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Toxic Crabs
Toxic pollutants at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard may be
poisoning the richest "nursery" for Dungeness crabs.
Tributyltin (TBT), left over from sand blasting ship hulls,
has been found at levels 55 times higher than the toxic
levels established by EPA. While crab fishing within the Bay
is illegal, the calmer waters of the Mare Island Strait are
an important area for young crabs to grow. Regional
Dungeness crab catches have plummeted over the past four
decades, from almost 9 million pounds in 1956-57, to just
over a half million pounds in 1993-94. [SF
Chron]
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