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Coastal Zone Information , nI Center the status and potential of the marine -environment 0 0 C 0 0 ------7,mary of the GC 1021 N7 )f the Oceanographic Committee to the S783 1966 NA SUFFOLK REGIONAL PLANNING BOARD I NASSAU-SUFFOLK REGIONAL PLANNING BOARD LEONARD W. HALL, ESQ. SETH A. HUBBARD, ESQ. Chairman Vice-Chairman T. JOHN FOLKS, JR BERTRAm HARNETT, ESQ. ARTHUR T. ROTH DAVID WELD NASSAU COUNTY SUFFOLK COUNTY Ex-Officio PETER P. RoccHio, SR. FREDERICK B. HosE, JR. Comptroller comptroller HERBERT J. SIMINS, P.E. RUDOLPH M. KAMMERER, P.E. Commissioner Commissioner Dept. of Public Works Dept. of Public Works Advisory RALPH G. CAso, ESQ. EvANs K. GRIFFING Vice-Chairman Chairman Board of Supervisors Board of Supervisors EUGENE H. NICKERSON, ESQ. H. LEE DENNISON, P.E. County Executive County Executive LEE E. K0PPELMAN, R.L.A. Executive Director OCEANOGRAPHIC COMMITTEE EDWARD C. STEPHAN, Chairman Rear Admiral U.S.N. (Ret.) DR. EDWIN P. CREASER, SR. MR. HAROLD V. GLEASON DR. MARK E. FREY MR. GEORGE VANDERBORGH, JR. MR. LEo A. GEYER DR. CLARKE WILLIAMS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NOAA COASTAL SERVICES CENTER Property of CSC of Library 2234 SOUTH HOBSON AVENUE CHARLESTON , SC 29405-2413 '70reword The full report of the Committee is composed of four parts: Summary; Facts, Opinions and Conclusions; Support- Lng Data; and Appendices. The Summary is a distillation of the other three sec- tions and is presented in this abbreviated report to afford a capsule view of the Committee's efforts. SECTION A - Organization & Procedures 1. Creation of Committee tempt to identify and concentrate on those aspects of the geographical situation of a. On April 26, 1965 the Nassau-Suffolk Re- Long Island which give advantages over gional Planning Board determined that an Ocean- other areas of the country. ographic Committee should be formed to study 2. The Oceanographic Committee will attempt, the opportunities and problems growing out of the in an order of priority, to outline programs impact of the population expansion on the marine including industrial and public spirited sup- environment of Nassau and Suffolk Counties. port, education at the various levels, and b. On June 30, 1965 the Nassau-Suffolk Re- public policies that will enlarge these ad- gional Planning Board announced the creation vantages and tend to develop industry. of the Committee. The committee membership b. In the conduct of the business of the Com- was selected to ensure broad representation of mittee a total of 41 meetings were held either industry, finance, education, research and re- in the Nassau or Suffolk County Planning De- gional planning. partment offices. c. On September 9, 1965 the Committee met c. Forty-four witnesses appeared before the with members of the Regional Planning Board Committee to discuss matters of interest to the for an informal discussion of the Committee's Committee. general responsibilities. d. In addition to testimony received orally from witnesses the Committee received 12 pa- pers from interested individuals or organizations. 2. Procedures e. The Committee individually and collectively a. At the first formal meeting of the Com- considered books, reports, etc. relevant, to the mittee on September 15, 1965 it was agreed the business of the Committee. following broad objectives would be established f. On October 12, 1966 the Committee having to guide the Committee in the conduct -of its heard all witnesses terminated formal hearing business. sessions and commenced the preparation of the 1. The Oceanographic Committee of the Nas- report. sau-Suffolk Regional Planning Board will g. On July 28, 1966 members of the Committee C" examine the contributions which marine re- made a helicopter flight for aerial inspection of sources can make to. the economic and cul- Long Island marine features. On November 23, tural development of Long'Island. In doing 1965 and September 8, 1966 important marine this the Oceanographic. Cornmittee will at- sites and facilities were visited. hours of attendance at formal meetings by a 3. Effort Summary factor of four to one. a. The attendance at the'Committee meetings 4. Report has been excellent. The meetings, hearings and visits or inspections which have been of 3-5 hour a. No distribution of the report has been made duration represent over 740 man-hours. The num- except to the Nassau-Suffolk Regional Planning ber of man-hours devoted to background reading Board and no press or other release or inter- and preparation of special reports by members views have been made, nor will they be made of the Committee and in preparation of the con- except as approved by the Regional Planning tinuing record and final report exceed the man- Board. SECTION B - Discussion c. The complex marine environment of Long 1. Background Island with its extreme sensitivity to the effects of population expansion. 1. At the start of the activities of the Ocean- ographic Committee it appeared that there were 4. Long Island's shape and its proximity to two separate areas of interest. These were: New York City are unalterable, but the com- plex marine environment of Long Island is all a. Examination of the opportunities on Long too alterable. Population expansion on the Island Island to participate in the growing national has caused serious deterioration to the once de- oceanographic and ocean engineering pro- lightful marine environment which has been a grams of this country. major contributing factor in the Island's attrac- tiveness and consequential growth. b. Examination of the oceanographic problems growing out of the effects of population ex- 5. A favorable marine environment is one which pansion on Long Island's marine environ- in its totality serves the best interests of the ment. entire community. 2. As the work of the Committee progressed, 6. Today 11 Long Island beaches are closed it became evident that the two areas of interest to bathing due to pollution; over 10,000 acres were inseparable, and may be expressed as of its shellfish areas are closed for the same follows: reason. Examination of Long Island's oceanographic 7. Approximately 25% of the wetlands, an es- problems and the action required to preserve sential feature of Long Island's marine environ- a favorable marine environment, and the op- ment, has been destroyed. portunities such action will present for Long Island to become a center of oceanographic ac- tivities and a major participant in the growing 2. Pollution national oceanographic and ocean engineering program. 1. The most serious source of pollution of the marine environment is the inadequacy of Long 3. Three factors of overriding importance to Island sewage systems. The most dangerous ef- the development and growth of Long Island are: fect is the seepage of human, household and industrial wastes to the fresh water resources a. The long narrow shape of Long Island (120 that underlie the Island. This problem is re- miles long, 20 miles maximum width). ceiving close attention and undoubtedly a more adequate sewage system will result. It is very b. The proximity of Nassau and Suffolk Coun- important to the marine environment that there ties to the super metropolis of Greater New be improved sewage systems particularly close York City. to the shore where direct discharge and seepage -2- to the marine environment is already occurring. attractive marine environment. The great value It is also extremely important that effluents and of shore properties and the marine-associated ad- solids from sewage reduction plants should not vantages of Long Island, as highlighted in pub- be disposed of in such a way as to degrade the licity material, are illustrative of the close con- Long Island marine environment. nection between expanded real estate business and the attractive marine environment. 2. Another source of contamination of the ma- rine environment is the storm runoff of insec- 5. Non-marine related industrial development ticides, herbicides and fertilizers through storm is enhanced by attractive surroundings for em- drains and rivers. This is a complex problem ployees of all levels. A unique advantage of Long which is being attacked on one front by elim- Island in attracting new industries is the pleasant ination of DDT in mosquito control. atmosphere of Long Island living which is in- timately associated with the marine environment. 3. There is serious pollution of the marine en- If this environment is allowed to become unat- vironirnent by duck wastes resulting from the tractive, industrial as well as residential expan- use of Long Island rivers by duck farmers as sion of Long Island will be adversely affected. watering places for their ducks. 6. The attractive marine environment of Long 4. Another source of pollution is the growing Island is an asset which cannot be taken for number of boats and marinas. It is estimated granted. There are growing numbers of examples that there are at least 175,000 boats of all sorts where this asset has deteriorated into an unat- operating in Long Island waters. Regardless of tractive liability. This deterioration should alert how picturesque and pleasant Long Island boat- all Long Islanders against indifference to the con- ing may be, the fact remains that when these dition of the marine environment. boats place raw or chemically treated sewage into a marine environment, they become a great 7. Unless Long Island now, and on a continu- source of pollution. ing basis, plans and executes programs to main- tain the attractiveness of the marine environment it will continue to degenerate and become a de- 3. -Economics terrent to Long Island's growth. 1. There are a number of important industries on Long Island that are directly related to the 4. Research marine environment. These include shell fisheries commercial and sport fishing, boating, bathing 1. Long Island's most challenging problem is and almost the entire tourist business. Generally, to carry out a research program that will gen- each of these businesses, is enhanced by any erate the knowledge necessary to manage its own improvement of the marine environment. None marine environment in the face of population ex- of these businesses damage the environment ex- pansion. Long Island's best opportunity for pre- cept when their boats or facilities discharge pol- eminence in the expanding of oceanography lies lutants into the shore waters. in acquisition of the knowledge required to solve its own problems. 2. The duck industry definitely damages the 2. Long Island has one of the world's most press- marine environment in its current practice of ing requirements for knowledge of the effects dumping duck wastes into waters adjacent to its operations. of population expansion on the marine environ- ment. However, there are many places around 3. The dredging industry enhances the marine the world with marine environments similar to environment when it improves water circulation Long Island's that now or will have in the future and navigation, but it is harmful -when it removes a requirement to understand the interaction be- productive bottoms and fills wetlands. tween their population growth and their marine environment. Long Island's understanding of its 4. The large residential real estate business of problems will be applicable to many other areas Long Island has, in the past, and will continue here in the U.S. and abroad. If Long Island de- to be favorably affected by maintenance of an velops a strong capability in the understanding -3- NEW HAVEN We.t Ha,,n H.-I Milf-d F C 1'.. 1... 1 BRIDGEP RT C @'F.iOield S..thp.,t C." N.r-.Ik South Norwalk Stamford In i, h --d Ch-t- i &;. I L (use chart 1213) Old Fi,.Id Pt E.t.n. 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Closely associated with the urgent necessity ed before we adequately' understand the various for strong research programs in peculiar prob- lerns of Long Island is the growing interest of contaminants from human, household, industrial, Long Island universities, colleges and institute .s pesticidal, herbicidal or agricultural wastes: how in oceanography and ocean engineering. these contaminants reach the marine environ- ment; their effects on the biology and chemistry 2. There are 14 universities and colleges and of the environment; and their flushing by the phy- Nassau and Suffolk Counties which offer some sical oceanography of the off-shore waters... general courses in marine science and ocean en- gineering. As a rule, these courses are not speci- 4. The acquisition of. this knowledge by Long fically oriented to Long Island's marine environ- Island requires a strong research program. This research program will -have to define the data ment. An educational capability oriented towards to be collected, and when and where it is to be an understanding of the local marine environment collected. It will also have to provide for data in- can be strenghtened if: terpretation to generate knowlegde in sufficient a. The universities cooperate in the assembly detail to support effective planning. While it may of staff, facilities and a central library. be started on a pilot basis, it will certainly grow into a large and expensive program. b. The universities concentrate on the study of the significant problems that face Long Is- 5. If Long Island demonstrates a determination land and do not diffuse their efforts in the to correct the obvious degradation of the marine study of deep or geographically remote ocean environment, and to conduct a research program problems. including the problems of Sound, bays, estuaries, it is believed that substantial financial support 3. With this approach they should become the can be expected from Federal, State or Founda- major contributor to the knowledge required to tional sources. Emphasis of such financial support solve estuarine environmental problems. has documentation in the recent report of the President's Scientific Advisory Committee, Effec- 4. The universities should receive all practical tive Use of the Sea. encouragement to combine their strength and con- centrate on Long Island problems. If they do this, 6. Almost all of the data collection necessary to they should receive as much support in the form the acquisition of an understanding of the effects of assignment of responsibility in the Long Island of population growth on Long Island's marine research program as their capabilities and costs environment must be done on the Island itself and will permit. in its adjacent waters. Furthermore, it will be ex- pedient if data interpretation is also done on the Island close to the scene of the data collection. 6 National Marine Consequently, Long Island's research into its own Laboratory problems should be accompanied by a growth of industry related to data collection, recording and 1. At the present time, there is only one pro- interpretation. posal put forth by any agency of the federal gov- 7. A fundamental requirement is for Long Is- ernment for the immediate creation of a marine- land to establish a research program, that in- oriented facility on the East Coast. cludes the necessary data collection and data 2. The Environmental Science-Service Adminis- interpretation, that will generate, first on a pilot tration plans to establish a joint facility for the program but later on an expanded program, the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey and the Institute understanding necessary to support effective of Oceanography on the East Coast. The facility planning for protection of Long Island's marine@ would provide for a marine research -laboratory environment against the deterioration associated employing 70 technicians and scientists. It would with expanded population. also provide berthing and a base for ocean ves- -6- sels of the Coast and Geodetic Survey which have proach to the study of the marine sciences a combined complement of 200 men. and ocean engineering. 3. Four sites on Long Island, as well as many d. The initiation of industrial participation in others on the East Coast, meet the site selection the research and development pertinent to criteria established by E.S.S.A. the Long Island marine environment. 4. The research carried out at this facility would e. The initiation of a research program into the not be aimed towards the solution of Long Island problems and potential of the marine envi- marine problems. ronment. 5. The importance of the location of the E.S.S.A. 2. The following set of procedures is suggested facility on Long Island has been locally overem- as a logical sequence of activities in carrying out phasized. such a research program. 6. The major emphasis of Long Island's effort a. Define the scope of the research program. .should be aimed at developing research facilities that focus on Long Island problems. b. Translate into research language and pro- gram. c. Establish priorities to initiate pilot program. 7 Administration d. Put in proposal form. 1. The results of this study indicate the need e. Solicit proposals for pilot program. for the establishment of a marine resources coun- cil with the purpose of coordinating a continuous f. Secure funds and award contract. regional approach to the management and en- hancement of the marine environment of Long g. Monitor contract. Island including: h. Analyze results and redefine the research ef- a. The formulation of a comprehensive plan fort. for the management of the marine environ- ment. i. Repeat steps b-h for expanded program. b. The resolution of conflicting issues affecting 3. The Oceanoographic Committee has fulfilled the marine environment. its responsibilities as mandated by the Nassau- Suffolk Regional Planning Board with the publica- c. The initiation of a coordinated university ap- tion of this report. 7- SECTION C - Consolidated Action Recommendations The recommendations fit into the following cat- d. Manage the existing wetlands in light of rec- egories - administrative, regulatory, operational ommendations of the Regional Marine Re- and promotional. All actions of an advisory or sources Council. promotional nature pertaining to the planning of Nassau and Suffolk Counties are properly within e. Standardize leasing procedures for shellfish the province of the Nassau-Suffolk Regional Plan- farms. ning Board. Recommendations of a regulatory or operational nature, must be acted upon by other f. Control use of pesticides, insecticides, herbi- agencies or levels of government. This does not cides and fertilizers. preclude the initiation or support of such action by the Board, nor doe s this preclude the enlarge- ment of the administrative functions of the Board to include such activities. 3. Operational a. Dredge and stabilize Moriches Inlet. 1. Administrative a. Dissolve the Oceanographic Committee. I Promotional b. Establish the Regional Marine Resources Council. a. Encourage the appreciation on the part of Long Island citizens of the importance of the c. Initiate the research program. marine environment. b. Encourage the establishment of adequate 2. Regulatory sewerage systems. a. Stop duck farm pollution. c. Encourage university coordination to special- ize in local marine problems. b. Stop raw sewage discharge and seepage into the marine environment from boats, marinas d. Encourage marine-oriented industries on and land based facilities of any sort. Long Island. c. Prohibit marine sand and gravel mining ex- e. Encourage the establishment of research fa- cept where it is a by-product of desirable cilities - national, state, local, foundational activities as determined by the Regional and industrial - that will focus on Long Is- Marine Resources Council. land marine problems. The Nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased and not impaired in value. PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT IN III III I I@111 1@@ @l 111111111 3 6668 00002 6585 Coastal Zone Information i L Center COASTAL ZONE 'NFORINATION CENTER t e status 'an potential of the marine environment 0(@ 00 00 0. A. the Oceanographic Committee, to the 1021 N7 S78 NA, ' 1966 )*UFFOLK REGIONAL PLANNING BOARD Nassauo Suffolk Regional Planning Board Leonard W', Hall, Esq. Veterans Memorid Highway Hauppauge, L I., N.Y. 11787 Chairman Area Code (516) 724-1919 Seth A. Hul)bard, Esq. Vice Chairman Bertram Harnett December 7, 1966 Secrexay T. John Follm Jr. Arthur T. Roth Property of CSC Library David Weld Hon. Leonard W. Hall Lee E. Koppelman Executive Director Chairman, Nassau-Suffolk Regional Planning Board Hauppauge, New York Dear Mr. Hall: Re: Report of the Oceanographic Committee The signed original -and 15 copies of the subject report are forwarded, herewith. As chairman of the committee it is my pleasure to acknowl- edge with great appreciation the tremendous contributions made by all members of the committee. Their high level of attendance and their continuing interest and initiative have been vital to the success of the committee. On behalf of the committee it is my pleasure to applaud the interest and the efforts of the many public spirited citizens from management, industry, scientific and academic fields who have furnished invaluable information both verbal and written to the committee. The committee now awaits the pleasure of the Regional Plan- ning Board. On behalf of the Oceanographic Committee, Y V1\ C* E. C. Stephan C r.@_ r@ M U S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NOAA Rear Admiral, USN (Ret.) COASTAL SERVICES CENTER 2234 SOUTH HOBSON AVENUE QN CHARLESTON , SC 29405-2413 Kl@ 7' REPORT on: Long Island Marine Resources and their Relations to Industry, Conservation, Research and Education OCEANOGRAPHIC COMMITTEE of the NASSAU-SUFFOLK REGIONAL PLANNING BOARD December 1966 NASSAU-SUFFOLK REGIONAL PLANNING BOARD LEONARDW. HALL, Esq. SETH A. HUBBARD, Esq. Chairman Vice-Chairman T. JOHN FOLKS, JR. BERTRAM HARNETT, Esq. ARTHUR T. ROTH DAVID WELD NASSAU COUNTY SUFFOLK COUNTY EX-Officio PETER P. ROCCHIO, SR. FREDERICK B. HOSE, JR. Comptroller Comptroller HERBERT J. SIMINS, P.E. RUDOLPH M. KAMMERER, P.E. Commissioner Commissioner Dept. of Public Works Dept. of Public Works Advisory RALPH G. CASO, Esq. EVANS K. GRIFFING Vice-Chairman Chairman Board of Supervisors Board of Supervisors EUGENE H. NICKERSON, Esq. H. LEE DENNISON, P.E. County Executive County Executive LEE E. KOPPELMAN Executive Director OCEANOGRAPHIC COMMITTEE EDWARD C. STEPHAN, Chariman Rear Admiral U.S.N. (get.) DR. EDWIN P. CREASER, SR. MR. HAROLD V. GLEASON DR. MARK E. FREY MR. GEORGE VANDERBORGH, JR. MR. LEO A. GEYER DR. CLARKE WILLIAMS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Ithas been a personal privilege and pleasure to be associated with my fellow committeemen, with the Regional Planning Board and with the fine citizens of Long Island who have helped us in our efforts. I wish to par- ticularly express appmciation for the outstanding contributions the Com- mittee received from Mr. Lee Koppelman - the Executive Director of the Committee, in the general staff work and preparation of the report and Mr. Richard Gardner and Mr. Norman Hicks of the Nassau and Suffolk County Planning Departments for their dedicated service. E. C. Stephan I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are mQving. To reach the Port of Heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it, - but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor. Oliver Wendell Holmes Table of Contents Page PREFACE Organization of Report i PART I Summary Report Section A - Organization and Procedures of Committee 1. Creation of Committee 1-1 2. Procedures 1-1 3. Effort Summary 1-1 Section B - Discussion 1. Background 1-2 2. Pollution 1-2 3. Economics 1-3 4. Research 1-4 5. Education 1-4 6. National Marine Laboratory 1-5 7. Administration 1-5 Section C - Consolidated Action Recommendations 1. Administrative 1-6 2. Regulatory 1-6 3. Operational 1-6 4. Promotional 1 -6 PART 11 Facts, Opinions and Conclusions 1. Governmental 2-1 2. Conservation 2-2 3. Pollution Control 2-2 4. Education and Research 2-4 5. Industrial Oceanographic Research and Development 2-4 6. National Marine Laboratory 2-5 7. Economic Aspects 2-6 Commercial Fishing 2-6 Shellfish 2-7 Fish-Meal Processing 2-9 Duck Farming 2-9 Dredging 2-10 Recreation and Tourism 2-11 Housing 2-12 Real Estate 2-12 Transportation and Deep-Water Ports 2-13 PART III Supporting Data Chapter A - Discussion of the Problem Section 1. - Background Historical 3-1 Governmental and Administrative 3-2 Physical Characteristics 3-3 Section 2. - Conservation Wetlands 3-5 Construction Restraints on the Natural Environment 3-6 Value of Wetlands 3-6 Dredging 3-6 The Eelgrass Problem 3-10 Section 3. - Pollution Sewage 3-12 Industrial and Agricultural Pollution 3-13 Pesticides 3-13 Flushing of Moriches Inlet 3-15 Section 4. - Education Current Curricula 3-17 Marine Laboratories 3-18 Ryther Report 3-18 Nassau County Museum 3-19 Sea Grant Colleges 3-20 Inter-University Cooperation 3-20 Summary 3-21 Section 5. - Industrial Research The Problem 3-22 Procedures 3-23 Facilities 3-24 Section 6. - Economic Aspects Commercial Fishing 3-27 Shellfish 3-28 Sand and Gravel Mining 3-32 Duck Farming 3-32 Recreation and Tourism 3-34 Home Building and Real Estate 3-37 Deep-Water Ports 3-38 Summary of Economic Value 3-38 Chapter B - Administration Agencies and Organizations Introduction 3-39 Dredging Procedures 3-39 Town of Hemp stead- Conservation and Waterways 3-41 Citizen Efforts 3-41 Chapter C - Marine Resources Council Background 3-43 Form of Agency 3-43 Functions 3-44 Placement of Agency 3-45 Constituency and Organization 3-46 Staffing 3-47 EPILOGUE 3-49 NOTES 3-50 BIBLIOGRAPHY 3-55 PART IV APPENDICES Resolution A-1 Hearings A-2 Shellfish Areas A-6 Long Island Landings by Area A-11 Commercial and Shellfish Landing A-12 PREFACE -ORGANIZATION OF REPORT The report is written in four parts: I Summary Report 11 Facts, Opinions and Conclusions in Areas of Marine Concern III Supporting Data IV Appendices The Summary Report includes sections on Organization, Discussion and Consolidated Action Recommendations. The Facts, Opinions and Conclusions part is based on the hearings and research of the Committee. The Supporting Data part contains background data developed during the hearings. The Appendices contain details referenced in the report. This report is annotated between Parts as follows: Part 1, Section B to Part 1, Section C and Part II. Part 1, Section C to Part IL Part 11 to Part III. Annotations can be found in the margin to the left of the body of the report. The report has been arranged in this manner to facilitate perusal to whatever depth the individual reader desires. PART I SUMMARY REPORT SECTION A Organization and Procedures of Committee 1. Creation of Committee a. On April 26, 1965 the Nassau-Suffolk Regional Planning Board determined that an Oceano- graphi c Committee should be formed to study the opportunities and problems growing out of the im- pact of the population expansion on the marine environment of Nassau and Suffolk Counties. (See Appendix A-1) b. On June 30, 1965 the Nassau-Suffolk Regional Planning Board announced the creation of the Committee. The Committee Membership was selected to ensure broad representation of industry, finance, education, research and regional planning. c. On September 9,. 1965 the Committee met with members of the Regional Planning Board for an informal discussion of the Committee's general responsibilities. 2. Procedures a. At the first formal meeting of the Committee on September 15, 1965 it was agreed the following broad objectives would be established to guide the Committee in the conduct of its business. 1. The Oceanographic Committee of the Nassau-Suffolk Regional Planning Board will ex- amine the contributions wh,ich marine resources can make to the economic and cultural de- velopment of Long Island. In doing this the Oceanographic Committee will attempt to identify and concentrate on those aspects of the geographical situation of Long Island which give advantages over other areas of the country. 2. The Oceanographic Committee will attempt, in an order of priority, to outline programs including industrial and public spirited support, education at the various levels, and pub- lic policies that will enlarge these advantages and tend to develop industry. b. In the conduct of the business of the Committee a total of 41 meetings was held either in the Nassau or Suffolk County Planning Department offices. c. Forty-four witnesses appeared before the Committee to discuss matters of interest to the Com- mittee. (See Appendix A-2) d. In addition to testimony received orally from witnesses the Committee received 12 papers from interested individuals or organizations. e. The Committee individually and collectively considered books, re@orts, etc. relevant to the business of the Committee. (See Bibliography) f. On October 12, 1966 the Committee having heard all witnesses terminated formal hearing ses- sions and commenced the preparation of the report. g. On July 28, 1966 members of the Committee made a helicopter flight for aerial inspection of im- portant Long Island marine features. On November 23, 1965 and September 8, 1966 important ma- rine sites and facilities were visited. 3. Effort Summary a. The attendance at the Committee meetings has been excellent. The meetings, hearings and visits or inspections which have been of 3-5 hour duration represent over 740 man-hours. The num- ber of man-hours devoted to background reading and preparation of special reports by members of the Committee and in preparation of the continuing record and final report exceed the man-hours of attendance at formal meetings by a factor of four to one. SECTION B Discussion 1. Background a. At the start of the activities of the Oceanographic Committee it appeared that there were two separate areas of interest. These were: 1. Examination of the opportunities on Long Island to participate in the growing national oceanographic and ocean engineering programs of this country. 2. Examination of the oceanographic problems growing out of the effects of population expansion on Long Island's marine environment. P. 2-4,5 b. As the work of the Committee progressed, it became evident that the two areas of interest were inseparable, and may be expressed as follows: Examination of Long Island's oceanographic problems and the action required to preserve a favorable marine environment, and the opportunities such action will present for Long Island to become a center of oceanographic activities and a major participant in the growing national oceanographic and ocean engineering program. P. 2-6,7 c. The complex marine environment with its extreme sensitivity to the effects of population expansion is a factor of overriding importance to the development and growth of Long Island. P. 2-2,3 d. Long Island's shape and its proximity to New York City are unalterable, but the complex marine environment of Long Island is all too alterable. Population expansion on the Island has caused serious deterioration to the once delightful marine environment which has been a major contributing factor in the Island's at- tractiveness and consequential growth. P. 2-2,2 e. A favorable marine environment is one which in its totality serves the best in- terests of the entire community. P. 2-3,3d f. Today 11 Long Island beaches are closed to bathin-g due to pollution; over 10,000 acres of its shellfish areas are closed for the same reason. P. 2-3,2e g. Approximately 25 per cent of the wetlands, an essential feature of Long Island's marine environment, has been destroyed. 2. Pollution P. 1-6,2b a. The most serious source of pollution of the marine environment is the inade- 1-6,4b quacy of Long Island sewage systems. The most dangerous effect is th e seepage 2-2,3c of human, household and industrial wastes to the fresh water resources that underlie the Island. This problem is receiving close attention and undoubtedly a more adequate sewage system will result. It is very important to the marine en- vironment that there be improved sewage systems particularly close to the shore where direct discharge and seepage to the marine environment is already occur- ring. It is also extremely important that effluents and solids from sewage reduc- tionplants shouldnot be disposed of in such a way as to degrade the Long Island marine environment. 1-2 P. 1-6,2f b. Another source of contamination of the marine environment is the storm runoff 2-2,3c of insecticides, herbicides and fertilizers through storm drains and rivers. This is a complex problem which is being attacked on one front by elimination of DDT in mosquito control. P. 1-6,2a c. There is serious pollution of the marine environment by duck wastes resulting 2-2,3c. from the use of Long Island rivers by duck farmers as watering places for their 2-9 ducks. P. 1-6,2b d. Another source of pollution is the growing number of boats and marinas. It is 272,3c estimated that there are at least 175,000 boats of all sorts operating in Long 2-11 Island waters. Regardless of how picturesque and pleasant Long Island boating may be, the fact remains that when these boats place raw or chemically treated sewage into a marine environment, they become a great source of pollution. 3. Economics P. 1-6,2b a. There are a number of important industries on Long Island that are directly re- 2-2,3c lated to the marine environment. These include shell fisheries, commercial and 2-6,7 sport fishing, boating, bathing and almost the entire tourist business. Generally, each of-these businesses is enhanced by any improvement of the marine environ- ment. None of these businesses damage the environment except when their boats or facilities discharge pollutants into the shore waters. P. 1-6,2a 2-2,3c b. The duck industry definitely damages the marine environment in its current 2-9 practice of dumping duck wastes into waters adjacent to its operations. P. 1-6,2c c. the dredging industry enhances the marine environment when it improves water 2-10 circulation and navigation, but it is harmful when it removes productive bottoms and fills wetlands. P. 2-12 d. The large residential real estate business of Long Island has, in the past, and will continue to be favorably affected by maintenance of an attractive marine en- vironment. The great value of shore properties and the marine- asso ci ated advan- tages of Long Island, as highlighted in publicity material, are illustrative of the close connection between expandedreal estate business and the attractive marine environment. P. 1-6,4a e. Non-marine related industrial development is enhanced by attractive surround- ings for employees of all levels. A unique advantage of Long Island in attracting new industries is the pleasant atmosphere of Long Island living which is.inti- mately associated with the marine environment. If this environment is allowed to become unattractive, industrial as well as residential expansion of Long Island will be adversely affected. P. 1-6,4a f. The attractive. marine environment of Long Island is an asset which cannot be taken for granted. There are growing numbers of examples where this asset has deteriorated into an unattractive liability. This deterioration should alert all Long Islanders against indifference,to the condition of the marine environment. P. 1-6,1b g. Unless Long Island now, and on a continuing basis, plans and executes pro- 2-1,1 grams to maintain the attractiveness of the marine environment, it will continue to degenerate and become a deterrent to Long Island's growth. 4. Research P. 1-12,1c a. Long Island's most challenging problem is to carry out a research program that 2-4,5 will generate the knowledge necessary.to manage its.own marine environment in the face of population expansion. Long Island's best opportunity for preeminence in the expanding of oceanography ties in acquisition of the knowledge required to solve its own problems. 1-3 P. 2-4,5 b. Long Island has one of the world's most pressing requirements for knowledge of the effects of population expansion on the marine environment. However, there are many places around the world with marine environments similar to Long Island's that now or will have in the future a requirement to understand the inter- action between their population growth and their marine environment. Long Is- land's understanding of its problems will be applicable to many other areas here in the United States and abroad. If Long Island develops a strong capability in the understanding and solution of its own problems it will be well on its way to- wards being the world center of such research. P. 2-4,4 c. Extensive research programs will be requited before we adequately understand the various contaminants from human, household, industrial, pesticidal, herbi- cidal or agricultural wastes: how these tontaminants reach the marine environ- ment; their effects on the biology and chemistry of the environment; and their flushing by the physical oceanography of the off-shore waters. P. 2-4,4 d. The acquisition of this knowledge by Long Island requires a strong research program. This research program will have to define the data to be collected, and when and where it is to be collected. It will also have to provide for data inter- pretation to generate knowledge in sufficient detail to support effective planning. While it may be started on a pilot basis, it will certainly grow into a large and expensive program. P. 2-5,5 e. If LongIsland demonstrates a determination to correct the obvious degradation of the marine environment, and to conduct a research program including the prob- lems of Sound, bays, estuaries, it is believed that substantial financial support can be expected from Federal, State, or Foundational sources. Emphasis of such financiai support has documentation in the recent report of the President's Sci- entific Advisory Committee, Effective Use of the Sea. P. 2-4,4 f. Almost all of the data collection necessary to the acquisition of an understand- ing of the effects of population growth on Long Island's marine environment must be done on the Island itself and in its adjacent waters. Furthermore, it will be expedient if data interpretation is also done on the Island close to the scene of t1,e data collection. Consequently, Long Island's research into its own problems should be accompanied by a growth of industry related to data collection, record- ing and interpretation. 5. Education P. 2-4,4 a. Closely associated with the urgent necessity for strong research programs in the peculiar problems of Long Island is the growing interest of Long Island uni- versities, colleges and institutes in oceanography and ocean engineering. P. 2-4,4 b. There are 14 universities and colleges in Nassau and Suffolk Counties which offer some general courses in marine science and ocean engineering. As a rule, these courses are not specifically oriented to Long Island's marine environment. An educational capability oriented towards an understanding of the local marine environment can be strengthened if: .1. The universities cooperate in the assembly of staff, facilities and a central library. 2. The universities concentrate on the study of the significant problems that face Long Island and do not diffuse their efforts in the study of deep or geographically remote ocean problems. P. 2-4,4 c. With this approach they should become the major contributor to the knowledge required to solve estuarine environmental problems. 1-4 P. 1-6,4c d. The universities should receive all practical encouragement to combine their strength and concentrate on Long Island's problems. If they do this, they should receive as much support in the form of assignment of responsibility in the Long Island research program as their capabilities and costs will permit. 6. National Marine Laboratory P. 2-5,6 a. At the present time, there is only one proposal put forth by any agency of the federal government for, the immediate creation of a marine-oriented facility on the east coast. P. 2-5,6 b. E.S.S.A. plans to establish a joint facility for the Institute of Oceanography and the Coast and Geodetic Survey on the east coast. The facility woilld provide for a marine research laboratory employing 70 technicians and scientists. It would also provide berthing and a base for ocean vessels of the Coast and Geo- detic Survey. P. 2-5,6 c. There are at least 4 locations in Nassau and Suffolk which meet all or most of the site selection criteria. 7. Administration P. 1-6, 1b, a. The results of this study indicate the need for the establishment of a marine 2-1,1 resources council with the purpose of coordinating a continuous regional ap- proach to the management and enhancement of the marine environment of Long Island including: 1. The formulation of a comprehensive plan for the management of the marine environment. 2. The resolution of conflicting issues affecting the marine environment. P. 1-6,4c 3. Th e initiation of a coordinated university approach to the study of the marine sciences and ocean engineering. P. 2-5,5 4. The initiation of industrial participation in the research and develop- ment pertinent to the Long Island marine environment. P. 1-6,Ic 5. The initiation of a research program into the problems and potential of the marine environment. b. Th e following set of procedures is suggested as a logical sequence of activi- ties in carrying out such a research program: 1. Define the scope of the research program. 2. Translate into research language and program. 3. Establish priorities to initiate pilot program. 4. Put in proposal form. 5. Solicit proposals for pilot program. 6. Secure funds and award contract. 7. Monitor contract. 8. Analyze results and redefine the research effort. 9. Repeat steps 2-8 for expanded program. P. 1-6,1a c. The Oceanographic Committee has fulfilled its responsibilities as mandated- by the Nassau-Suffolk Regional Planning Board with the publication of this report. 1-5 SECTION C Consolidated Action Recommendations The. recommendations fit into the following categories - administrative, regulatory, operational and promotional. All actions of an advisory or promotional nature pertaining to the planning of Nassau and Suffolk Counties are properly within the province of the Nassau-Suffolk Regional Planning Board. Recommendations of a regulatory or operational nature, must be acted upon by other agencies or levels of government. This does not preclude the initiation or support of such action by the Board, nor does this preclude the enlargement of the administrative functions of the Board to include such activities. 1. Administratiue P. 2- 1, 1 a. Dissolve the Oceanographic Committee. b. Establish the Regional Marine Resources Council. c. Initiate the research program. 2. Regulatory P. 2-2,3 a. Stop duck farm pollution. 2-9 P. 2-2,3 b. Stop raw sewage discharge and seepage into the marine environment from boats, marinas and land based facilities of any sort. P. 2-10 c. Prohibit marine sand and gravel mining except where it is a by-product of de- 2-11 sirable activities as determined by the Regional Marine Resources Council. P. 2-2,2 d. Manage the existing wetlands in light of recommendations of the Regional Ma- rine Resources Council. P. 2-7 e. Standardize leasing procedures for shellfish farms. 2-8 P. 2-2,3 f. Control use of pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. 3. t-l-erational UP P. 2-8 a. Dredge and stabilize Moriches Inlet. 2-10 4. Promotional a. Encourage the appreciation on the part of Long Island citizens of the impor- tance of the marine environment. P. 2-2,3 b. Encourage the establishment of adequate sewerage systems. P. 2@4,4 c. Encourage university coordination to specialize in local problems. P - 2,5,5 d. Encourage marine-oriented industries on Long Island. 1-6 PART 11 FACTS, OPINIONS AND CONCLUSIONS IN AREA OF MARINE CONCERN PART II: Facts, Opinions and Conclusions In the course of its deliberations, it was expedient for the Committee to examine the var- ious areas of interest in terms of the facts, opinions and conclusions within these areas. This section is annotated to Part III: Supporting Data. The order of treatment of the var- ious areas of interest in the section does not connote any qualitative preference. 1. Governmental FACTS P. 3-39 a. Nassau and Suffolk Counties are comprised of 13 towns, 92 villages and 2 cities. P. 3-39 b. Each municipality controls its own destiny in matters of planning and zoning for land use. P. 3-39 c. The marine env,ironment is controlled in some measure by each municipality in which the waters are located, as well as by the county, i3tate and federal govern- ments. P. 3-39 d. There is no systematic coordination among the various municipalities relative to the marine environment. P. 3-39 e. Resolution of problems of the marine environment created by one municipality that affect other governments have no regular means of solution, other than through the courts. P. 3-39 f. No effective program exists to understand or solve the mutual problems af- fecting the total marine environment. P. 3-39 g. Effective coordination by the various federal agencies that exert control or in- fluence over the marine environment of Long Island is lacking. OPINIONS P. 3-39 a. Coordination is necessary among all the entities of government -- local, state and federal -- to protect, improve and.enhance the marine ehvironment. CONCLUSIONS P. 3-43 a. An overall authority is necessary for the management of the marine environ- ment. P. 3-45 b. This authority, respecting local needs and desires, should be initiated by Nas- sau and Suffolk Counties, not at the state or federal level. P. 3-46 c. Such an authority should contain an executive committee of 8-10 members, representing the areas of conservation, health, marine industry, marine research, non-marine industry, education, real estate, government, recreation, and possibly others. 2. Conservation FACTS P. 3-29 a. Unpolluted waters are essential to shellfish production. P. 3-5 b. Wetlands are the spawning and feeding grounds for shellfish, finfish, water- fowl and many other forms of life, each dependent upon the others as part of the food-chain. P. 3-30 c. Duck farm wastes, entering the creeks, rivers and bays have created a nutri- ent imbalance that has proven harmful to shellfish production. P. 3-6 d. The salt marshes, barrier beaches and wetland flora provide the mainland with a buffer against storm surges and cases of unusually high tides. P. 3-6 e. Valuable wetlands are lost due to dredging, landfill operations and pollution. 3-12 OPINIONS P. 3-27 a. The protection of the Long Island natural marine environment is of directbene- fit to the people of Long Island. P. 3-27 b. The quality of living on Long Island is adversely affected by the diminution of conservation values. P. 3-6 c. The loss of the wetlands would result in the loss of shellfish and finfish. P. 3-38 d. The overall financial yield of the productive wetland and shellfish areas can be greater than that of real estate or sand and gravel mining of these same areas. P. 3-12 to CONCLUSIONS 3-16 a. Pollutants should not be allowed to enter the marine environment. P. 3-10 b. The major wetland areas should be conserved. 3. Pollution Control FACTS P. 3-12 a. The problem of the contamination of the fresh water table under Long Island. by human wastes, or by industrial or agricultural waste, is receiving attention by others. P. 3-2 b. The contamination of the Long Island marine environment from any source is the concern of the oceanographic committee. C. At the present time the marine environment is being contaminated by: P. 3-12 1. Outlets that run off raw sewage into the marine environment. P. 3 -12 2. Direct seepage of sewage from cisterns or cesspools into the marine environment. 