Abstract:
Stormwater runoff is a major pollution problem for shellfish farms. Home construction in coastal areas is growing. More people mean more roads, driveways, and parking lots. Water running over these impervious surfaces picks up contaminants such as oil, sand, chemicals, and fertilizers and deposits them in nearby rivers and streams. The more contaminants the harder it is for shellfish to grow. Reconciling the demand for development and the need for healthy shellfish is a challenge facing coastal planners.