Latest news with #Mansi
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The days of Connecticut's booming lobster industry are long gone. Here's what changed
Bart Mansi, owner of the Guilford Lobster Pound, has been catching lobsters in the Long Island Sound since he was a teenager in the 1970s, but the days of Connecticut's booming lobster industry are gone. Mansi, who now throws out a few lobster traps a year mostly for fun, remembers how lucrative the industry was that once afforded a livable and sustainable wage. But now, he said, the Connecticut lobster industry is no longer viable. Instead, his business trucks in lobsters from Maine and Canada, where the industry still thrives in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic. 'There were plenty of lobsters back in those days off the Connecticut coast. We were the third largest lobster industry in the Northeast and we were averaging millions of pounds of lobster per year. I want to say back in the day there were over 600 commercial licenses between New York and Connecticut in the Sound,' Mansi said. 'Those days are long gone.' The Guilford native opened his popular restaurant in 1991 at the height of the state's lobster industry. Back then, he would find traps stuffed with fully grown lobsters and bring them back to his restaurant to eat fresh on the water. In 1997, he had his ship the Erica Page built — a 42-foot custom lobster boat named after his daughter. He then continued hauling traps from the Sound, catching thousands of pounds of lobster each season. But in 1999, everything started to change, Mansi said. He was hauling in lobsters that appeared sickly and would die even before getting them to shore. Other lobsterman also began reporting dead lobsters in their traps. Soon, state officials began to descend on the Sound to conduct investigations, he said. 'They were dead in the pots, I had never seen anything like that,' Mansi said. 'We had a scientist come examine some of the tissue sample and we were told that the lobsters tested positive for methoprene. The chemical was used as a pesticide against mosquitos and got in the water. It was just a bunch of different things that were affecting the lobsters.' Lobster landings in Connecticut have fallen dramatically, from over 3.7 million pounds in 1998 to just over 111,000 pounds in 2019, according to state data. While there have been some slight increases in recent years, the overall population remains significantly lower than before the 1999 die-off. After Hurricane Floyd in 1999, storm runoff combined with pesticide spraying along the coast — aimed at controlling mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus — was believed to have contributed to a catastrophic lobster die-off. But in the 25 years since the 1999 die-off event, lobsters have not made any significant rebound in their population, according to Colleen Giannini, fisheries biologist with the Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. 'We saw an overturn in the water column due to Hurricane Floyd and that trapped really warm water on the bottom,' Giannini said. 'One of the big things we learned from that event is what the thermal tolerance for lobsters is. We were also continuously recording the temperature on the bottom for many years after. We found the thermal bottom temperature is just not suitable for high levels of lobster survival.' Climate change, which is warming the world's oceans, is also bringing warmer than average water into the Sound. In 2023, the annual average surface water temperature for the Sound was less than the average for the previous 30 years, while the annual average bottom water temperature for the Sound at 57.8 degrees Fahrenheit, was greater than the average for the previous 30 years at 54.9 degrees Fahrenheit, according to state data. Warm water typically holds less dissolved oxygen than cold water which can lead to water hypoxia, meaning lobsters have a harder time extracting oxygen through their gills, she said. This is now thought to be the primary factor for the sudden population decline over the last 25 years. 'This warming is having a negative impact on lobsters,' Giannini said. 'The stock of lobsters we have in Long Island Sound are part of a larger Southern New England stock. The last assessment we did in 2020 showed that the Southern New England stock was depleted. Overfishing isn't occurring so we're not removing them at a rate that would prohibit continued survival.' In 2021, lobster landings reached approximately 149,000 pounds, a decrease of approximately 7% from 2020 levels, and an approximately 11% decrease from the previous 10-year average, according to state data. Giannini said the lobsters that remain in the Sound fall victim to predation from several types of finfish like black sea and striped bass, which are both considered abundant. Other factors that prohibit their population growth include viruses and bacteria like shell disease, which has been found in Connecticut lobsters. These factors combined with warmer water temperatures continue to stunt the lobster's population growth, she said. As the situation became dire throughout the early 2000s, Mansi said he was forced to make some difficult decisions. In 2007, he expanded the Lobster Pound into a seasonal restaurant, serving hot, buttery lobster rolls and other dockside favorites throughout the summer months. 