June 8 2010 - A New Bedford fishing boat dredging for clams off New York’s Long Island pulled up 10 canisters, including one that broke open and released an unidentified chemical that caused two crew members to blister and struggle to breathe, the US Coast Guard said yesterday. The canisters were dumped back into the sea. There is speculation that the chemical may have been a component for mustard gas used during the first world war. The National Marine Fisheries Service and the Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture are investigating whether the boat’s catch, which was sold yesterday in New Bedford, was contaminated. The Coast Guard is now seeking to identify the spot where the canisters lie on the ocean floor. Here's more from Boston.com.

April 16, 2010 -The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries issued the following announcement today:

Due to Paralytic Shellfish Poison (PSP) toxin (also known as “Red Tide”) in shellfish and reported elevated phytoplankton levels of the dinoflagellate Alexandrium (spp.), the Division of Marine Fisheries has closed the below-defined Nauset Marsh System.

Therefore, under authority of Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 130, Section 74A and 75, the status of the below-defined areas have been changed to "CLOSED TO SHELLFISHING", effective immediately. Digging, harvesting or collecting and/or attempting to dig, harvest or collect shellfish and the possession of shellfish, including carnivorous snails, from the below- defined areas is prohibited.

Under authority of 322 CMR 7.01(7) all permits issued thereunder are hereby conditioned to prohibit the taking, selling or possession of shellfish from the below-defined areas.

AREAS CLOSED TO THE HARVEST OF ALL SHELLFISH

NAUSET SYSTEM OC:2-OC:6

OC:2 NAUSET HARBOR, EASTHAM/ORLEANS
The waters, flats and all tributaries of Nauset Harbor in the Towns of Eastham and Orleans, northerly of a line drawn across the mouth of Mill Pond in the Town of Orleans; southerly of a line drawn across the Middle Channel at the Eastham/Orleans town line; southerly of a line drawn across the southern mouth of the Hemenway River in the Town of Eastham; and easterly of a line drawn across the mouth of Town Cove.

OC:3 MILL POND, ORLEANS
The waters, flats and all tributaries of Mill Pond in the Town of Orleans, southerly of a line drawn across the mouth of Roberts Cove.

OC:4 TOWN COVE, ORLEANS/EASTHAM
The waters, flats and all tributaries of Town Cove in the Towns of Eastham and Orleans, southwesterly of a line drawn from Snow Point in the Town of Orleans to the western side of the mouth to the Hemenway River at Fort Hill in the Town of Eastham.

OC:5 NAUSET MARSH, EASTHAM
The waters, flats and all tributaries of Nauset Marsh in the Town of Eastham, northerly of a line drawn across the Middle Channel at the Eastham/Orleans Town Line; westerly of a line drawn across the mouth of Nauset Harbor; northerly of a line drawn across the mouth of the Hemenway River at Fort Hill in the Town of Eastham; and easterly of a line drawn across the entrance of Salt Pond in the Town of Eastham.

OC:6 SALT POND, EASTHAM
The waters, flats and all tributaries of Salt Pond in the Town of Eastham, westerly of a line drawn across the mouth of Salt Pond.

January 19, 2009 - Regulators say that the population of striped bass is healthy and that commercial fishing for the popular fish would not harm its population. Game fishermen fear that allowing commercial fishing would lead to a collapse like the one in 1982 when the population dropped to an estimated 5 million. Striped bass recovered from that collapse and the population grew to an estimated at 56 million in 2007. Rep. Matthew Patrick (D) of Falmouth is sponsoring legislation that would ban the commercial catch of striped bass in state waters and limit recreational fishermen to taking home one striped bass per day -- down from two.  New restrictions would be added for size too.  Here's more from Jay Lindsay at Boston.com

November 23, 2009 - When men in a small boat harpooned a whale and the whale swam for dear life they were towed on what Melville called a "Nantucket sleigh ride." What do you call it when you're alone in a kayak being towed at 15 mph by a blue fin tuna? Dave Lamoureaux calls it “the most fun thing I’ve ever done.” Since the end of July, Lamoureux has caught three bluefins this way, paddling a couple of miles off Race Point, at the tip of Provincetown, hooking a tuna and holding on. Here's the full story from Charles McGrath in the NY Times.