LDWF meeting to talk about Big Lake Oysters

[MathGeek]

One of the reasons my colleagues and I have been so successful in science is that we rigorously adhere to the scientific method of testing ideas (hypotheses and theories) against experimental data without bias regarding expert opinions or popularity.

See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b240PGCMwV0&authuser=0

The hypothesis that chlorophyll a concentrations (as measured by NASA satellites) are correlated with oyster stocks (as measured by the LDWF stock assessment program) is a perfectly testable scientific hypothesis.

The hypothesis that hypoxic zone areas (as measured by Dr. Nancy Rabalais and colleagues) are correlated with oyster stocks is also a perfectly testable scientific hypothesis.

The logical chain used to formulate the above hypotheses are well established, and the correlations between oyster stocks and algae blooms and hypoxic zones have been experimentally verified in other ecosystems.

A preliminary analysis shows that correlation is likely in the near shore waters off of Cameron parish, so it would take a fairly unscientific mind to suggest performing more complete analysis would be foolish.

[Duck Butter]

This year's dead zone, measured from July 27 to August 2, is smaller than the five-year average of 5,550 square miles, and well under 2002's record 8,481 square miles.



oysters are very good at performing certain ecosystem services by filtration, but they can not process all those nutrients that are found in most fertilizers. The problem is upstream with ag runoff. We now farm fencerow to fencerow with no strips in between the fields to the water. There was a push to start using buffer strips (10' wide native grass and forb strips) along field borders near waterways but as usual people said no, we aren't conforming to what big bad gov't is trying to get us to do

where you see the largest dead zones are right where one would expect - at the mouths of the rivers and waterways (because they carry fertilizer with them). People farm all up and down the MS River and on up the Calcasieu. There has been a dead zone for decades.