Demand a Ban on Lobster-Killing Pesticide in Rhode Island
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Rhode Island lobstermen are worried that a pesticide used to control the development of mosquito larvae is killing young lobsters in Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound. The product, sold under the trade name Altosid, is deposited in storm drains to control the mosquito population. Many of the storm drains in Rhode Island's seaside communities empty directly into the bay. Altosid is made of methoprene, a larvicide that is likely killing lobster larvae. Maine is the only East Coast fishery where the lobster population is at acceptable, sustainable levels because, unlike other East Coast fisheries, Maine bans the use of methoprene and larvicides in its waters. Maine is also the only fishery where the lobster population does not suffer from shell disease. In all the other fisheries, Rhode Island included, lobster birth rates are noticeably below normal. Please write to your state legislators, asking them to follow Maine's lead and protect lobsters from Altosid. |
