PROVINCETOWN, Mass.—Alex Iacono, a lobsterman who says he favors lobsters and ocean solitude over people, is worried about the future of his business. Iacono, who lives in Truro and fishes out of Provincetown on the F/V Storm Elizabeth, says his catch has significantly dwindled in recent years.
He’s not alone; other lobstermen working across Cape Cod Bay have noticed a downward trend. They believe that hypoxia — dangerously low levels of oxygen in the water — is to blame.
On Aug. 11, local lobster fishermen were advised by the Div. of Marine Fisheries (DMF) that low levels of dissolved oxygen had been recorded in two areas: at the southern end of Cape Cod Bay near Barnstable and here, in the waters between Provincetown and Wellfleet.
Hypoxia first came to fishermen’s attention in 2019 when it caused a catastrophic lobster die-off in the bay. After that, the DMF started affixing sensors to buoys and traps to monitor oxygen levels, and they have consistently observed mild hypoxia since then.
Note there is no mention of the warming of the ocean–which means it is not able to hold as much dissolved oxygen. It would also explain why the lobsters moved to Canada–far colder water, which lobsters want.
I seriously doubt this report. I mean it seems way off.
I have childhood neighbors the kids were as the mother said five under five as babies. Two were twins. The kids of course my age now have four homes in Truro. The three brothers in the group are avid fishermen. I see them daily almost year round out in those waters catching fish. The whales are by their boats feeding.
I think “Inside Climate News” is a blogger. Not that I actually know but it is not the NYT or WaPo. It some sort of hack job is all I see.
I do know there are some issues with whales and lobster cage ropes. The numbers of lobster traps may be down. But I am vague on that. Seems like the blogger is just adding his own spin.
I do not know but I do not at all trust. There is zero wrong with fishing off the end of the cape. I do fully know that.
Inside Climate News is much more than legitimate. Searching them out was useful.
From the article
Geyer and Scully also identified a physical cause of hypoxia: intensified ocean stratification in Cape Cod Bay. Less mixing of the ocean’s layers means less oxygenation. The stratification results from both shifting wind patterns and warming ocean temperatures.
The prevailing winds over Cape Cod Bay are typically from the southwest, according to Scully, but recent data indicate a shift to the northeast. That’s due to a shift in large-scale pressure patterns caused by climate change, he said.
“You can see that the Gulf Stream area is warming, while the North Atlantic is actually cooling over time. The relative difference between these two areas is typically used as an estimate of the strength of the AMOC.Apr 2, 2022”