Welcome
Great South Bay is a shallow, well-mixed, lagoonal system on the south shore of Long Island, NY. Known in the past for its extensive finfish (menhaden, winter flounder, and many other species) and shellfish (hard clam, oyster) populations, along with its extensive eelgrass beds that served as spawning and nursery areas, production of commercial and recreational resources has been in decline for decades. Given the substantial changes that have taken place, both in the bay and in the immediate land area, Great South Bay is a fundamentally different ecosystem today than it was in the past. Management of existing resources and restoration efforts face formidable challenges that would benefit from an greater understanding of system dynamics.
Project Goals
Conduct research and monitoring to fill in data and knowledge gaps and allow a better understanding of Great South Bay and shallow, lagoonal systems
Create an ecosystem model that accurately represents the spatial-temporal variability of critical physical, chemical, and food web components of Great South Bay
Apply knowledge and understanding of the bay ecosystem to examine management and restoration alternatives