By Dan Aceto

Staff Writer

Commercial fishermen throughout the state may soon receive compensation for what Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe described as the “worst year in recent memory” for the Maine shellfish industry.

Snowe announced Dec. 22 that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared a fisheries disaster for the shellfish industry in 2009 due to “the most virulent red tide bloom Maine has experienced since the early 1980s,” according to a press release.

Terry Twomey, like many other commercial clam harvesters in Scarborough, relies on the sale of shellfish to earn a living and knows all too well how natural disasters such as red tide can devastate fishermen. 

“The thing with red tide is that it hits in the summer when you make your most money,” Twomey said.

In 2005, Twomey said he received approximately $4,500 for relief due to red tide and sees no reason not to apply for compensation.

According to Michelle Mason-Webber, shellfish program coordinator at the Maine Department of Marine Resources, red tide is caused by the naturally occurring Alexandrium algae found in phytoplankton, which shellfish are known to consume. 

Paralytic shellfish poisoning, or PSP, can occur in humans who consume shellfish found to have excessive levels of the algae, Mason-Webber said. She said PSP can cause paralysis of the diaphragm  and make breathing difficult. Tingling around the lips is one sign the toxin has begun to take its toll. 

She said the Maine Department of Marine Resources has sampling stations along the coast that begin testing blue mussels, soft shell clams and surf clams in the spring to detect presence of the algae. 

Snowe said the shellfish industry is an integral part of Maine’s coastal communities.

“This declaration is a long overdue first step toward providing relief for the estimated 3,000 shell fishermen and dealers who participate in this vital $50 million industry,” Snowe said.

The announcement was preceded by an October 2009 request from Gov. John Baldacci to Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke asking that a fisheries disaster be declared for the shellfish industry and federal assistance be provided for fishermen who were affected by red tide that year. 

Baldacci said testing by the Maine Department of Marine Resources showed shellfish toxicity was 100 times that of the federally mandated quarantine level in 2009.

A delegation of Snowe, Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Reps. Chellie Pingree and Mike Michaud supported Baldacci’s request and addressed a letter to Locke as well.

In that letter, the delegation stated that in 2009 red tide resulted in “the closure of 97 percent of the state’s shellfish beds and 100 percent of the offshore beds in federal waters,” and was a “severe economic crisis.” 

“The fact of the matter is these closures, which affected 69 percent of our state’s coastal communities, far surpassed the closures in 2005 and 2008 that affected 40 percent of Maine’s coastal towns for which the Department of Commerce declared a disaster and allocated emergency funds,” Snowe said.

Snowe appealed to Secretary Locke once again Dec. 20 and asked that the 2009 season be acknowledged as a fisheries disaster. Locke agreed.

“While I am dismayed at the amount of time that has passed since our request was submitted, today’s announcement by the secretary paves the way for Congress to allocate relief funding and ultimately help defray the economic hardship that resulted from these devastating closures that occurred during difficult economic times,” Snowe said in her statement.

George Lapointe, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources, said a disaster declaration is the first step to secure financial assistance for fishermen affected by red tide.

“It doesn’t happen often,” Lapointe said. “You have to demonstrate an economic impact to a large number of people over a big geographic area.”

In 2005, the Maine Department of Marine Resources offered eligibility to commercial shellfish harvesters, mussel harvesters, mahogany quahog harvesters, aquaculturists and primary buyers or dealers. 

The amount of relief was based on the total amount of disaster relief available; the number of eligible applicants from each sector; the dependence of each sector upon the resource; the length of time access to the resource was restricted for each sector; the landings data available within each sector; and the geographic flexibility of each sector.

Lapointe said the Department of Commerce distributed nearly $2 million in relief in 2007 because of red tide from the 2005 season and expects to see anywhere from $3 million to $6 million in relief distributed for the 2009 season. 

“We’ve had some terrible years in the past, ’09 being one of them,” Lapointe said. “It was pretty extensive up and down the coast.”

Scarborough Marine Resource Officer David Corbeau said the shellfish season was closed for approximately two weeks in 2009 because of red tide, although things could have been worse.

“As far as everyone else that was affected, it wasn’t as bad,” Corbeau said.

 Corbeau said red tide isn’t the only problem facing the shellfish industry. He said runoff from excessive rainwater near areas where clams are harvested can carry chemicals and other toxins into fishing grounds and force closures until water quality is tested and determined safe. 

Corbeau said anytime rainfall reaches more than 3 inches the state can shut down areas for clamming and in 2009, Scarborough experienced two weeks of rain closures.

Although Twomey said he is able to sell lobster in addition to clams at his retail store, Two Tide Seafood on Gorham Road in Scarborough, he said any help is much appreciated when environmental factors affect fishing. 

“I won’t say I’m going broke, but when all of a sudden you take nine to 10 weeks of pay out of the year, you’re going to feel the impact of it sooner or later,” Twomey said.

Staff Writer Dan Aceto can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237.