2-2 P. 3-12 3. Discharge of inadequately treated sewage into the mari,ne environmenu P. 3-13 4. Discharge of duck farm wastes into the creeks, rivers and bays. P. 3-13 S. Discharge of raw sewage or inadequately treated sewage or other con- taminants from boats or marinas. P. 3-13 6. Runoff of detrimental pesticides, insectic ides, herbicides, fertilizers and other chemicals. d. As a result of pollution of the marine environment from one or more of the sources listed in c above, the following steps have been taken by New York State or County authorities in Nassau and Suffolk. P. 3-12 1. Eleven beaches have been closed or refused permits for public bathing. P. 3-30 2. More than 10,000 acres have been closed to shellfishing. P. 3-34 3. A pilot project is underway to control some aspects of duck pollution. P. 3-14 4. The Mosquito Control Commissions have suspended use of DDT in wet- land areas. P. 3-13 5. Suffolk County is in the process of establishing a Sewer Authority. P. 3-13 6. Nassau County is in the process of establishing its third sewer district. P. 3-7 e. Contamination of some bays and harbors has been reduced by dredging opera- tions to improve flushing or to actually remove settled pollutants. P. 3-22 f. The cause-effects relationship between pollutants of all types and the well- being of the marine environment is not presently well understood. OPINIONS P. 3-22 a. The need for adequate knowledge on which Long Island planners can recom- mend steps to preserve a healthy marine environment is critical. CONCLUSIONS P. 3-22 a. A research program must be inaugurated to increase the understanding of Long Island pollution, sources of pollutants, the effect of pollution upon the marine environment, the means of avoiding pollution and of the corrective action to re- pair the dainages.of pollution. P. 3-12 b. Sewerage programs aimed at protection of the Long Island fresh water re- A sources are beneficial to the marine environment. However, proper precautions must be taken as to the type of effluent drained into the marine environment and the locations of such drainage. P. 3-12 c. Particularattention must be given to the need for sewerage systems on water- front pmperty where-direct seepage to the marine environment is to be expected. P. 3-12 d. Duck farm pollution of creek .s, rivers and bays must be stopped. 3-13 P. 3-43 e. Regulations governing the discharge of raw or chemically treated sewage or other pollutants from boats and marinas must be established and enforced through education, licensing and inspection procedures. 2-3 4. Education and Research FACTS P. 3-17 a. At the college level, 14 universities or colleges have miscellaneous courses in marine science but, as a rule, these courses are general in nature and not specifically oriented to Long Island's marine environment. P. 3-17 b. The success of marine sciences and ocean engineering on Long Island is di- rectly dependent on the quality of applied and pure research related to the unique Long Island problems and the training of a manpower pool ranging from techni- cians to PhDs. P. 3-17 c. The existing higher education institutions do have the potential to develop the necessary programs. OPINIONS P. 3-21 a. The applied research should be geared to the problems pertinent to Long Is- land waters. P. 3-18 b. The research programs of the universities should be geared so as not to du- 3-19 plicate programs of effort being conducted elsewhere, i.e., Scripps, Woods Hole, 3-21 etc. P. 3-21 c. If the Long Island universities and colleges develop a strong competent, know- ledge of the relationships of human population to the marine environment, Long Island could become a leader in the understanding of a problem world-wide -in scope. CONCLUSIONS P. 3-21 a. The educational applied research should be geared to the solving of the phys- ical, chemical, biological and socio-economic problems affecting the Long Island marine environment. P. 3-21 b. Every effort should be made to coordinate the specific roles and interests of each university in this effort. P. 3-21 c. Strong programs should be developed to train technicians, research personnel and educators. 5. Industrial Oceanographic Research and Development FACTS P. 3-24 a. There are several firms engaged in oceanographic research and development on Long Island today. P. 3-24 b. With the exception of shellfish oriented studies, this research and develop- ment is not directly concerned with the marine environment of Long Island but in the development of deep submerged systems and related problems. 2-4 OPINIONS P. 3-25 a. Although Long Island has many unique attributes and locational advantages, research and industry not related to the local marine environment could find many other sites along other areas of the coast. CONCLUSIONS P. 3-25 a. If Long Island becomes a center of research and development excellence in IR its own marine environment it can be expected that industrial spinoffs-- research and development, hardware production and maintenance of related hardware -- would result. P. 3-25 b. Industry has a significant role to play by investing its research talents, efforts and money in bolstering the growth in Long Island based ocean engineering, tech- nology, hardware production and marine food fields. 6. National Marine Laboratory FACTS P. 3-26 a. The Environmental Science Service Administration is the only agency presently seeking an east coast location for a combined marine laboratory and base of oper- ations for The Institute of Oceanography and the United States Coast and Geo- detic Survey. P. 3-26 b. The facility would provide approximately 270 primary jobs. P. 3-26 c. Site selection investigation has been underway by E.S.S.A. along the entire coastline from Maine to Florida. The following criteria have been set forth: 1. The site should contain deep-water port facilities to accommodate at least five vessels at dockage with a minimum of 25 feet of water. 2. The site should contain a minimum of 8 acres. 3. The site should be in proximity to higher academic institutions and other research facilities, 4. The site should be in proximity to an adequate housing supply of low to high cost range. .4 5. The site should be capable of being serviced by adequately staffed and equipped local ship handling and repair firms. P. 3-26 d. There are at least four locations on Long Island that currently meet all or most of the criteria: 1. Hempstead Harbor - Town of North Hempstead 2. Port Jefferson Harbor - Town of Brookhaven 3. Greenport Harbor - Town of Southold 4. Fort Pond Bay - Town of East Hampton P. 3-25 e. Long Island is competing for this facility with many other communities from 3-26 Maine to Florida. 2-5 OPINIONS P. 3-2 5 a. The location of this facility on Long Island would be desirable by enhancing local job activity and reputation in the marine fields. P. 3-26 b. The facility itself would probably not enhance Long Island's capacity to under- stand its own marine environment. The research carried on by the facility will relate to a broad area of study and will not be concentrated on Long Island's im- mediate problems. P. 3-26 c. Long Island's competitive advantage for obtaining this facility is not greater than many other, locations. CONCLUSIONS P. 3-25 a. If a site on Long Island is selected the facility would be most welcome. P. 3-26 b. The major emphasis of Long Island's effort should be aimed at developingre- search laboratories that will focus on unique local problems. 7. Economic Aspects The marine environment is important to the economic health of Long Island.The 1965 total value of marine related industries is conservatively estimated at 180 million dollars. (This does not take into account educational dollars, the full value of tourism -- largely dependent on the marine attributes of Long Island -- or current industrial activities in ocean engineering.) A substantial improvement in the health of the marine environment could mean an increase in commercial and sport fishing, tourism and recreation, shellfish production, and boating of at least an additional 100 million dollars annually. The full de- velopment of Long Island's marine potential could yield a total value many times this amount. Conversely, . a substantial deterioration of this environment could lead to a cor- responding decline. A discussion of the specific marine activities follows: Commercial Fishing FACTS P. 3-27 a. Commercial fishing has long been an important industry to Long Island. The current gross income is $3 million per year, or 6 per cent of the nation's catch. P. 3-28 b. A clean and productive marine environment is essential to the health of this industry. P. 3-28 c. Pollution of coastal waters and elimination of wetlands by filling operations has reduced the areas available for fish spawning and growth. P. 3-28 d. The proximity of Long Island to the Atlantic fishing grounds and the New York market makes it ideally suited for further growth in this industry. P. 3-28 e. Inadequate management of the fisheries and competition from foreign trawlers, have been a serious problem for the industry. 2-6 OPINIONS P. 3- 28 a .Like the shell fish and sport fishing industries, the commercial fishing in- dustry depends heavily on a healthy marine environment. Enhancement of this ma- rine environment would increase employment and provide attendant benefits for Long Island. P. 3- 28 b. The future manpower needs of the industry require the initiation of training programs now. P. 3-28 c. Inadequate zoning laws have often discriminated against the fishing industry and it has been difficult for it to find suitable locations for its land based oper- ations. CONCLUSIONS P. 3-28 a. Although all fish caught by Long Island fishermen do not necessarily breed in Long Island wetlands, many of them mature here and preservation of these wet- lands, along with those all along the east coast, is essential for the preservation of the industry. P. 3-28 b. The growth of the fishing industry is dependent upon the provision of adequate areas for the industry to locate its shore facilities. P. 3- 28 c. Federal and interstate action is necessary to standardize allowable practices along the Atlantic coast. Shellfish FACTS P. 3-31 a. Long Island has 400,000 acres of fully approved active shellfish areas. P. 3-29 b. Long Island is the nation's leader in hard clam production with 5.5 million dollars. It is only 60 per cent of what it was 20 years ago. P. 3-29 c Bay scallop production has varied from $100,000 to $700,000 due to year to year setting and survival conditions. P. 3-29 d. Oyster industry has declined 99 per cent in the past 50 years from 50 million dollars to 1/2 million dollars. P. 3-29 e. This decline has been due to man-created and natural factors. f. The principal man-created factors are: P. 3-30 1. Bacterial pollution resulting from sewage. P. 3-30 2. Nutrient pollution resulting from duck sludge, fertilizer and sewage. P. 3-30 3. Destruction of the wetlands by uncontrolled dredging and filling which has curtailed the growth of micro-organisms necessary for shellfish pro- duction. P., 3-30 4. Spraying of DDT and other insecticides on wetlands, which has caused a curtailment of micro-organic growth. P. 3-8 5. Dredging of shellfish bottom lands destroying their capacity to produce shellfish. 24 g. The principAl natural factors are: P. 3-30 1. Destruction of natural seed beds by adverse weather. P. 3-31 2. Encroachment of predators detrimental to shellfish. P. 3-15 3. Silting of Moriches and other inlets which has lowered the flushing ability of Great South and Moriches Bays. h. The shellfish industry is also hampered by legal and zoning problems affecting: OF P. 3-31 1. Inadequate and outmoded practices concerning leasing of bottom lands. P. 3-31 2. Lack of suitably zoned shorefront property to locate the land-based or portion of the industry. P. 3-24 i. The most creative activity in producing marine foods has had its genesis and 3-30 maximum development here on Long Island in the presence of the four existing pr commercial shellfish hatcheries. P. 3-32 j. The shell fish industry has helped itself through research and the use of good resource management techniques. OPINIONS P. 3-32 a. Preservation of marine environment and other encouragements to the shellfish industry can result in a substantial increase in employment and attendant bene- fits to Long Island. P. 3-32 b. The shellfish industry has the obligation to exert better resource management techniques. CONCLUSIONS P. 3-5 a. All reasonable efforts should be made to preserve the remaining wetlands in 3-6 their natural state. P. 3-6 b. Better controls over dredging are needed so, as to consider their effects on 3-9 shellfish production areas. P. 3-12 c. Better controls are needed to prevent pollutants from entering shellfish pro- duction areas. P. 3-15 d. Better dredging of inlets, particularly Moriche,s Inlet, is needed to improve the flushing action of the bay. P. 3-30 e. Local, state and federal support for research into shellfish technology, par- 3-32 ticularly artificial seed production is desirable. P. 3-30 f. Bi-state (New York- Conne cti cut) cooperative study into restoration of natural seed bed areas (principally in Long Island Sound near Connecticut), is desirable. P. 3-31 g. Consideration should be given to zoning sborefront property for shellfish oper- ations. 