmouth University this fall, there. Health departments
University, where research- demonstrating water quality testing equipment near a storm drain outfall pipe on the beach in in Los Angeles and San Di-
ers are evaluating water Long Branch, N.J. ego monitor water quality
quality at popular surfing Associated Press near outfall sources.
beaches along the Jersey er Foundation found surf- do their own beach water sor who teaches about And in the U.K., a group
shore with an eye toward ers are more likely to get quality testing along the microbiology, health and called Surfers Against Sew-
documenting higher levels sick from being in the wa- shore, but mostly during disease, said fall hurricanes age collected evidence
of harmful, illness-causing ter than other beachgoers. summer months. The Mon- usually produce the best of raw sewage entering
bacteria in the water after This is partly because they mouth testing will continue waves of the year on the waterways and pushed for
storms. The idea is to give are in the water more fre- through fall and winter, East Coast. stricter laws to prevent it. It
surfers and others who use quently and for longer pe- when storms can be more While the state testing is sent out over 244,000 real-
the water more information riods, and ingest 10 times numerous and surfers are used to issue swimming ad- time text alerts about wa-
to make more informed more water than swimmers, still in the water. Jeff Weis- visories and if necessary, to ter quality during the 2016
decisions about when to the survey found. burg, a specialist profes- temporarily close beaches bathing season.q
surf and what might be in A team of student and uni-
the water around them. versity staff researchers is
“It’s not a question of if taking water quality sam- Bioengineered salmon won’t come
you’re going to get sick, it’s ples before and after each
when,” said Richard Lee, a rainfall this year. from U.S.’s biggest farm state
surfer and executive direc- “When we get big storms,
tor of the Surfers Environ- the stuff that’s getting into Associated Press
mental Alliance, which is the water is what’s making PORTLAND, Maine (AP) —
funding the $30,000 year- us sick,” said Jason Adolf, Genetically engineered
long study in New Jersey. a marine science professor
“There have been ear in- at Monmouth. Most of the salmon is heading to store
shelves in the U.S., but it
fections, eye infections, re- bacteria come from pet won’t be coming from the
spiratory infections, intesti- waste in streets that gets biggest salmon farming
nal problems. washed down drains and state in the country.
“The water is murkier; some- out into the ocean, but oc- Massachusetts-based Aqu-
times we call it the ‘root casionally sewer systems
beer float,’” he said. “You overflow into storm drain aBounty Technologies has
said American supermar-
get this orange-brown float systems, as well, adding hu- This 2009 photo provided by AquaBounty Technologies shows
on the surface.” man bacteria to the mix. kets could begin selling a juvenile salmon raised at the company s hatchery in Fortune,
the much-debated fish by
Prince Edward Island, Canada.
A 2010 study by the Surfrid- New Jersey authorities also
the end of next year. Its fish Associated Press
are modified with added sometimes producing more executive director of the
genes from other fish to than 35 million pounds (15.9 Maine Aquaculture Associ-
grow about twice as fast as million kilograms) of salmon ation. Numerous conditions
conventional salmon. per year, and its industry is would have to be met be-
The company modifies At- poised to grow. Two new fore that would change, in-
lantic salmon, a species major salmon farms are in cluding customers request-
that forms the backbone the approvals process in ing the fish in stores, he said.
of the worldwide salm- the state. The group also feels the
on aquaculture industry. But fish farmers in Maine environmental assessment
Maine is the biggest pro- are not considering using of the fish conducted by
ducer of conventional At- the genetically engineered regulators was not rigorous
lantic salmon in the U.S., fish, said Sebastian Belle, enough, Belle said. q