Given that the average baywide harvest of blue crabs is 1.3 million bushels annually, the grounding’s impact on the crab population is “very small,” the survey said. The grounding and subsequent efforts to free the Ever Forward impacted an estimated 423 crabs, or about 5 bushels, according to DNR’s survey. The impacted bar wasn’t very populated to begin with, according to a survey by the Department of Natural Resources, so there were “no discernable impacts” on oysters, aside from the “deep footprint of the ship and dredging.”īut the area was a favored habitat for blue crabs during the winter months, when the creatures burrow into the muddy bottom to protect themselves from the cold. The Ever Forward’s grounding and dredging impacted 14 acres of bay bottom, including 11.5 acres within the boundary of a natural oyster bar, the Maryland Department of the Environment said in a news release. Contrary to some recent press accounts, the agreement to fund this effort is not due to any sort of fine levied against Evergreen.” “Earlier this week, the Maryland Board of Public Works approved an environmental remediation agreement between the State of Maryland and Evergreen that will establish a fund to provide environmental support to Chesapeake Bay and bolster the health of oyster beds in the area. The ship’s Taiwanese owner, Evergreen Marine Corp., issued a statement: “After the incident of Ever Forward’s grounding off the Port of Baltimore, Evergreen has been closely working with concerned authorities in an effort to evaluate and mitigate the impact of the refloating operation on the surrounding area.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |