Ecosystem
Lavaca Bay hosts a wide range of finfish including Black drum, Flounder, Redfish, Sheepshead and Speckled trout, however it suffers from mercury pollution. An Alcoa plant in Point Comfort dumped an estimated 67 pounds (30 kg) of mercury into the bay per day in the 1960s, affecting 64 square miles (170 km2). A mercury superfund was established at the site, and the processing of oysters and blue crab in certain locations was prohibited. A study revealed that the bay's detritus is more than ten times as contaminated as nearby Keller Bay.
The pollution issue is a main concern of citizens of Calhoun County, and has attracted demonstrations against industry in Point Comfort. However, Alcoa has worked with state and federal officials, spending $110 million to reduce the size of the superfund site, as part of a 2005 settlement. Cooperation aims to create 70 additional acres of salt marsh and 11 acres of oyster reef habitat.
Locals have estimated that the only area still affected by contamination is just offshore from the Alcoa plant. Signs warning boaters of the water's toxicity are found at the site. The stigma attached to the bay due to reports of pollution has discouraged fishing, enabling a healthy population to develop.
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