Milford chronicle., 1957-09-13
Marine Group adopts
Three Point Program
At DOUer Meet
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New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and
New York, in planning and activa-
ting programs designed 20 main
tain the Delaware River and Bay
at a state of high biological pro-
ductivity. This would include steps
to protect the nursery areas bord-
ering the River and Bay, to protect
valuable lands beneath the River
and Bay, to provide favorable ratios
of fresh and salt water, and to pro-
tect waters from harmful pollution.
3. To seek adoption of the fol-
lowing resolution:
"RESOLVED, that the Atlantic
States Marine Fisheries Commits
sion urge that, in all public works
Legislation affecting coastal waters
in the Congress of the United
States, provisions be made for the
preservation and development of
marine fisheries resources
Before these recommendations
were unanimously adopted, Mr..
Pierce read a statement as to their
purpose. He said that Delaware
River and Bay and the surround
ing wetlands have been described
as the states greatest natural re-
source.
zone of the important sources of
wealth in this area comes from the
marine life in the forms of Oys-
ters, CLAIMS, crabs and finfish." Mr.
Pierce declared. "The productivity
of portions of the River and Bay
are controlled to great degree by
the ratio of fresh water and by the
absence or presence of pollution.
These conditions have been recog-
nized and partially measured.
Another feature which contri-
butes to productivity is the rela-
tion between the nursery grounds
for marine organisms and their
habitats for later age classes. I'll
dal marshes are the major nursery
areas for many important marine
organisms. Therefore, the ratio of
tidal marshes to open water areas
must be considered in appraising
the future productivity of Delaware
River and Bay"
Mr.. Pierce continued the state
ment by saying, Delaware River
in particular has seen tremendous
industrial expansion in the last
half century, but at no time in the
past has expansion equalled what
we are witnessing at the present
time.
Major programs now under way
or in advanced planning, such as
the 50-foot channel from Philadel-
phia to the sea and the series of
reservoirs on the upper portions of
the Delaware watershed, will have
important effects on marine life in
Delaware waters"
Importance of marine life study
was emphasized in a report sub
mitted to the Committee yesterday
by DR.. Carl N. Shuster, University
of Delaware assistant professor of
Biological Sciences. The report
records efforts of the Scientific
Committee of the Fisheries Com
mission and studies by the Uni
versity of Delaware Bayside Lab
oratory at Lewes.
DR.. Shuster said marine life
study would be stepped up this fall
when six graduate students, largest
number ever to be enrolled at Del
aware at one time, will be enrolled
in Marine Biology.
The report analyses the present
general situation regarding COM
mercial species of fish in Delaware
and goes into detail concerning
growth, habits and anticipated
catches.
DR.. Carl G. Rees, University of
Delaware provost, said the insti-
tuition is delighted to carry on this
work and he hopes with more stu
dent ''legmen", a great deal more
underwater knowledge will be made
available.
The advisory committees said it
was pleasantly surprised with the
request of Philadelphia authorities
to dump 10000 tons of digested
sludge into the Atlantic Ocean ra-
ther than have it placed in the Del
aware River north of the city. This,
officials said, would lessen pollu-
tion, but further study will be
made to see whether the sludge
should not be taken even farther
out into the Atlantic before being
dumped.
DR.. Shuster said that information
from available studies should give
an answer to this problem and he
will undertake the project.