The five-armed creatures appeared by the thousands last Sunday at Scusset Beach State Reservation – spiny-skinned organisms so resilient that if one of their arms gets lopped off, it grows right back.
A starfish invasion is underway.
Enormous mats of the spiny creatures are infesting pockets of New England waters from Narragansett Bay to Cape Cod Bay this spring, charming beachcombers but tormenting some fishermen who worry they could devour the region’s bounty of oysters, scallops, clams, and mussels. Starfish have little economic value – even seagulls gag when eating them – but their colorful skin and iconic shape bring squeals of delight from children and have made them a popular trinket in beachside tourist shops.