Overfishing has always taken the Chesapeake Bay victim. However, the blue crabs have always survived; the overfishing has harmed fishes, oysters, and other edible species, but not the Bay’s favorite dish, the blue crab…until now.
This increase in economic failures is beginning to pile up. With the general economic downturn—including food, clothes, and other goods affected by the “recession”—plus the rising gas prices, those in (and out) of the crabbing business are already in a slump before getting out in the boat. According to CNN’s article on their website, found at , that there “was a time when Chesapeake watermen made their living off the winter oyster harvest, using hand tongs and later power dredges to supply most of the world’s oysters. But disease and over-harvesting nearly wiped out Chesapeake oysters in the 1980s, and despite millions invested in restoration, they’ve never recovered… After the oyster industry collapsed, watermen looked to hardy blue crabs to make up the slack. But the next generation may not have another option.” In fact, less than one percent of oysters still exist in the bay compared to past amounts.
Most blame not global warming, but themselves. Because of all the development over rural areas in and around Chesapeake Bay, rundown and other pollutions have raped the habitat. This shows that some improvements have more consequences than benefits. Does this mean that it is time for new energy sources with less runoff? Does this mean the Iraq War has more consequences than benefits? Does this mean there must be new perspectives on the same issues of global modernization? The Bay is just another example that good intentions pave the road to Hell.