Threats and the future of Shellfishing
Cape Cod has changed dramatically over the years, and because of these changes, there are serious impediments happening to the shellfish aquaculture expansion (Brennessel, 2008). The most important threat that is occurring presently is water quality. Years of increasing population with concomitant residential development, unaccompanied by wastewater infrastructure has resulted in nitrogen pollution (Ashworth, n.d.). On the cape, around 85% of the population uses septic systems, which removes harmful pathogens, but does not treat nitrogen and other nutrients (Weeks, 2013). This results in nitrogen-rich wastewater passing into the ground (Ashworth, n.d.).…