Morocco bans temporarily shellfish catching along Atlantic coast
Morocco, Local, 7/28/1999

Morocco decided Tuesday to ban the catching and marketing of shellfish brought from its Atlantic coasts stretching from Tangier down to Agadir.

The Moroccan fishing department said it made the decision after noticing throughout the coastline the blooming presence of the toxic brown algae tinting the tides in red.

The harmful algae Booms (HABs) or "red tides" cause human illness such as paralysis, poisons shellfish and damages other fish species.

These harmful algae are microscopic, single-celled plants that live in the sea. Most species of algae are not harmful and serve as the energy producers at the base of the food web, without which higher life on this planet would not exist.

Occasionally, the algae grow very fast or "bloom" and accumulate into dense, visible patches near the surface of the water. "Red Tide" is a common name for such a phenomenon where certain algae species contain reddish pigments and "bloom."

Unfortunately, a small number of algae species produce potent neurotoxins that can be transferred through the food web where they affect and even kill the higher forms of life such as shellfish, fish, birds, marine mammals, and even humans that eat them either directly or indirectly.

Previous Stories:
  Morocco bans temporarily shellfish catching in southern coasts   (5/25/1999)
  Moroccan fish get a two months break for some rest   (1/2/1999)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search