Marine Publications

Aureococcus anophagefferens:
Causes and ecological consequences of brown tides in U.S. mid-Atlantic coastal waters

Reprinted from the Journal of Limnology and Oceanography, 42 (5, part 2):

1023-1038, 1997. Since 1985, this alga has sporadically bloomed in the western mid-Atlantic, especially in Long Island’s coastal embayments. Reduced flushing rates, elevated salinities, and delivery of micronutrients have been implicated in bloom initiations. Brown tides have had severe detri-mental effects on bivalves, including bay scallops and blue mussels. This article summarizes the factors that may contribute to brown tide initiation, maintenance, and decline. 16 pages. NYSGI-R-97-011. $1.

Weakfish (Cynoscion regalis) support an important recreational fishery in the mid-Atlantic region. Although several management agencies have imposed size and creel limits to reduce weakfish fishing mortality, few data are available for estimating mortality following the catch and release of sublegal fish. Malchoff and Heins used single-barb hooks to capture and release weakfish in Great South Bay, New York. Their results suggest that inadvertent angling mortality of weakfish is low and unlikely to inhibit stock rebuilding efforts in the mid-Atlantic region. 5 pages.

Agritourism combines agriculture with New York’s second largest industry–tourism. Agritourism works to expand existing businesses and diversify farm operations to include services and products designed to attract visitors. This illustrated publication presents considerations and case studies for developing farm stands, u-pick operations, farm bed and breakfasts, agricultural events, and regional agritourism initiatives. 25 pages.

This guide discusses storm water runoff management at marinas, providing planning, technical, and cost information on practical alternatives for addressing this problem. Photographs and schematics illustrating hull-maintenance source control BMPs and storm water treatment BMPs present options available for application at a specific site. Intended primarily for marina owners and operators, this guide may also interest government and agency officials, planners, the public, and others involved with boating facilities and environmental management. 16 pages. NYSGI-G-98-002. $2.

MIT

This is a report of a workshop sponsored by the New England Aquarium and MIT as part of the First National Year of the Ocean Conference. In a two-day conference at MIT, regional stakeholders participated in the conference via satellite and created a list of key issues, conclusions, and recommendations. Topics deemed relevant to New England, and discussed in this report, include: marine pollution, new strategies for ports and shipping, new approaches in fisheries management, marine protected areas, and sustainable development for coastal tourism and recreation. 12 pages. MITSG 98-6. Free.

This updated directory lists all publications produced by MIT Sea Grant from 1971-1998. The directory includes abstracts of technical, advisory, and education reports, as well as information about ordering various publications. 116 pages. MITSG 98-2. Free.

Although the discharge of many toxic substances into urban harbors and embayments has been reduced, contaminated sediments in the water column present a continuing threat to the ecosystem and to human health. Managing these sediments requires knowledge of their location and relative toxicity, the rate of exposure to the water column, and a method of removal and/or containment. This book presents findings from research conducted by the MIT Sea Grant Coastal Processes Center and spans disciplines such as coastal circulation and dispersion, sediment transport, organic and inorganic chemistry, benthic biology, and coastal zone policy. While the research focuses on Boston Harbor, the issues addressed are relevant to other contaminated harbors as well. 170 pages. MITSG 98-1. $45.

Coastal marsh systems play an important role in improving coastal water quality by acting as natural treatment plants that filter, dilute, and decompose many land-source pollutants. To better understand these systems, we must consider how vegetation influences marsh hydrodynamics. This report examines both a model for diffusion within emergent vegetation and the effects of vegetation on longitudinal dispersion. 40 pages. MITSG 97-18. $6.

Fishermen and mariners are required to do all they can to avoid injury to marine mammals. This video explains the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan and details techniques fishermen can take to reduce whale entanglement. Also included is a section on whale identification, responsible agencies, and appropriate actions when encountering an entangled whale. 11 min. MSG-VT-98-1. $15.

These 4-page pamphlets address the science and regulation pertaining to whales in New England waters. Marine Mammals & Commercial Fisheries defines many of the terms and acronyms in the North Atlantic Take Reduction Plan developed by the National Marine Fisheries Service. Whale Sightings and Science provides excellent drawings and descriptions of four whales found in the Gulf of Maine, with contact information for use by fishermen and recreational mariners who sight entangled or healthy whales at sea. Whale Sightings and Science, MSG-E-98-4. Marine Mammals and Commercial Fisheries, MSG-E-98-3. Free.

