Millions Of Larval Crabs Washing Up In South African Dieoff - IOL

[hatrack]

Marine and coastal management scientists are investigating the cause of death of millions of larval crabs that washed up along the Table Bay coastline for the past two weeks.

The death of the tiny crabs is, at this stage, not thought to be related to the death of more than 80 tons of fish in Rietvlei, near Table View, according to city spokesperson Pieter Cronje. The fish are believed to have died because of a severe drop in oxygen levels caused by a lethal build-up of nutrients in the vlei.

EDIT

"We always used to go and collect prawns in the lagoon area, but they have disappeared. The high level of nitrates caused by human activities is killing our marine life in our estuaries." Cape Town has only two functioning estuaries: Rietvlei and Zandvlei.

Pedro Goosen, a senior Marine and Coastal Management official confirmed he had sent inspectors to Oceana Power Boat Club and they had collected samples for scientific analysis. "We have not had a report-back yet so at this stage we cannot say why these organisms died."

EDIT/END

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=14&art_id=vn20061231100820921C244632