REDUCING RED TIDE LOSSES

Red tide will plague the Maine coast every year, so the Department of Marine Resources is smart to want to research ways to minimize the algae’s impact on the people who harvest and grow shellfish. The department hopes to use $750,000 in federal funds for this work. Using that money for targeted research now could minimize economic losses to shellfish harvesters, growers and dealers in the future.

Last spring and summer, more than half the Maine coast was put off limits to shellfish harvesting by DMR because of an unusually large outbreak of red tide. The bloom arrived at shore earlier than usual and was especially widespread because of a procession of strong storms.

When the algae is carried to shore it is ingested by shellfish such as clams and mussels, making them unsafe for consumption. This puts shellfish harvesters and growers temporarily out of business. As a result, the Small Business Administration declared an economic disaster and the Commerce Department declared a fisheries failure.

Maine will get $2 million from the National Marine Fisheries Service to address the effects of last year’s red tide outbreak, the worst in three decades. DMR proposes to use a large chunk of the money for research to minimize the effects of red tide. One area of research would be the possibility of removing the toxins from shellfish akin to the process now used to eliminate bacteria.

The department also wants to increase and improve sampling so that smaller areas of the coast can be put off-limits to harvesting during red tide outbreaks. Earlier this year, the department worked with the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership to set up 50 sampling stations in the southern Maine bay. Because there were so many sampling stations the department could pinpoint closed areas, allowing several bays and coves to remain open during a red tide.

The department would like to expand this approach to other areas, such as Penobscot and Cobscook bays, which would require more boats and staff to collect the samples.

The remainder of the money – $1.25 million – would be used to compensate harvesters, growers and dealers for their losses in 2005. When the state was preparing its disaster request, it had a difficult time finding the required number of businesses harmed by the red tide outbreak.

The department is holding public hearings to seek comments on its proposal. Hearings will be held Monday in Whiting at the town office, Tuesday at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland and Thursday in Ellsworth at the City Hall auditorium. All meetings begin at 11 a.m.