Long Island Sound has been home for generations of people, from the Native Americans to colonial settlers and now modern day residents/tourists. During the booming time of the industrial revolution, the sound was commercial territory for metal factory, textiles, hat-making, and oystering. However, the growth of the industrial revolution also lead to increase pollution and over exploitation in the long Island Sound. Thus leading to the chemical runoff into the sound leading to oxygen deficiency primarily cause by high level of nitrogen. This resulted in mass death of fishes in the western sound, rising concern about water pollution. The government initiated the Clean Water Act in 1972 and started the Long Island Sound Study (LISS) in 1985. The cleanup plan targets issues including hypoxia, reducing contamination level, and pathogen. The biggest goal is to restore the sound back to its natural habitat. The combined work of the Clean Water Act and Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) are slowly restoring the water quality of the sound. As of 2001, the EPA has approve Connecticut and New York’s plan to regulate daily maximum nitrogen disposable into the sound to reduce the nitrogen pollution of the sound by 58.5 percent. Beside the problems created by over harvesting of shellfish such as oyster and clams and pollution. Long Island Sound also experienced several nature disasters such as the hurricane that stuck Long Island in 1938, which destroyed the valuable oyster bed in the estuary. Community members around the sound has been taking precaution and plans to restore the oyster beds by planting seed oysters. In addition, research projects are also in progress to increase clam production in the estuary, to re-establish its original livelihood.
The Long Island Sound has long been a valuable body of water. The first to enjoy the benefits of the Long Island Sound were Native Americans, who used the Long Island Sound to fish. When Long Island was later colonized, settlers cleared the land to build farms and used the sound as a means of transportation for trade and for food. Moving along in history, during the Industrial Revolution, the sound was used, and overused, bringing serious pollution to the river. In the 1970‘s, the sound experienced low levels of oxygen, which caused the death of fish. This was one of many national cases that led to the Clean Water Act of 1972. According to a New York Times article, soon after, inn the summer of 1987, an algae Bloom called “Brown tide” hit Long Island. The algae caused a sharp decrease in oxygen levels, which caused the death of many fish and shellfish and thereby severely impacting the local fishing industry. It was never known for sure but it was thought to be a product of various contaminants such as man made fertilizers, motor oil, sewage, animal feces, and other pollutants. The algae was not harmful to people but it did cause the waters to be murky and turned away many swimmers.In 2009, the sound generated about $8.5 billion! It continues to be an important part of Long Island culture, and attracts many visitors each year.
References
http://www.longislandtraditions.org/southshore/sights_sounds/fishing/index.html
“An Estuary of National Significance.” Long Island Sound Study. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
Gutis, Philip S. “BROWN TIDE BLUES.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 01 Aug. 1987. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
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