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

SoMarineASciences_2clr_pmsnys_dosFunding for this project was provided by the NY Department of State Division of Coastal Resources through the New York Ocean and Great Lakes Ecosystem and Conservation Act.