2-8 Fish-Meal Processing FACTS P. 3- 27 a. Fishmeal of high protein content can be commercially processed on Long Island. P. 3-27 b. TheproductFPC (Fish Protein Concentrate) is odorless and tasteless and can be stored indefinitely. P. 3-27 c. FPC affords an almost limitless supply of food for people and husbandry. P. 3-27 d. FPC at present is not allowable for human consumption in the United States but it is in some foreign countries. P. 3- 27 e. The Food and Drug Administration is reconsidering its position on FPC at the present time. P. 3- 27 f. The original fishmeal plant in Greenport was underfinanced and, as a result, was marginal and was alleged to be a public nuisance. g. Existing technology is adequate to allow for the proper operation of such an industry, without its constituting a nuisance. OPINIONS P. 3-27 a. Rising levels of population throughout the world, will require vast improve- ments in protein food production. FPC can help fill the gap. P. 3-27 b. There is a good potential for an FPC industry on Long Island. P. 3-27 c. The operation of such an industry would be a boon to the fishing industry, re- sulting in twelve-month employment. P. 3-27 d. It is possible that the growth of an FPC industry could lead to the develop- ment of ancillary food packaging and processing on Long Island. CONCLUSIONS P. 3-27 a. The location of an FPC industry on Long Island is desirable. P. 3-27 b. Adequate standards are necessary for such operation to prevent any nuisance factors. Duck Farming FACTS P. 3-33 a. Duck farming in Suffolk County is a $15 million annual industry. P. 3-33 b. Duck pollution of the rivers, creeks and bays is adverse to recreational use and the shellfish industry. P. 3-33 c. Thepresentduck pollutionis an aesthetic offense to the neighboring residents. 2-9 OPINIONS P. 3-33 a. Ducks can be raised profitably up-land. P. 3-34 b. Elimination of duck pollution under eidsting operation is a costly endeavor. P. 3-33 c. The revenue raised by the duck industry is offset by the loss in recreational and shellfish industries. CONCLUSIONS. P. 3-34 a. Duck pollution must be totally eliminated. Dredging FACTS P. 3-7 a. Dredging is necessary for the creation and maintenance of navigable channels and inlets for commercial and recreational boating. P. 3-32 b. Marine sand and gravel mining from the North Shore is important to the con- struction industry in the New York region. P. 3-37 c. Dredging and the suitable placement of "spoil" can be utilized to create us- able property. P. 3-7 d. Uncontrolled dredging and diking can result in salt Yater intrusion of the peripheral sborefront fresh water table. P. 3-7 e. Uncontrolled dredging does result in the destruction of feeding and breeding grounds of fish, shellfish and other wildlife. OPINIONS P. 3-7 a. Controlled dredging can result in the improved flushing action in bays and the elimination of duck sludge in creeks, estuaries and bays. P. 3- 10 b. It is possible to reduce the destructive results of dredging in creeks, rivers and narrow estuarine wetlands through the use of proper equipment. P - 3-8 c. Controlled dredging can improve and rehabilitate the bottoms of bays so that shellfish production can be enhanced. P. 3-8 d. Dredging can be made consonant with the maintenance of a desirable marine e nvi ro nm en t. .CONCLUSIONS P. 3-32 a. All dredging operations must justify or prove their public benefit. P. 3-31 b. Controlled dredging should take place to stabilize the Moriches Inlet to im- prove flushing of the bays and to improve navigation.. P. 3-44 c. Regional (Nassau-Suf folk) controls should be instituted on all dredging projects to insure against the destruction of fish, shellfish and wildlife feeding and breed- ing grounds and loss of wetlands. 2-10 P. 3-9 d. Sand and gravel mining operations should be restricted to those projects where mining isthe by-product of other objectives, i.e., the establishment or maintenance of proper navigable channels or the buildup of usable public lands. P. 3-43 e. D.redging should take place in accordance with an overall development plan 3-46 for the marine environment of Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Recreation and Tourism FACTS P. 3-34 a. Because of the many miles of coastline on Long Island, marine-oriented rec- reation forms a major,outlet for the Island's residents, as well as non-residents. P. 3-36 b. The recreation and tourism industry is estimated to do an annual gross busi- ness of over $150 million. P. 3-34 c. The attractiveness of the marine environment must be maintained. P. 3-34 d. Over 175,000 boats are owned by Nassau-Suffolk residents. P. 3-35 1. Pleasure boating is enhanced by clean, pollution-free waters. P. 3-35 2. Boating itself adds to the pollution problem via on-board toilets which pump raw sewage directly into harbors, streams and bays. P. 3-35 3. The boating industry depends, in part, upon the continuation of sport- fishing for which many boats are used. P. 3-35 4. The boating and marina industries depend upon continual dredging to provide the necessary navigable channels and harbors. P. 3- 12 e. Eleven Long Island bathing beaches are closed to the public due to pollution by municipal sewerage systems and other sources. P. 3-36 f. The 1960 Census found over 40,000 seasonal housing units in the bi-county area. The marine environment is primarily responsible for these seasonal housing units. P. 3-35 g. Sport fishing is an important industry and recreational outlet. OPINIONS P. 3-34 a. The preservation and restoration of an unpolluted marine environment is es- sential to the continuation of Long Island's marine-oriented recreation. Recrea- tional activities themselves have often added, however, to this pollution. CONCLUSIONS P. 3-5 a. Although all fish caught by Long Island fishermen do not necessarily breed in Long Island wetlands, many of them mature here, and preservation of these wet- lands along with those all along the east coast, is essential for the preservation of the industry. P. 3-5 b. Every effort must be made to curtail and eliminate pollution in order to aid in 3-6 boating and bathing recreation, and to maintain and expand the major portion of the existing tourist business. P. 3-35 c. Adequate facilities must be provided to serve bathing, boating and marina 3-36 needs. 2-11 r_7 "Uusing FACTS P. 3-37 a. The highest residential land values occur adjacent to or on water frontage. P. 3-37 b. Water facilities near or a part of a residential development offer the builder a distinct advantage. P. 3-37 c. The majority of wetlands lost to fill operations in Nassau and Suffolk Counties is due to housing developments. OPINIONS P. 3-37 a. The builders as represented by the Long Island Home Builders Institute have an awareness of the value to their industry of a desirable marine environment. P. 3-37 b. There is a general belief on the builders' part that compatibility between the needs of the industry and maintenance of a favorable marine environment could be achieved. P. 3-37 c. The builders' first concern is to meet the housing needs of the public. P. 3-37 d. Land fill and bulkheading, while destroying wetlands, can still provide a de- sirable waterfront for residential use. CONCLUSIONS P. 3-37 a. There is a conflict between the need for homes @as represented by the biiilders) and the conservation of the marine environment. P. 3-37 b. The builders are entitled to be notified in advance as to lands designated for permanent conservation. Real Estate FACTS P. 3-37 a. The realtors professional view towards property is toward utilization for great- est profit. P. 3-37 b. Waterfront properties have the greatest value for residential development. OPINIONS P. 3-37 a. The realtors, similar to the home builders, recognize the desirability of a healthy marine environment. P. 3-37 b. Wetlands should not be converted to more intensive use, i.e.,- home building, marinas, etc., without consideration of their conservation values. P. 3-37 c. Discriminatory zoning to achieve preservation objectives is not the best so- lution to the conflict. 2-12 CONCLUSIONS P. 3-37 a. Land having a definite conservation value should either be acquired by public acquisition of the fee simple, or preserved through modern land development practices, i.e., cluster zoning, density zoning or easements. Transportation and Deep Water Ports FACTS P. 3-38 a. Bulk cargo can be economically handled by water borne carriers. OPINIONS P. 3-38 a. Deep water ports offer a potential economic base to the counties in folstering greater use of water borne cargo. P. 3-38 b. The Fire Island National Seashore will require additional ferry service from the mainland. CONCLUSIONS P. 3-26 a. The development of deep water ports is desirable to improve the water trans- portation for cargo and passengers in Long Island, and to enhance Long Island's position for the eventual location of an oceanographic institute. 2-13 PART III SUPPORTING DATA CHAPTER A: Discussion of the Problem Section 1 , Background Historical The economic and social history of Long Island the demand on sea products. The discovery of from the pre-colonial times of the Pouspatucks, petroleum, natural gas (and later electric illumi- Nissaquakes, Shinnecocks and other indian nation) reduced the interests in whaling. The tribes to the present indicates at every period gold strike in California in 1849 also played a a varying dependency on the marine environment. significant role in the demise of Long Island's deep-water fishing industry. It was far more Long Island waters offered the indian a rather profitable to carry miners around the Cape to continuous and ample protein diet to be had lit- California, than to search for whales or fish. In erally 'for the picking'. Archeological research addition, many sailors deserted their vocations indicates that most of the tribes located their to join in the search for gold. encampments near the water. I With the exception of certain limited aspects of Many of the first white settlers, arriving from commercial fishing, there has been a steady de- New England in the mid- seventeenth century had cline in the marine economy from the 1850's to to rely heavily on seafood until the ground was the present. I broken, sown and harvested. This hardy breed of This brief resume is not limited to a depiction people were not strangers to the sea. They of Long Island's marine history. Similar relative brought with them a heritage and knowledge of declines can be traced on a national scale as 3 shipbuilding, fishing and sailing. It was quite well. For example, in 1964 the United States natural that marine activities flourished concur- ranked in fifth place in fish caught - with 5.1 4 rent with the development of the soil. Fishing per cent of the total. Peru, Japan, Mainland fleets sailed from Greenport and other eastern China and Russia all exceeded the United ports tothe Great Banks; whalers from Sag Har- States. Perhaps.the pioneering efforts related to bor sailed the world. Baymen and lobstermen, pushing the frontiers westward; the primary em- for three hundred years, have collected a rich phasis on industrial development; the abundant return from the pursuit of clams, oysters, scal- availability of high quality food, including ani- lops,, crabs and lobsters. mal proteins; the political concept of isolation; and other factors have been responsible in part Freight haulage to New York City and New Eng- for the lack of emphasis on the marine environ- land markets was an established practice by the ment. However, there is now a resurgent interest early nineteenth century. Cordwood cut in cen- in this field.