PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 20, 2023
Eelgrass meadows in Casco Bay have retreated rapidly over the past four years, reducing the amount of the critical marine habitat by more than half and accelerating a trend blamed partly on warming waters, according to a new report. The grass provides habitat and food to organisms ranging from invertebrates to fish to waterfowl. Eelgrass also shelters adolescent marine life such as lobsters, shrimp and certain types of fish from predators, so its loss can make it difficult for some species to survive. Eelgrass meadows also help keep the bay healthy by absorbing nutrients, stabilizing sediments and reducing erosion. And the meadows are valuable for their ability to store carbon dioxide. Climate change is blamed for contributing to a 54% reduction in Casco Bay's eelgrass meadows from 2018 to 2022.