CT Harbor Management Association Meeting
November 9th 2010 at Woodwinds - Branford, CT
Tim Visel
- Fact Sheet In our area much research surrounds the impacts of dredging
upon finfish and shellfish species, such as winter
flounder, lobsters, bay scallops, oysters and clams.
However history tells a different story, that climate
especially temperature combined with energy has the most
important role.
That role we value as habitat quality and quantity and a
brief look at the last century (within 1 year at 5 year
blocks) reveals that impact. The result of which governs
resource abundance and habitat sustainability.
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New England Case Histories –
The time line below summarizes some key –
climate/temperature/energy periods
1885
Norwalk Bay Scallop Fishery ends – CT enters a
warming period
1890
Soft Shell Clam Production in Norwalk surpasses
20,000 bushels – oysters flourish.
1895
CT Bay Fishermen report widespread euthrophic
conditions especially in eastern CT. Bay Scallops die
in Poquonnock River in Groton from heat and stagnant
water linked to excess eelgrass growth.
1900
CT Oyster sets peak – 2 million bushels of shells
planted/yr. Flounder fyke
fishery nears 500,000 lbs in eastern CT. It gets hot
in CT.
1905 Rhode Island opens first lobster hatchery to replace
heat related die offs records exceptional soft shell
clam sets – CT and MA consider similar US Fish
Commission proposals for lobster hatcheries. Record
heat continues.
1910-20 Moriches Bay New York trapped flounder die in hot
spells (especially in
1917), July 29 - August 4, Clinton CT Bay Scallop
fishery ends. Blue crabbing increases.
1915 Soft shells clams peak in Chatham MA, New York, CT.
MSX hits Connecticut nearly all southern transplant
oysters died.
CT Oyster Growers frequently mention flounders over
oyster beds.
1920 Oyster Sets fail in CT – production tumbles – winters
turn sharply colder
1925 Flounder catches surge peaking at 11 million pounds in
1931 from early trawl net fishery.
1930 Eelgrass dies off and bay scallop catches soar in CT,
NY and MA
1935 Niantic Bay Scallop Fishery tops 15 thousands bushels
eelgrass almost completely gone flounder catch falls
from record high.
1945 Colder temperatures eliminate the need for RI and CT
lobster hatcheries, they focus now on flounder and
smelt. Excess clam production in Rhode Island causes
digger strike following an intense clam set in 193940.
1950 Hurricanes Dog and Easy destroy much of the Rhode
Island and CT Oyster fisheries – sets the stage for
heavy hard clam sets and lobster recruitment in 195254 for both states. Tens of thousands of acres of
kelp/cobblestone habitat created important to lobster
habitat.
1955 A busy hurricane season and a nearly complete absence
of eelgrass in Niantic Bay sets the stage for the best
ever bay scallop fishery. CT would land a record
425,000 lbs of meat, the highest record bay scallop
harvest. Hurricane Connie and Diane rake the New
England Coast as the busy 1955 hurricane season lists
13 storms.
1960 Hard shell clam production soars as flounder continues
to fall soft shell fishery ends in CT – MSX detected
in New Haven, CT oysters.
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1965 Long Island Sound freezes over for the last time that
century.
1970
Connecticut oyster industry falls to 2% of 1910 level
obtains Disaster Relief Funding. Winters now turn
warmer.
1975 Oyster sets increase, flounder recruitment fails, hard
shell clam sets decline.
Niantic Bay is choked with nitrogen enhanced eelgrass
the growth of which becomes so thick explosives are
used to restore tidal circulation.
1980 Thousands of acres are closed to direct shellfishing
harvesting oyster beds begin to silt in – lobsters
begin to improve – 40% of New Haven Harbor Winter
Flounder now show fin rot.
1985 Habitat extinction event occurs for winter flounder,
Niantic Bay flounder fishery is closed, Bay scallops
reappear in Niantic after Hurricane Gloria for a two
year period, Long Island Sound Study commences. LIS
temperatures increase.
1990 Lobster die offs occur Long Island Sound report
widespread anoxic events MSX hits CT widespread
mortality reported from the oyster industry QPX clam
parasite detected in Rhode Island and MA – suspect
warm water temperatures. Kelp cobble stone habitat
begins to fail.
1995 Flounder habitat recruitment continues to drop CT DEP
reports small winter flounder prefer bivalve shell
habitats, hard shell clam sets improve following
Hurricane Bob. For the most part winters are mild.
2000
Scallops largely absent from CT waters, hard
shell clam CT production increases. Oyster sets
improve/soft shell clam sets greatly improve.
2005 Lobster and flounder populations drop to new lows (V
Notch). Blue crabs and soft shells sets show
improvement oyster setting remains strong. Rhode
Island sounds alarm bell for lobster habitat. Bay
scallop production remains very low.
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2010 CT Blue crab season reported to be best in a century.
CT lobster die offs reported in late September. Sound
School reviews lobster hatchery proposal. RI confirms
species shifts in Narragansett Bay first reported in
(2007)) Maine oyster sets continues to grow. CT
Winter flounder continues at very low levels.
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