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Jun 22, 2008 7:01 pm US/Eastern

This Summer Could Lead To More Dead Fish In Harbor

Reporting
Weijia Jiang
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ― A gloomy summer is on the horizon for the aqua life that lives in the Chesapeake Bay.

A new forecast just out shows the lowest oxygen levels and highest number of pollutants in the bay since 1985.  Weijia Jiang reports it's a mix that is sure to kill.

One fish here and a few fish there, but last June, there were 5,000 fish, all belly-up in Baltimore's Inner Harbor.

Scientists point to harmful algae as the cause. They say this summer even more dead fish could turn up.

"They can't go into the bottom water cause there's not enough oxygen and in the surface waters, we have these harmful algal blooms that are often toxic so they get squeezed between the top and the bottom and they have less habitat," said Dr. Bill Dennison.

A recent University of Maryland study shows harmful algae is thriving underwater, a result of an increase in nutrients coming from above. In fact, the numbers show pollution levels are the sixth worst ever.

"There's nothing in the cooler now. I've been out here six hours. The only thing in here is ice," said fisherman Bud Jones.

Jones has been fishing the Chesapeake Bay for more than six decades.  Unlike years past, he comes home empty-handed more often than not.

"I think it's gonna get worse. The color of the water when I grew up on Kent Island, the water was more clear, you could see. You wade out into the water now, you can't even see your ankles and you're only in this deep of water," he said.

Researchers say the nets stay empty thanks to man-made pollution, so whether it's driving, farming, even turning on a light switch, all the runoff ends up right into the water.

"I know it's difficult. I know the progress has been slow but we're only going to be successful in restoring the bay with determination and patience. So people need to support wise policies and they need to hold us all, scientists and political leaders, accountable for progress and the outcome," said Dr. Donald Boesch.

Dr. Boesch urges people to conserve energy to reduce pollution. He says it's the only way to keep this from happening.

Researchers plan to track the water pollution all summer.  They won't know exactly how much damage there is until the fall.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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