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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 18 June 2019

Louisiana governor: Upriver floods a disaster for fisheries

By JANET McCONNAUGHEY ery summer for thousands
Associated Press of square miles off the
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Loui- coast. This year’s floods
siana’s governor says flood- could bring a near-record
waters from the Midwest dead zone, scientists have
are severely hurting people said.
who make their living from The Mississippi River water-
coastal seafood, so he’s shed drains 41% of the con-
asking the federal govern- tinental United States, and
ment to declare a fisheries the middle of North Ameri-
disaster for the state. ca has had an awfully wet
Floodwaters rushing from year.
the Bonnet Carré Spill- The prolonged flooding
way north of New Orleans has raised the Mississippi
have killed oysters, hurt fish so high for so long that for
catches and damaged the first time ever, the Army
livelihoods, Gov. John Bel Corps of Engineers opened
Edwards said in a letter to the Bonnet Carré (pro-
Commerce Secretary Wil- nounced “Bonnie Carrie”)
bur Ross. twice this year, displacing
The fresh water has driven Lake Pontchartrain’s usu-
crabs, shrimp and fish out ally brackish water and
of bays and marshes and flushing out much of the
into saltier water where Mississippi Sound. The wa-
they can survive. But oys- ter is also high to the west,
ters are stuck — glued to where the Atchafalaya
the bottom. River distributes Mississippi
“On a scale of 1 to 10, In this June 24, 2014 file photo, a worker shucks the last of a small amount of oysters they received River water through Cajun
we are 9-and-a-half de- for the day at P&J Oyster Co., an oyster distributor, in New Orleans. Country swamps.
stroyed,” said Brad Rob- Associated Press National Oceanic and
in, whose family controls help fishermen and busi- ings down 45% in April from of salinity, but a long spell Atmospheric Administra-
about 10,000 acres (4,000 nesses that rely on them. the five-year average. of fresh water coupled with tion scientists said Friday
hectares) of oyster leases in For instance, $200 million There’s been a drop in high temperatures can be that they’re investigating
Louisiana waters. was provided last June to the fish catch, but it hasn’t lethal. Shrimp, crabs and whether the floodwater
The full impact won’t be help fishing communities reached the statewide av- fish simply swim to saltier and lingering effects of the
known for some time be- recover from Hurricanes erage of 35% needed for areas. BP oil spill contributed to
cause the spillway, which Harvey, Irma and Maria in a federal fisheries disas- Shrimp are now in plac- the deaths of at least 279
protects New Orleans’ le- 2017. ter declaration, the report es only larger boats can bottlenose dolphins from
vees by directing huge Commercial fishing isn’t the says. reach, Cooper said. Louisiana to the Florida
amounts of Mississippi River only thing in trouble, Ed- “We’ve been dealing with “Some of the big ones are Panhandle, triple the usual
water into usually brack- wards said, because state- the river since October,” catching a few,” he said. number for this time of year.
ish Lake Pontchartrain, re- wide landings of speckled said Acy J. Cooper Jr., “The smaller boats are just The high water may last
mains open, Edwards said seatrout and redfish are president of the Louisiana catching hell.” “well through the summer,”
in a letter sent Thursday down. Shrimp Association “That’s In addition, nutrients in Louisiana Wildlife and Fish-
and released Monday. “Such low catches invari- a long time it’s been high.” river water nourish algae eries Assistant Secretary
If a long-range forecast ably lead to heavy eco- The die-offs are as bad in blooms so intense that their Patrick Banks said Thursday.
of little rain holds up, spill- nomic impacts to those Mississippi. Joe Spraggins, decomposition on the sea “The difficulty is,” he said,
way closing might begin businesses that support the executive director of the floor consumes oxygen, “when will this even be
in about four weeks, Army recreational fishing industry Mississippi Department of creating a dead zone ev- over?”q
Corps of Engineers spokes- such as marinas and bait Marine Resources, said
man Matt Roe said Mon- shops,” he wrote. fresh water has killed 80% or CAR RENTAL 5616944
day. Louisiana’s oyster harvest is more of the state’s oysters. Address: Paramira #30 (Oranjestad) - Email: yessrentalcar@gmail.com - Website: www.yessrentalcar.com
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant 80% below average for this He said crabs are down
asked Ross on May 31 for time of year and more oys- about 40% and brown We Rent:
a fisheries disaster decla- ters are expected to die as shrimp landings are down Cars- Vans - SUV
ration, which would make temperatures rise, accord- more than 70% from a five-
federal grants, loans and ing to a preliminary report year average.
other aid available to af- on the department’s web- Marine animals require cer-
fected people. It would site. tain amounts of salt in the
open the way for Congress Shrimp landings were down water around them. Oysters
to appropriate money to 63% and blue crab land- can tolerate a wide range