'There were lots and lots of sleepless nights,' Mansi said. 'Plenty of times I thought about what comes next. There was no way to survive between boat payments and dock fees and no income. A lot of people lost everything. Many of them sold their boats and did other things.' Many Connecticut lobsterman packed up their bags and headed north or completely left the industry altogether, he said. While lobstering still exists in the state, it's less than 5% of what it once was, as more than 95% off Connecticut's lobster's have disappeared, according to state data. For the few lobsterman that remain, most supplement lobster trapping with other types of fish and shellfish in order to make enough money to be viable. An average lobster takes around five to seven years to fully mature and be harvestable in Connecticut, according to DEEP. Nancy Balcom, associate director and extension program leader for Connecticut Sea Grant with the University of Connecticut, said that lobsters aren't making the recovery that researchers hoped for a decade ago. Overpredation, viruses and bacterial diseases and warming water have contributed to their decline, she said. Now researchers are contending with the reality that lobsters may never fully recover. 'It's kind of a triple whammy affecting lobsters,' Balcom said. 'A lot of different things have been tried over the years, but it just may be that Long Island Sound cannot support a large number of American lobsters anymore. Over time, you would think that if it was solely just a pesticide or virus, we would have seen a comeback in their numbers. That has just not been the case.' But despite the industry decline, Connecticut's shoreline lobster restaurants continue to thrive, as demand is greater than ever, Mansi said. 'People love our lobster rolls, we give them a good product, and we treat our customers like family,' Mansi said. 'That's what has kept up in business for over 30 years. I still go out on my boat sometimes. I'm just not catching lobsters anymore.' Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@
Al-Ahram Weekly
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Ceramica's late equalizer denies Zamalek victory in El-Ramady's debut - Egyptian Football
Zamalek's newly appointed coach Ayman El-Ramady kickstarted his tenure with the Cairo giants in a thrilling 2-2 draw against Ceramica Cleopatra in the fifth round of the Egyptian Premier League playoff stage at Arab Contractors Stadium on Friday. The White Knights took the lead in the 14th minute through forward Nassr Mansi, who capitalised on a goalkeeping error. Mansi pressured Ceramica Cleopatra goalkeeper Mohamed Bassam as he attempted to dribble past the forward, intercepted the ball, and slotted it into the empty net. This goal marks Mansi's 11th of the season, placing him level with Ahly's midfielder Emam Ashour at the top of the league's scoring chart. Ceramica dominated possession after the opener but struggled to break down Zamalek's compact defence, while the visitors found it difficult to carve out chances against their opponents' disciplined backline. Despite Zamalek's early advantage, Ceramica dominated possession and sought to equalize, but their players struggled to create clear-cut scoring opportunities. Meanwhile, Zamalek found it challenging to penetrate Ceramica's solid and well-organized defense. After the break, Ceramica intensified their efforts to level the score, but their attacking waves continued to falter in front of Zamalek's defense. However, in the 64th minute, Ceramica finally found the equalizer. Following a series of precise short passes, Islam Eissa scored from close range after connecting with a well-placed cross. Zamalek responded just five minutes later when second-half substitute Seifeddine Jaziri capitalized on a pass from midfielder Nabil Emad. Jaziri skillfully dribbled past Ceramica's defense, nutmegging goalkeeper Bassam to restore his side's lead. The drama continued as Ceramica managed to level the score again four minutes into injury time, as second-half substitute Ahmed Belhadji headed in a cross from Mohamed Shokry. Both sides pushed for a late winner in a frenetic finale but lacked the composure to convert further chances. With this result, Zamalek remain in third place in the league standings with 41 points, while Ceramica hold onto sixth spot with 31 points. El-Ramady's men will face a tough test against Pyramids FC on Tuesday, while Ceramica host reigning champions Ahly. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
