Shellfish And Global Warming

Warming oceans are threatening one of the biggest food groups in the dining world: fresh seafood. National Geographic shares the unfortunate news that rising sea temperatures are increasing the risk of Vibrio, a bacterium that can infect shellfish, especially oysters, and those who consume them.

Andrew Pershing, a biological oceanographer explains: "In the North Atlantic, we are seeing a northern march of whole ecosystems toward the poles as the planet warms: predators, prey, and in the case of Vibrio, the parasites as well, moving with their hosts up the globe."

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 27 percent of Americans who are infected with Vibrio are hospitalized for it, leading to fatalities in 4 percent of patients. Since undocumented cases are not factored in, the actual rate of infection could be even higher.

A new control plan in Maine requires oyster and clam growers and harvesters to take a class about Vibrio and how to spot it.