Tag Archives: Merrimack River
River of needles: Group seeks support as number of syringes in the Merrimack River soars
Just a few years ago the junk that Clean River Project volunteers pulled out of the Merrimack River between Lowell and Haverhill consisted mostly of tires, shopping carts, toys, appliances, furniture and even entire vehicles. Every so often, they would come upon a syringe or two, which they would place into sharps containers for proper disposal. Rocky Morrison, president of the nonprofit Clean River Project, said he didn’t give it much thought until last year, when his volunteers saw a huge increase in the number of syringes they were finding. They collected more than 1,000 last year, and he said there are more out there. According to American Rivers, the Merrimack River is one of the three most important large rivers on the East Coast in its conservation value to migratory river herring and one of the six most important for 12 migratory fish species. Read the story here 19:25 (it’s disgusting.) Meanwhile A federal judge has ordered the National Marine Fisheries Service to revisit a decision not to list the blueback herring as a threatened species. Read the story here 19:42
Destroyed tuna vessel Laurie Ann towed to Salisbury
The Laurie Ann, a 35-foot-long tuna boat that sank in the mouth of the Merrimack River Monday evening in rough seas, is back above water but its days as a seaworthy vessel appear to be over. Wednesday evening the vessel was towed back to shore and hauled out by a TowBoatUS crew, an operation that took roughly six hours. Afterward, the boat was trucked to the Salisbury Industrial Park off Rabbit Road where its owner, Stan Kench, works, according to Mike Goodridge of TowBoatUS. Kench was one of two men onboard the vessel when it capsized in choppy water around 7 p.m. Monday. Both men were thrown from the boat and sustained minor injuries. The capsizing was witnessed by a good Samaritan aboard the Lady Suzanne who radioed the Coast Guard for help and then plucked the two men from the water. Read the story here 08:36
