6
Wednesday, November 1,1995
Scientists Question Effects of Fish Kill
BYERINMASSENGILL
STAFF WRITER
While state officials now claim that a
10-mile stretch of the Neuse River poses no
health risks to consumers, scientists are
n6w examining the environmental impact
and the stability of the state’s waterways.
- Concern over the sudden death of thou
sands of fish along a 10-mile stretch of the
Neuse River led to a two-week ban prohib
iting fishing along the stretch and concern
about the environmental status ofthe state.
The ban was removed last Saturday. Signs
of the dead fish appeared five weeks ago.
Earlier this summer, the number of dead
fish found floating in the Neuse increased
significantly. These fish had open sores,
some as large as a dime and were reported
from New Bern as far south as Minesott
Beach.
The fish deaths have raised environ
mental concerns about the amount of nu
trients used on land. Hans Paerl, a Kenan
professor of marine and environmental
science at a UNC facility in Morehead
City, said he saw the problem as one which
could easily reoccur anytime in the future.
“I think it’s possible that it could hap
pen again next summer,” he said. “We
need to deal with excess nutrients within
the basin, and we can’t manipulate Mother
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The excess nutrients that cause the abun
dance of algae growth are attributed to
several “non-point sources.” These sources
include runoff from lawns, parking lots,
atmospheric deposition, automobile ex
haust, industrial and agricultural emissions,
sewage and animal wastes.
Paerl said he did not see the situation
becomingbetterfora while. “Iwouldthink
that conditions would not be able to im
prove until later this fall when the cold
water helps to flush it out,” he said.
Concerns have not only been raised
about the environmental significance of
the ban but also about the economic effects
that will be felt around the Neuse, particu
larly in New Bern.
Jerry Schill, the executive director of
the N.C. Fisheries Association, a trade
group that represents commercial fisher
ies, pointed to these economic effects. Schill
said about three dozen full-time commer
cial fishermen were closed during the ban
and about the same number of part-time
fishermen either closed down or moved to
other areas not included under the ban.
More importantly, Schill pointed to the
effects of negative press on local businesses
along the Neuse. “The perception was such
that it negatively affected their (seafood
restaurants) business. On a larger scale, we
STATE & NATIONAL
were concerned what it would do to the
nation’s perception,” he said.
Dot Fuss, the director of the New Bern
Visitor Center, said she had not received
any complaints from visitors. “To date,
we’ve heard of no complaints. I think it
would be a bigger deal if it was highly
publicized. I’m not comfortable with it,
but we’re not experiencing any backlash
here,” Fuss said.
N.C. Sen. Charles Albertson, D-Duplin,
and chairman ofthe Senate Committee on
Agriculture, Environment and Natural
Resources, said he saw the problem as one
that the state needed to address. “I want us
to look at scientific facts. We need to take
a look at it,” he said.
Scientists speculate that the fish died
because of an opportunistic bacteria called
pfiesteria. The bacteria attacked the fish
after their immune systems had been weak
ened by a lack of oxygen in the water. The
oxygen levels were low because of an in
crease in algae growth prompted by a com
bination of excess rainfall and excess nutri
ents from runoff.
The levels of pfiesteria found within the
stretch of the river were eight times the
lethal limit for the fish. The majority of the
fish killed were Atlantic Menhaden, fish
that are extremely sensitive to low oxygen
levels and that travel in large, tight schools.
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OLGA
FROM PAGE 1
which he criticized opponents Nelson and
Randy Marshall for supporting legislation
for domestic partners registration.
“We felt that domestic partner legisla
tion was an odd issue to put to voters as
central to the race and that this reflects
negatively on Riggsbee’s stance toward the
PC
FROM PAGE 1
to get a degree, they are going to be saying
‘Would you like fries with your Happy
Meal?”’
Citing courses such as “Unnatural Acts
and Split Britches” at Brown University
and “Housing and Feeding the Homeless”
at Cornell University as examples, the
Young America’s Foundation said tradi
tional scholarship had been replaced with
ideological pursuits.
“These courses promote an ideology,
which is not legitimate in a traditional
setting,” Flynn said. “The professors are
indoctrinating and not educating.”
Flynn criticized the theory of
multicultural training in universities as sim
ply cosmetic.
Flynn said the Young America’s Foun
dation proposed that schools go back to
basics in their curricula and had plans for
reform. “The only way to reform is by
getting at the universities’ purse strings,”
Flynn said.
issues that interest us,” Ferguson said.
Riggsbee said Tuesday the letter was
meant only to show differences between
himself and the two other candidates. “To
say that is gay-baiting is the most ridicu
lous thing I’ve ever heard,” he said.
OLGA’s statement also mentioned re
ports that door-to-door Riggsbee support
ers had been telling residents not to vote for
Nelson because he is openly gay. But
VOTER
FROM PAGE 3
people to the polls,” Nelson said. “We’re
going to have difficulty just alerting people
where their poll sites are.”
Student government members are ex
ploring several options in voter mobiliza
tion. Having students transported to poll
sites in donated or rented vans is one pos
sibility. Members also plan to contact the
INTERN
FROM PAGE 3
synergy instead of wasted energy.”
Crowell said she was excited about
working with a student in this capacity
because students had shown dedication to
the mission of the BCC. “The students
have shown a very concerted effort of work
ing,” Crowellsaid. “Imeanrollingupyour
sleeves and working.”
Lancaster said although the fund-rais
ing efforts had fallen short thus far, efforts
to raise money were progressing.
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Riggsbee said Tuesday he was unaware of
such statements or campaign activities.
“I don’t have any campaign workers
out in the neighborhoods but myself,” he
said. “Some people may know that I’m
opposed to domestic partnership, and that
may become for them a reason to support
me, but I don’t have any volunteers (that)
I’m aware of telling people not to vote for
Mike Nelson for that reason.”
University’s Department of Transporta
tion to ask if students could be transported
in Point-2-Point vans. Organizers plan to
meet later this week to finalize plans.
Students should look for tables set up in
the Pit, near the Student Recreation Center
and at other central campus locations Tues
day for information on where to vote.
Fliers also will be posted before next
Tuesday’s election informing students
about polling sites.
“The grassroots fund raising going on is
raising smaller donations but raising lots of
support, and that’s going to be the catalyst
in getting larger donations,” Lancaster said.
Interim Provost Dick Richardson said
he was hopeful that a student intern would
spur more involvement.
“I don’t know for certain if it will in
crease fund raising. It’s something cer
tainly worth trying,” he said.
Applications for the BCC fund-raising
internship are available at the BCC, the
Black Student Movement office, the Cam
pus Y and the Union Desk, Johnson said.