-5 The dramatic accomplishments of tral Suffolk County was loaded aboard schooners the outer space program have indicated areas of at the landing at Smithtown and shipped on a parallel interest with submerged space prob- 2 regular basis. However, the industrial and ag- lems. Mineral exploration and oil potentials have ricultural technology, began to have an impact enticed private investment in off-shore explora- on marine activities by the mid-nineteenth cen- tion. The need to improve methods and tech- tury. Rail service supplanted water-borne haul- niques occasioned by these activities has re- age. Improved agricultural production lessened sulted in research programs - pure and applied. 3-1 Interest in ocean or marine activities was gen- broad objectives would be established to guide erated on Long Island, as a result of the grow- the groupin the conduct of its business: ing national interest, and by provincial concern with the local employment base. During 1962- 1. The Oceanographic Committee of the Nassau- 1963 Republic Aircraft Corporation discharged Suffolk Regional Planning Board will examine approximately 10,000 workers. This represented the contributions which marine resources can 1.6 per cent of the combined Nassau-Suffolk make to the economic and cultural development resident labor force. 6 Subsequently, the unem- of Long Island. In doing this the Oceanographic ployment rate in Suffolk County rose from 4.5 Committee will attempt to identify and concen- per cent to over 7 per cent. There has been a trate on those aspects of the geographical situ- realization that the stabilization of the defense- ation of Long Island which gives advantages oriented economic base of Long Island was en- over other areas of the country. dangered by fluctuations in defense spending and competitive abilities. Several studies have 2. The Oceanographic Committee will attempt, called for a diversification of economic activity in an order of priority, to outline programs in- to provide additional jobs and to cushion the cluding industrial and public spirited support, effects of sporadic defense allocations. 7 The education at the various levels, and public poli- existing marine industries have also began to cies that will enlarge. these advantages and tend call for governmental action to protect the ma- to develop industry. 11 rine environment. Competition, resulting in part .In the conduct of the business of the committee .from the rapid urbanization on Long Island, e.g., a total of 41 meetings were held. More than 50 dredging, wetland loss, pollution, higher land witnesses appeared before the committee at the values for shorefront facilities; has contributed, various weekly meetings. 12 In additionto verbal to the decline of these non-defen.se activities. testimony, 12 papers were submitted by inter- Citizen conservation groups were formed to lobby for intelligent planning of the Island's resources. 8 ested individuals or organizations. In response to the needs and in view of the pub- At the start of the committee's activities it ap- lic interest, the Nassau-Suffolk Regional Plan- peared that there were two separate areas of in- ning Board created a sub-committee on oceano- terest. These were: graphy. 1. Examination of the opportunities on Long Is- Governmental and Administrative land to participate in the growing national oceanographic and ocean engineering programs On April 26, 1965 the Board determined to in- of this co .untry. clude in the development of the bi-county com-- prehensive plan, a major segment related to the 2. Examination of the oceanographic problems marine environment. The study was hoped to growing out 6f the effects of population expan- .achieve an understanding of the opportunities sion on Long Island's marine environment. and problems growing out of the population ex- pansion on the marine environment and to relate As the work progressed, it became evident that. this to an action program. 9 the two areas of interest were inseparable and may be expressed as the examination of Long On June 30, 1965 a committee was selected with Island"s oceanographic problems and the action representation from industry, finance, education, required to preserve a favorable marine environ- research and regional planning.' 0 At the first ment, and the opportunities such action will pre- formal meeting of the committee, held on Sep- sent for Long. Island to become a center of tember 15, 1 965 it was agreed that the following oceanographic activities and a major participant @3-2 in the growing national oceanographic and ocean Brooklyn border with Nassau County for approxi- engineering program. mately 60 miles to Riverhead. East of Riverhead two forks or peninsulars, continue eastward sep- From a planning point-of-view there are three arated by the waters of Peconic and Gardiners factors of overriding importance to the growth Bays. The northern fork terminates at Orient and development of Long Island. Point and is approximately 20 miles in length. The southern fork terminates at Montauk and is 1. The long naff ow shape of Long Island. about 44 miles long. The land area of the two counties is approximately 1,200 square miles. 2. The proximity of Nassau and Suffolk Counties to the super metropolis of Greater New York City. TOPOGRAPHY- The topography is uniform with a gentle to moderate slope from the north to the 3. The complex marine environment of Long Is- south shore. A high ridge of glacial origin run- land -with its extreme sensitivity to the affects ning approximately east and west from the north of population expansion. westerly corner of Nassau County and then run- ning in a southeasterly direction through Nassau Long Island's shape and proximity to New York from the north shore reaches an elevation of City are unalterable, but the complex marine en- about 300 feet above sea level. North of the vironment is all too alterable. Population expan- ridge the topography is generally abrupt with an sion on the Island has caused serious deterio- overall slope to Long Island Sound. South of the ration. to the once delightful marine environment ridge is a long gentle slope terminating in the which. has been a major contributing factor in marsh and meadow land which borders the bays the Island's attractiveness and consequential on the south.13 The four main river watershed growth. valleys are located in Suffolk County. These are the Nissequogue in the Town of Smithtown, Connetquot in the Town of Islip, Carmans in the Physical Characteristics Town of Brookhaven, and the Peconic which oc- curs in the Towns of Riverhead, Brookhaven and LOCATION - Nassau and Suffolk Counties, with Southampton. 14 their streams, lakes, rivers, ocean, bays and GEOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION-The area is main- sound frontages exceeding 1,000 linek miles in ly composed of the unconsolidated deposits of total, are familiar natural attributes to millions sand, gravel, and clay laid down in more or less of persons for the resort and recreation oppor- parallel beds on a hard bedrock surface. The rock tunities. Long Island Sound on the north and the floor is tilted downward in a southeasterly di- Atlantic Ocean on the south and east afford a rection so that from a position of relative close- decidedly unique advantage for the proper de- ness to the surface in the northwest end of Long velopment of marine resources. The south shore Island (Queens County) it reaches a depth of is paralleled by barrier beaches which create 2,100 feet below sea level beneath Fire Island. bays between the south shore of the Island and The subsoil is generally sandy of yellow color the ocean from Long Beach on the west to the except on the ocean side of the south shore Hamptons in the Town of Southampton. Jones, dunes which are of light gray sea sand. The top- Fire Island, Moriches and Shinnecock Inlets soil has been particularly suited for agricultural connect these bays to the ocean. This portion uses. Elsewhere the ground is generally covered of the Long Island peninsular is over 100 miles with scrub growth, mostly oaks and pine. North long and 20 miles wide at its widest point which of the elacial ridae there is an abundance of is near the Nassau-Suffolk boundary. The major flora including many of the hardwoods as well land area extends eastward from the Queens- as evergreen cover. 3-3 WATER SUPPLY -The water supply is obtained MARINE ENVIRONMENT-The estuarian marshes entirely from ground water. Natural replenishment and the off-shore waters, diverse in terms of sa- of this supply is derived solely from precipita- linity and temperature, abound in a variety of tion, i.e., rain, snow and sleet which averages shell and fin fish. The inland fresh waters, par- 42 inches per year. Due to losses from evapora- ticularly in Suffolk County, have an abundance tion, stream flow and other factors only part of of trout and bass. A discussion of the actual ma- this precipitation ever reaches the water bear- rine resources will be given in greater detail in ing strata. It has been estimated that approxi- the body of this report. It should also be men- mately 50 per cent of the precipitation is lost tioned that another of the marine resources has due to the above mentioned factors. On the been the sand and gravel deposits that are par- basis of past experience and engineering pro- ticularly rich in the Long Island Sound on the jections the ground water reservoir appears to north shore of the Island. be adequate to serve an estimated population of approximately 3 million persons. 15 3-4 --- - - ----- --- 7 we I mysti. NEW LOINDO I:- t NEW HAVEN 1. j I % Ly 5A F. 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President Theodore Roosevelt Wetlands DESCRIPTION -The marine environment of Nas- tion is not at all necessary since both areas are sau and Suffolk Counties include all the bays and productive. 16 The same type of argument has barrier reefs, the Long Island Sound, the Pecon- been going on relative to the type of bottoms. ics, the inner tidal zones, all of the estuarian With the exception of a bottom composed of duck creeks, and the salt marshes. These areas have sludge, justification can be found as to the often been termed "wetlands". This is confus- value of the various other types. ing to a clear understanding of the marine prob- lem since there are in fact two broad types of wetlands -- fresh water and marine or brackish In any event the entire complex is important for wetlands. The Carmans, Peconic River, Connet- shellfish, finfish, water fowl, many inverte- quot, and a portion of the Nissequogue Rivers brates, and the entire biological chain which is comprise the former. allowed to survive and prosper relative to the quality of this environment. The success of this The marine wetlands, including the estuaries, wild life is important to man in general and to creeks and other drains which allow the fresh the Island in particular, not only as a source of water runoff from the mainland to flow into the food or recreation, including fishing, crabbing, various bays and harbors, have a wide range of clamming, bird watching, and general aesthetics salinity from almost fresh (salt free) to those ap- but as a very substantial portion of the economic proaching that of the ocean itself. base of the Island. It must be understood that the success of this environment in an ecological The brackish environment is a very unique one sense depends on the protection of the entire indeed. The shallow waters -- less than 8 or 10 vast food chain. Each group of animals or plants feet -- are the prime shellfish producing areas. play a very important role. According to research The fresh water runoff from the main body of on the Georgia marshes, 17 the Spartina alterni- Long Island is part of the ecological cycle by flora marsh is the most productive vegetated converting ocean salt water into a brackish area in the world. The vegetable matter is de- state that is vital for the propagation of shell- composed and crushed out into the water and fish. The nature of the bottom is another im- then detrited with all the carbohydrates, pro- portant factor to be taken into consideration teins, fats and vitamins finally breaking down with the issue of salinity. The bottom-lands vary and feeding microscopic life. It is reasonable to from silt to mud to salt marsh to sand and gravel. believe that the complete marine complex Some marine biologists consider the lower or shallow bays, small estuaries, salt marshes tidal. zone -- Spartina alterniflora as having a found throughout Long Island is one of the pri- higher value than the high marsh zone -- Spartina mary contributing factors for the rich wild life patens. The Spartina patens is that zone of found along the Atlantic seaboard and that these marsh quite common on the shores of the bay wetlands are vital to the entire range of shell- which is only flooded at lunar and storm tides. fish, finfish, and water fowl that inhabit these Some marine ecologists claim that differentia- areas. 