As you all know, the lobster has been a symbol of Maine for a very long time. There are many people that rely on them as a source of income, and now, the industry is declining. There are less and less lobsters to be caught so many Maine families are losing money. How come this is happening? Some believe that it's because the lobsters are being over-fished, while scientists are finding that their scarcity may be linked to global warming.
The lobster's habitat ranges from Long Island to the Bay of Fundy. They are cold-blooded creatures so when the water temperature rises, they must use more energy for respiration, leaving less energy for feeding, growth, energy storage, immune response, and reproduction.
The lobsters' habitats fluctuating with the rising water temperatures. It takes less energy for them to do their daily activities in cold water, therefore they seem to be migrating towards the Bay of Fundy, where the temperature are cooler. Researchers have found that when the water is over 69 degrees, it increases the rate of respiration to a point where their demand for oxygen is higher than the supply.
Have you ever seen a lobster with a funny shell? Well, scientists are also seeing evidence linking water temperature to the rise in shell disease. This is because the heat is causing them to row slower and not shed their shell as often, which gives the bacteria more time to grow.
www.neaq.org
This is very important to the success of our town! I hope there is some way that we can save the lobster industry, but I don't think humans will be able to cool the water, which sucks! If it was true that global warming was being caused by humans, maybe there could be a way, but I simply don't see it happening! Good luck with your blog!
ReplyDeleteNikki this is very important, especially for us. The lobstering industry in reality affects us all, at least in our state.
ReplyDeleteThis is big and they really need to figure out a way to help for the lobster industry!
ReplyDeletePoor lobsters. But when does the water in Maine reach over 69 degrees? Especially the water on the bottom.
ReplyDeleteThat's great information, very important, especially in Boothbay Harbor! It's too bad that the rise in ocean water is causing an increase shell disease. Never heard of that before.. very interesting and great to know!
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