N.J. fishermen fear loss of huge underwater sand hill, the Manasquan Ridge
The appearance of the 123-foot offshore supply vessel Scarlett Isabella on the Manasquan Ridge is a bad omen to Capt. Jim Lovgren, a Point Pleasant Beach commercial fishermen. The Scarlett was in the hire of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which is looking for potential sand on the outer continental shelf that could be pumped up onto the Jersey beach. Tampering with these sand beds, which are long-established fishing areas, could reshape the fishing communities at the Shore, fishermen say. The ridge, which starts to rise off the ocean floor 5 ½ miles southeast of Manasquan Inlet, is one of those potential resources of sand. “Last year word was that Manasquan Ridge was a last resort for beach replenishment use. The fact that they are paying a survey vessel to crisscross it clearly says something different,” said Lovgren, who sits on the Executive Board of the Garden State Seafood Association. Fishermen have been weary of a conflict with the Army Corps of Engineers over the ridge, and others nearby, which they depend on to hold fish. Read the story here 17:48
So where are all the intrepid NGOs: Pew, Oceana, EDF, ORI, NRDC, etc. on this one? Where are the crusaders, the “save the ocean bottom from the destructive clear-cutting dragger fishermen” champions?
Doesn’t this potential removal of a prominent and well known ocean structure qualify as an eco-atrocity worthy of their zeal?
Only fishing operations seem to attract the NGOs ire, not sand removal, minerals mining, oil and gas rigs, 650 foot tall wind turbines, wave energy open blade turbines, Microsoft’s offshore submarine data centers (see http://www.popsci.com/microsoft-is-putting-data-servers-in-cool-new-place-ocean?PVc5U3oq8rMcFLyZ.01)
None of those are worthy of EDF’s or Oceana’s campaigns to save the ocean bottom?
Like I’ve always said. It has nothing to do with conservation and everything to do with elimination.
Also, where is NOAA on this? Aren’t they supposed to concern themselves with habitat destruction?
I’ll tell you where they are. They are in bed with the same prostitutes mentioned above. Actually they are one in the same. And sorry to all the real prostitutes.