VOA慢速英语--捕鱼限制给马里兰公司带来了难题

American George Ball thinks he has one of the best-paying jobs available in the Chesapeake Bay area.

The Chesapeake Bay stretches over 300 kilometers from Maryland to southeastern Virginia before its waters finally reach the Atlantic Ocean.

George Ball catches a fish called the Atlantic menhaden. Ball says that, in the area where he lives, there are not too many good jobs like his. His ancestors also were fisherman, so he does not want to change jobs. "Starting over would be treacherous¹," he told The Associated Press.

Ball works for a business called Omega Protein. It processes his menhaden catch to make fish oil pills and feed for farm-raised salmon². But the company is facing increasing restrictions³ on fishing. Critics say it could be harming the Chesapeake Bay by overfishing.

Last year, Omega Protein caught 30 percent more fish than legal catch limits in the Chesapeake. As a result, the federal government is threatening to place a temporary ban on menhaden fishing in Virginia's waters.

The Marine⁴ Stewardship⁵ Council, a not-for-profit environmental group, is reconsidering the company's certification for sustainability. Environmental groups, sport fisherman and some state lawmakers are calling for restrictions on the company's fishing operations.

The harvest limit that Omega Protein did not obey was put in place to protect the Chesapeake Bay area. The bay is America's largest estuary⁶, a place where fresh water and sea water mix. Many animals, including striped bass⁷ and humpback whales, depend on the Atlantic menhaden for food.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission sets rules for fishing. The group set the fishing limits as a precautionary measure while it learns more about the menhaden population.

Omega Protein has promised to obey the catch limits in the future. But it also says there is no scientific evidence that the fish are being overharvested or that the area is being harmed.

Omega Protein is important to the local economy. A 2017 study found that the business added $88 million to the state's economy. It also said that the company's closure would cut the local county's earnings⁸ by 14 percent and employment by eight percent.

Years ago, a large number of companies processed fish oil and crushed fish meal. Today, Omega Protein is the last of its kind in the area. Its survival today depends on manufacturing fish meal for farmed fish and fish oil, which is rich with omega-3 fatty acids.

Environmentalists argue that omega-3 fatty acids can be found in simple plants such as algae⁹. They also say farmed fish can be fed other foods.

State Senator Bill DeSteph has proposed a bill that would ban menhaden fishing in the Chesapeake. The lawmaker says he wants fishing to be done in ocean waters instead of the bay. DeSteph is a member of President Donald Trump's Republican Party.

But Monty Deihl, an official for Omega Protein, says the open sea is often too dangerous. Deihl noted¹⁰ fishing boats work closely together and that difficult sea conditions make the work dangerous. He added that 45 percent of the company's fishing was done in the bay because of poor weather conditions in the ocean.

George Ball, who is 54 years old, said he does not want to leave the work of his father, grandfather and many of his brothers.

"I'm the only income in my house, and I got custody¹¹ of my 8-year-old granddaughter," Ball said. "It makes all the difference in the world for me to be on the water," he added.

Words in This Story

treacherous – adj. very dangerous and difficult to deal with

pill – n. a small medicinal or dietary preparation

certification – n. official approval of something

sustainability – n. the ability of some product or resource to be used over a long period of time without being used up

precautionary – adj. something that is done to prevent possible harm in the future

income – n. earnings

custody – n. the legal right to take care of the child

1 treacherous   

adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的

参考例句：

• The surface water made the road treacherous for drivers.路面的积水对驾车者构成危险。
• The frozen snow was treacherous to walk on.在冻雪上行走有潜在危险。

2 salmon   

n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的

参考例句：

• We saw a salmon jumping in the waterfall there.我们看见一条大马哈鱼在那边瀑布中跳跃。
• Do you have any fresh salmon in at the moment?现在有新鲜大马哈鱼卖吗？

3 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

4 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

5 stewardship   

n. n. 管理工作；管事人的职位及职责

参考例句：

• The organization certainly prospered under his stewardship. 不可否认，这个组织在他的管理下兴旺了起来。
• Last, but certainly not least, are the issues of stewardship and ethics. 最后，但当然不是微不足道的，是工作和道德规范的问题。

6 estuary   

n.河口，江口

参考例句：

• We live near the Thames estuary.我们的住处靠近泰晤士河入海口。
• The ship has touched bottom.The estuary must be shallower than we thought.船搁浅了。这河口的水比我们想像的要浅。

7 bass   

n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴

参考例句：

• He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
• The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。

8 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

9 algae   

n.水藻，海藻

参考例句：

• Most algae live in water.多数藻类生长在水中。
• Algae grow and spread quickly in the lake.湖中水藻滋蔓。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。