Grayce P. Storey
If you took a trip around the Long Island Sound you would encounter several polluting factors.
Pollution is described in terms of its source. The term “point source” refers to the discharge of pollution from a fixed located or stationary facility or a single identifiable source such as a pipe, ditch, ship or smokestack. Non-point source pollution refers to sources that do not have a single point of origin or are not introduced into receiving water from a specific outlet. Common non-point sources are water run-off from paved areas that contain oil, brake fluid, antifreeze, or other contaminates; agriculture runoff containing pesticides, sediment, and other pollutants; erosion caused by land grading, and deposition of air pollutants by precipitation.
Tributaries of freshwater entering the Long Island Sound include 70 percent from the Connecticut River, 12 percent from the Housatonic River and 9 percent from the Thames River. Both points and non-point sources of pollution of these rivers occur upstream from Massachusetts and Northern New England. A major source of non-point pollution is runoff form roads.
Studies have revealed that the biological foundation is threatened by the by products of human activity. All flora and fauna, such as fin fish and shell fish are subject to the effects of eutrophication, industrial or municipal discharges toxic pollutants in water and sediments, steam flow diversion, thermal pollution, siltation, and habitat destruction. Also filter feeding shellfish grown in water with high concentration of human sewage may bioaccumulate infectious microorganisms that can be passed on to the human consumers. Sometimes the ingestion of these infectious microorganisms can result in a tragedy (death).
Protecting the Long Island Sound fisheries from pollution will enhance the quality of life in Connecticut’s residents and bring about more tourism which will provide strength to the boating and fishing industries. All of the above will add to Connecticut’s economy because shell fishing and fin fishing are contributors. The winter flounder, lobster, and oyster are the most economically important species in Connecticut. Others are tacetoy, striped bass, blue fish, cod, fluke, shad, salmon, lobster, blue crab, clams, oysters, and scallops.
Connecticut’s State Department of Health Services has issued human health advisories regarding consumption of both striped bass and large blue fish, because of the concentrations of PCB’s in their tissues. PCB is a cancer causing agent. In the past four years there has not been any new data indicating whether the PCB problem is improving or worsening.
Shell fish obtain food by filtering seawater through their tissues, they can obtain infectious bacteria, viruses, parasites, and toxic chemicals that are present in the seawater. These harmful pathogens may be passed on to the consumer. Biological toxins from marine algae (saraytic, shell fish poison) when consumed may cause illness to humans or death.