The Peconic Estuary Partnership, in response to the adult scallop die-off in the Peconic Bays convened a group of scientists, regulators and experts to assess the known and unknown factors that may have contributed to the demise of the Peconic Bay scallops in 2019 in the Peconic Estuary. This group, the Peconic Bay Scallop Technical Review Committee, has worked together to review all available data relating to Suffolk County water quality, scallop health, the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) scallop restoration program, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Division of Marine Resources Peconic Trawl survey, shellfish landings and environmental monitoring, relevant past and on-going research, regional experiences, and information from local baymen.
The identification of the coccidian parasite and the findings that environmental stressors contributed to the susceptibility of the scallops highlights the importance of high frequency work and the need to understand and form a response to changing climates that result in warmer waters and altered conditions in the Peconic Estuary. Both lab and in-situ experiments that characterize the response of bay scallops to these stressors, as well as, tracking of infection in parallel is also needed. While work is on-going, we are providing here basic preliminary results with a series of initial recommendations to begin the necessary work as fastidiously as possible. The group will continue to meet and review data to form a more comprehensive final set of findings and research recommendations over the coming months.
Abigail Costigan, PEP Marine Conservation and Policy FellowContinue reading→
Plastic bag ban is an instrumental step to making our environment cleaner and our wildlife safer.Continue reading→
Watch this PEP presentation to learn about the projects we do and how you can get involved. During National Estuaries Week, we celebrate Estuary Day with Long Island Sound Study and South Shore Estuary Reserve to bring awareness to the work that we do as the Estuary Programs on Long Island and how you can...Continue reading→
Suffolk County presents a workshop on the Septic Improvement Program at PEP’s August 2020 Citizens’ Advisory Committee Meeting. Learn what the program entails, how to apply, and feel equipped to take the next steps in upgrading your cesspool or septic system for cleaner water quality.
The Peconic Estuary Partnership, Seatuck Environmental Association, and Dr. Russell Burke of the Jamaica Bay Terrapin Project of Hofstra University hosted a virtual terrapin monitoring workshop where attendees learned about the importance of monitoring and how to identify terrapins and evidence of their activity. The workshop concluded with the unveiling of Seatuck’s Diamondback Terrapin Watch, which is an online survey...Continue reading→
Watch our May 2020 Citizens’ Advisory Committee Meeting co-hosted with Group for the East End, with guest speaker Rusty Schmidt, President of Long Island Native Plant Initiative (LINPI). Learn all about native plant species, where you can buy native plants, and how to get started on your garden. Native plants do not require fertilizer or...Continue reading→
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the PEP offices are closed and all in-person meetings, events and activities are postponed until further notice to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. PEP staff are working remotely and can be contacted via email. As always, we will continue to share information about the Peconic Estuary through our...Continue reading→
2020 brings exciting news for the Peconic Estuary Program – a new name that better reflects the program and a soon-to-be launched revised Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan that includes fresh goals and actions for the next decade. As a National Estuary Program, the PEP brings together all members of the community – Federal, State and...Continue reading→
February 21, 2020 PECONIC BAY SCALLOP TECHNICAL REVIEW COMMITTEE PROVIDES UPDATE ON THE 2019 ADULT BAY SCALLOP DIE-OFF In light of the recent information released regarding the work led by NYSDEC and the Marine Animal Disease Lab at Stony Brook University, the Peconic Bay Scallop Technical Review Committee would like to give the following update...Continue reading→
Understanding the threats for eel grass and suitable areas for its restoration.
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