Rising ocean temperatures are helping a strange sea creature take over Maine's aquaculture, and it's causing a lot of problems for shellfish farmers.
What's happening?
As Civil Eats detailed, sea squirts — blob-like marine creatures, which are also known as tunicates or ascidians, that stick to hard surfaces — are spreading through Maine's waters, and they are doing it pretty fast.
They can attach themselves to ropes, nets, and even shellfish, choking out sea life and making fishing equipment too heavy to lift out of the water.
That means extra hours cleaning gear, more money spent, and a lot of stress for farmers. Alicia Gueirio, one of the farmers working in the region, said she has never seen anything like this.
"This was ruining my life," she told Civil Eats.
But what's causing this explosion? Warmer oceans are part of it. The sea squirts love the conditions, and since they don't have many natural predators, they're multiplying like their lives depend on it.
Jeremy Miller, research associate and coordinator of the System-Wide Monitoring Program at Wells Reserve, told Civil Eats: "The biggest thing driving this invasion is the warming Gulf of Maine. … Ever since about 2012, we have been going in one direction, and we haven't had an anomalously cool year since 2007."
Why are sea squirts concerning?
Sea squirts push out native species by hogging space and resources, which throws off the balance in local ecosystems. This process can lead to fewer healthy fish and shellfish, which isn't good for the people who rely on the ocean for work or food.
When native species get pushed out, it can also mean more disease, more damaged habitats, and higher costs for everyone involved.
We've seen similar problems before, like lionfish spreading through the Gulf of Mexico and invasive jumping worms ruining soil health. It's a reminder of how fast invasive species can mess things up.
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What's being done about sea squirts?
Some uses for sea squirts are being explored. For example, sea squirt meat is suitable for human consumption, while the invertebrates have also been earmarked as a possible ingredient in animal feed.
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Should we be actively working to kill invasive species? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Absolutely 💯 Civil Eats observed that they could even be used for biofuels, which could reduce our reliance on dirty energy sources. However, the development of this alternative fuel has been slow to progress.
In the meantime, buying seafood from local, sustainable farms helps support communities dealing with this issue. You can also volunteer with conservation groups or learn more about what's happening to our oceans to stay on top of the problem.
Sea squirts might seem harmless, but they're a sign of a bigger problem. The sooner we start paying attention, the better chance we have to keep our oceans (and our planet) healthy.
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