Beneath the waves off the coast of Long Island there's buried treasure. A once hugely profitable industry shellfishing is now a dying lifestyle on Long Island. Can science, baymen and policy makers fix the problems faced in restoring the shellfish? What do we lose if the shellfish are gone?
Imagine you were unable to replace a dirty filter on your vacuum. Dust and dirt would keep accumulating in your house but you'd have no way of cleaning it up. This is similar to what would happen if we lost the shellfish. They are a water filter for the bay and prevent Harmful Algae Blooms (HAB's) clouding the water preventing light from reaching photosynthetic organisms.
But we lose so much more than that. The creatures in the bays are the livelihood for the Baymen. The future of the Baymen is tied to the filter of the bay. There are a dwindling number of baymen on Long Island. Many of these fishermen have family histories stretching back to colonial times. They continue the tradition of fishing in their families but water conditions have gotten so bad that there is little left to harvest.
This problem is not only faced on Long Island but in many fishing communities throughout the world. To what point will we be able to restore the bays of Long Island?
Look for screenings and learn more on our website: gburghes.wix.co...
Directed by: Gareth Burghes
Produced by: Lagomorph Films
gburghes.wix.co...
Original Music: Jeston Lewis
Original Song: 'Coming Home' by the Executive Board
14 окт 2024
