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Measuring around 18 miles long, New Hampshire has the smallest shoreline of all coastal states. But for about 400 years, it’s been enough to support small boat fishermen in the Seacoast region. They make their livings cruising New England’s waters for cod, lobster, shrimp and other stocks.For decades, the industry’s been challenged by declining populations of fish and shellfish, as well as changing federal regulations. As of 2010, New England fishermen are allowed to catch a set poundage of fish based on their take over a 10-year span. New Hampshire fishermen argue this change has made the cost of working outpace profits, forced many small boats out of business, and discouraged new people from entering the industry. No matter the cause, figures from the US Census Bureau clearly show an industry in decline. In Portsmouth, the Seacoast’s main city, the Census Bureau reports only 0.2 percent of residents work in the “Farming, fishing and forestry occupations” category. That’s compared to 0.6 percent in 2000. A number of New Hampshire fishermen, politicians, and historians believe that without change, the state’s small boat fishing industry is heading toward extinction.Summary provided by StateImpact NH

Tracking Mercury Through The Food Chain

redjar via Flickr/Creative Commons - http://www.flickr.com/photos/redjar/131668337/sizes/m/in/photostream/

For years doctors and health officials have been trying to warn consumers about the risk of mercury in fish.

The new short film “Mercury: From Source to Seafood” is trying to aid in that effort by filling in a bit more of our understanding of how mercury ends up in fish.

Celia Chen is a research professor at Dartmouth’s Department of Biological Sciences, and she’s featured in the film. She talks with All Things Considered host Brady Carlson about how mercury gets into the food chain and whether it can be removed entirely from fish.

http://youtu.be/p6Jabn5rhtk

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