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quality should be a primary goal of coastal managers, not only because 

 eelgrass beds are protected, but because other valuable resources are 

 protected as well. 



Water quality protection 



Declines in water quality are due to many sources, some of which 

 are difficult to control. For example, resuspension of sediments caused 

 by boat motor use in shallow bays can only be reduced if either there is 

 less boat traffic, enforced speed limits, or exclusion zones. Dredging 

 projects not only eliminate eelgrass habitat, but generate high sediment 

 loads. Some operations such as "jet-clamming" , --the harvest shellfish 

 by resuspending large volumes of sediment — could potentially have strong 

 impacts on water quality because this process creates large sediment 

 plumes and releases nutrients from sediment pore water. Serious 

 questions must be answered before this technique becomes widespread. 



Land based sewage disposal nearshore and sewage discharge offshore 

 are two of the most serious problems affecting Buzzards Bay. New 

 Bedford now discharges secondarily treated sewage offshore. The turbid 

 plume from this outfall is conspicuous from air, and the several hundred 

 meter wide plume often stretches 1000 's into waters of neighboring 

 towns. 



Smaller outfalls from street run-off are common throughout the 

 region. In some bays, nutrient inputs through these is small compared 