Connecticut

This booklet is lavishly illustrated with fun color graphics that depict the biology, geology, chemistry, and physical processes of our favorite estuary. Examples: "Sea cucumbers –not for salad!"; "There’s gold in them thar waves," "My wild Irish moss," "Yipes! Stripers!" Compiled as a joint Connecticut Sea Grant and Long Island Sound Study public outreach project. Perfect for teachers, students, families, pirates, and even landlubbers who enjoy the water. 72 pages. CT-SG-97-05. $4.99. Single copies: please add $1.20 per copy for postage and handling.

**Special: Educators get 40 percent discount–$3 per copy on bulk orders.

Does a jellyfish have a brain? How does it swim? Do they all sting? These questions and more are answered in a one-page fact sheet produced by The Maritime Aquarium and Connecticut Sea Grant. It includes photos of common species in Long Island Sound and a diagram showing a cnidocyte (stinging) cell. Single copies free while supplies last. Send self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Tidally influenced wetlands and marshes are complex and valuable components of the coastal and estuarine environments, yet we lack baseline knowledge for conservation, restoration, and management decisions. This volume contains discussions from a 1997 Connecticut College workshop attempting to assess the status of marsh-estuarine systems and available restoration technologies. This report is useful for researchers, coastal management agencies, funding agencies, and graduate research departments. 62 pages. CT- SG-98-03. Free while supplies last. Add $2 for postage and handling.

Abstracts of a June 1998 aquaculture and biotechnology workshop in Stamford, Conn. The workshop, sponsored by Connecticut Sea Grant and the UCONN Biotechnology Center, included presentations on a variety of research and industry developments by experts from Canada, Ireland, Israel, South Korea, and the United States. 56 pages. CT-SG-98-05. $5. Add $1.50 for postage and handling.

WHOI

This easy-to-read guide summarizes each of the research and outreach projects supported by WHOI Sea Grant during the 1998-2000 funding cycle. 16 pp. WHOI-A-98-001. Free.

WHOI Sea Grant has a new series of fact sheets that focus on current research topics. Included are: Shellfish Diseases and their Control in Local Waters; Endocrine Disruption in Wildlife Populations; Cape Cod Coastal Erosion: A Case Study; Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in the United States; and The Massachusetts Bay Outfall. Contact WHOI Sea Grant for any one, or all, of the Focal Points. WHOI-G-98-001 through 005. Free. Also available on the WWW at http://www.whoi.edu/seagrant/FocalPoints/Fpindex.html.

Family boating is an American tradition. Before planning your next family outing, be sure you know what emergencies could strike and prepare your family to deal with them. This brochure includes information on safety and survival equipment, using your marine radio, cold water facts, man overboard and drowning precautions, fire, personal flotation devices, and more. 4 pp. Free.

Videos from WHOI Sea Grant’s popular lecture series Oceans Alive: Plain Talk on Current Topics in Marine Science Presented for the General Public are now available. Videos may be of interest to teachers seeking to broaden their own marine science knowledge and are especially useful for the classroom setting. The latest videos include "Young Scientists Present: Winning High School Projects, in which students from local high schools present their winning science fair projects;" "Marine Biomedical Models: White Mice From the Sea," featuring Alan Kuzirian, Marine Biological Laboratory, discussing the important contributions that marine invertebrates have made to our understanding of basic biological principles over the past 100 years; and "Sounds in the Sea: A Special Evening for Families," with Woods Hole researchers explaining how marine mammals use sound and why, how ultrasound can tell about fatness and reproductive fitness in right whales, how echosounders are used to study distributions of zooplankton and fish, and more. Plus, a New England Aquarium staff member offers a sneak peek at their "Sounds of the Sea" exhibit, scheduled to open April 1999. Videos: $10 each. On loan for one week $3 (postage and handling).

Rhode Island

Surrounded by the waters of Narragansett Bay is Aquidneck Island, the "Island of Peace." Its approximately 65,000 residents all contribute to the social, economic, and environmental quality of the island. In this video, residents speak of their hopes, concerns, and plans for Aquidneck Island. Loss of open space, inadequately protected drinking water sources, and the difference individuals have made in protecting special places are just some of the topics discussed. Coastal managers, town planners, and others will find the video useful in spurring discussion. Video: 17 minutes. RIU-V-98-001. P1481. $10.

Open space can influence the economic and social conditions of any community. This booklet suggests that in many cases the economic benefits of open space are considerable and can easily outweigh costs, even before noneconomic benefits are considered.
11 pages. RIU-T-97-002. P1461. $7.

This laminated poster gives seafood retailers the latest information on receiving, storing and displaying, and assessing quality of molluscan shellfish such as clams, oysters, and mussels.