India Today
01-05-2025
- India Today
Teacher arrested for kidnapping, sexually abusing 11-year-old student in Surat
A 23-year-old teacher was arrested in Surat for abducting her 11-year-old student after the boy's father filed a missing father, in his complaint, alleged that his son had gone missing with his teacher, who lived in the same society. CCTV footage from the society showed the teacher had taken the boy with her. Following this, the police intensified their The duo was found near Shamlaji on the Gujarat-Rajasthan border after a three-day search. According to the police, on April 25, teacher Mansi left Surat with her student and reached Ahmedabad and then Delhi via Vadodara by bus. From there, both of them also went to Jaipur and stayed in a hotel for two action will be taken after the medical examination. Police have registered a case under POCSO Act and Section 127 of the Indian Penal the interrogation, Mansi initially told the police that the boy attended her tuition classes and was scolded at home for his studies, while she faced pressure from her family to get married. Frustrated, they decided to flee and travelled to Delhi and Jaipur before returning to Commissioner of Police Bhagirath Singh Gadhvi said, "We questioned the teacher during the preliminary investigation, and she admitted to having a physical relationship with the boy. We have added charges under the POCSO Act along with abduction."advertisementA case of physical abuse of a minor has been registered. Both teacher and student will undergo medical examinations. IN THIS STORY#Gujarat#Surat#Delhi#Vadodara#Ahmedabad
News18
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Influencer Slaps Man Who Tried To Misbehave During Shoot, Internet Calls It ‘Queen Behaviour'
Last Updated: As the influencer was getting ready for the shoot, a man attempted to touch her inappropriately. The woman noticed his behaviour and stopped him. Social media influencer Mansi Manju Satish Suravase recently shared a shocking video of harassment she experienced while shooting a video in her society. The video, which has sparked debate online, begins with Mansi preparing for her shoot in a red top and white skirt. As she gets ready, a man enters the scene and attempts to touch her inappropriately before moving forward. Mansi quickly notices his behaviour and stops him by grabbing his hand. The man can be heard repeatedly apologising, but in response, Mansi slaps him in frustration. Since the video circulated online, her followers have been praising her for taking a stand against the harassment. Recalling the experience and its aftermath, Mansi explained, 'I was randomly recording Snap, that too in my own building. When we went to his house with video proof, his family said, 'His mental health is not okay. He has some problem in his mind.' So does that mean he can do anything? Seriously? From which angle does he look like a mental patient? People judge others based on clothes, but I was dressed decently, still this happened. Is this right? Shame on people like this. Shame on a society that judges based on clothes. I'm 10000% sure that even if was wearing a saree or a kurta at that time, the same thing would have happened." Reacting to the post, a user wrote, 'Never felt this proud of someone ever before." Another shared, 'Well done, every girl should learn to fight for herself." 'It's your mistake. You made a mistake by blurring his face," a comment read. An individual shared, 'Totally queen behaviour." Another mentioned, 'When we were younger, harassment came as a shock, we froze, we stayed silent. But today, sadly, it's become so common that silence is no longer an option. If we don't stand up now, when will we?" One account added, 'I wish I could go back in time and do exactly this to the men who groped me." While Mansi Manju Satish Suravase shared the video of the incident on social media, it is still not clear if she has filed a police complaint against the man.
National News
29-04-2025
- Politics
- National News
Mansi visits Metropolitan Elias Audeh, emphasizes quest for stability
NNA - Metropolitan Elias Audeh, Archbishop of Beirut and its Dependencies, on Tuesday welcomed Minister of Defense, General Michel Mansi, at the archbishopric. Following the meeting, Minister Mansi stated: 'I was honored to visit this cherished and respected house during these blessed seasons we all share, to receive the blessing of Sayyedna Elias as we mark these holy days. May they bring peace of mind, safety, and stability to this wounded country.' Mansi reaffirmed the Defense Ministry's commitment to safeguarding Lebanon, expressing hope for 'a future of security and calm for all Lebanese, across all political and social spectrums.'
