May 6, 2021 — A task force released a series of recommendations this week on how to balance the growing and competing demands for shellfish resources and to strengthen an industry that supports thousands of year-round commercial fishing jobs.
The Massachusetts Shellfish Initiative, led by a 21-member task force, has created a plan that works to maximize the economic, environmental and social benefits of shellfish resources across the state.
“Shellfish play a vital role in our coastal waters,” said Steve Kirk, a task force member and coastal program manager at the Nature Conservancy. “They help improve water quality and provide habitat for other species.”
But climate change is rapidly changing the ocean’s chemistry, Kirk said. When there is more carbon dioxide, the ocean becomes more acidic, which makes it harder for the animals to form their shells, he said.