3-5 Construction Restraints on the Natural Environment The loss of wetlands due to land fill operations, flats and bays of Suffolk County.2 0 Approxi- dredging, and home construction, is at best the mately 50 per cent of the tidal flats of Mount choice among alternatives. The most desirable Sinai Harbor, for example, were found to be residential areas in both counties have been highly* productive. 21 The yield in clams ranged traditionally, and at the present, along the pe- from an average of 36 bushels per acre to a high r ripheral shore areas. The highest residential of 400 bushels per acre in isolated spots. At the land values occur on those building sites ad- wholesale rate to the digger of 7 dollars a jacent to, or contiguous with, water frontage. bushel, the value in annual yield ranged from r The tremendous demand on available land in 252 to 2800 dollars per acre. These flats are a Nassau and Suffolk Counties has placed a sig- perpetual source of food revenue. Therefore the nificant burden on the choice between provision actual evaluation of this resource should include r for new families and the protection of the natural the capitalized value of the land. At a net re- resource. A lake or any kind of waterfront land turn of 5 per cent per annum, the minimum capi- is a valuable asset for the developer and for the talized value of such land is in excess of 5000 people who live nearby. Water frontage creates dollars per acre. The areas of highest yield have low maintenance open space, provides many the very high capitalized value of 60,000 dollars kinds of recreation facilities, and is so popular per acre, for shellfish production. It would there- that it increases surrounding land values up to fore appear apparent, and almost gratuitous to five or ten times normal value. Almost any kind state, that the preservation of these highly pro- of water helps a developer to sell in a competi- ductive wetlands be preserved. tive market. As a result many areas of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, particularly along the Preservation of the wetlands can also be called south shore, have been under heavy pressure for for on the basis of their role in mitigating storm such development. Most of the loss of wetlands surges and tides. Although this Committee has over the past twenty years has occurred due to not endeavored to quantify the benefits, it must the filling in of marsh, subsequent bulkheading, be recognized that untold losses from storm con- and construction thereon. ditions are prevented by the presence of these Filling in of marshes to make real estate must marshes. They are in effect natural breakwaters, with the resiliency of the millions of stalks of be recognized as the most threatening danger to cord grass serving to lessen the shock of pound- this environment. Between 1954 and 1959, over ing waves. These natural buffers lessen the del- 13 per cent of the Long Island wetlands were eterious effects of hurricane storms on the destroyed by land-fill projects. 18 Over the years, shoreline. it is estimated that approximately 25 per cent of the wetlands have been destroyed. It is obvious Dredging that if this practice is to continue the marine environment will suffer. Coupled to the land fill operation in the poten- tial loss of wetlands are the various aspects of dredging. VALUE OF WETLANDS' 9 - It has been men- tioned in the previous discussion on wetlands Dredging can be defined as the removal of sub- that these areas are among the most productive merged material from the water bottom and can of all lands. This contention can be expressed include the placement of these materials as fill. financially. Analyses have been conducted of Dredging is generally beneficial for the attain- the shellfish yield per acre in the various tidal ment of the following objectives: 3-6 Storm surges mitigated by Great Barrier Beach during hurricane in the Fall of 1962. 1. Creation and maintenance of navigable chan- 2. The lack of control relative to legislation, nels and inlets for commercial and recreational planning and the consideration of the conse- use. quences of dredging. 2. Creation of useful property, marinas, recrea- 3. The use of dredging for political, speculative tional areas. real estate development, or makework projects. 3. Improved flushing action in bays, and estuar- Much of the present debate arises out of the lack ian creeks. of knowledge on the consequences of dredging action. The areas needing clarification would in- 4. Commercial mining of sand and gravel. clude: The arguments against dredging are: 1. Influence of dredging on fish and shellfish 1. The destruction of irreplaceable feeding and ecology. breeding grounds of fish, shellfish and wildlife. Deliberate modification of the coastline, such 2. Value of bottom rehabilitation through dredg- as channel dredging for marinas, shoreline mod- ing. ification for beach stabilization and filling in marsh areas for developmental purposes, pose 3. Effect of dredging on salt water intrusion. serious problems. These modifications are oc- cuffing in estuaries which are important natural 4. Pollution control versus salinity control. resources for recreation and food production. These areas are the nursery grounds for many S. Effect of dredging of inlets and their stabili- marine organisms. 2 2 zation. 3-7 6. Use of groins for erosion control and beach to give cause for alarm by the citizenry and con- stabilization. servationists alike. Some of the dredges used in the sand and gravel operations draw as much as 7. Disposition of dredging spoil. 16 feet. The dredge material is sorted into gravel, sand and silt. The sand and gravel are 8. Sand and gravel mining. sent to New York markets or used locally. There is no question that this is a necessary industry. Among the testimony heard and the research Construction requires these aggregates for the undertaken by the committee, it would appear manufacture of concrete. At the present time that one of the worst examples of the devasta- off-shore sand and gravel mining appears to be tion of public resources is that of the indiscrim- the most economical means of securing this inate dredging of sand and gravel from Long Is- material. land harbors. 23 It is claimed that this has re- sulted in the destruction of the ecology of life Part of the present problem is the result of im- in and around the various harbors including properly supervised activities. Since 1955 Mount destruction of the habitat and food chain of Sinai Harbor has been under a dredging operation shellfish and finfish. with a private contractor. At the conclusion of Dredging can be and is sometimes beneficial. the present contract more than 3 million cubic Harbors do silt in and do require circulation yards of sand and gravel will have been taken channels. Channels for navigation and mooring from the harbor's bottom. When the operation be- of boats are necessary. There is also a need for gan the top of the wetlands behind the beach to shoreline roads, waterfront power plants, the the north, to a depth of 40 feet, was removed. placement of incinerators and fuel storage tank The dredges were to back fill to a finished grade sites. However, certain compromises must be ef- of 12 feet below water level. However, there fected, if ecology and beauty are to be pre- still are deep holes in the harbor. The boundaries served as well. The public works department and were also exceeded to the east and the dredges the U.S. Corps of Engineers agree that dredging also continued their operation to the south where has to be done and that their criterion for the no boundaries or check points had been estab- lished. Approximately 60 per cent or 140 acres work was navigation. In this regard the Presi- of the former wetlands have been lost. 25 dent's Advisory Study on Environment stated: A review of the dredging in Huntington Harbor We recommend that issuance by the U.S. leads to contrasting opinions. On the one hand Army Corps of Engineers of permits for the dredgers claim that through their operation dredgi_pg, and decisions concerning the the bottom was rehabilitated and should be a Corps' own operations, be continued on 26 the anticipated effect on all resources, greater producing area for shellfish. The not on effects on navigation alone. 24 shellfish producers claim that 90 per cent of the area dredged was shell producing area of the It is possible with good planning and proper best quality and that at least a portion of this control to serve the needs of the people of Long area will not be conducive to shellfish growth Island by providing a more intelligent use of for a long time. 27 It is further estimated that dredging and at the same time also preserving these areas were capable of producing 500,000 the marine environment. dollars worth of shellfish annually. Particular mention has to be made of the sand Dredges contracted to remove the sand bar off and gravel operations. It is these activities in Center Island Beach in Oyster Bay were con- the bays and harbors of Long Island which seem tracted to remove to a depth of about 18 feet 3-8 Mean Low Water. This was exceeded to a depth ulation as well as the needs for preserving the showing up to 33 feet at MLW. marine environment. Dredging operations have left the effects of de- A study is currently being undertaken in the vastation on Northport Harbor, Reeves Bay, Town of Southold, financed by the Suffolk County Flanders Bay, Oyster Bay, Bellport, and Mo- Board of Supervisors to study the consequences riches Bay. It has been calculated that more of dredging. 29 A before and after ecological ex- than 25 million cubic yards of bay bottom have amination is being made to determine the actual been removed from the, Great South Bay and many effects of a limited dredging operation. acres of shellfish producing land have been 28 destroyed Another example that could be cited is the Town of Babylon's attempt to preserve its coastal The U.S. Fish and Wild Life Services report on wetlands by instituting a dredging ordinance. 30 an application to dredge in Garret Lead in The ordinance controls and regulates the re- Hempstead Bay dated August 11, 1965 reads: moval of land from town owned property by any form of dredging operation. In determining the Oar investigations indicate that earlier merits of each operation the town solicits the dredging materially altered the bay bottom opinion of the New York State Conservation De- of Garret Lead and destroyed the marsh partment. lands to the north and to the west. Depth soundings taken in the Lead on June 23, The ordinance further provides that applications 1965 revealed an average depth of 15 feet be accompanied by a statement citing the amount and maximum depth of 24 feet mean sea levelinthese once shallow and productive of material to be removed, description of the waters.... Complete dredging and filling area in question, and its geographical location projects remove valuable productive town based on United States Coast and Geodetic Sur- owned bay bottom for private purpose. vey's coordinates of the area, the depth to which Fish and wild life habitat were seriously such removal is proposed, the sounding of the and irrevocably damaged despite our rec- area in question and a survey of the area where commendations that these applications for permit be denied. We find that we cannot the material is to be deposited. This statement object to issuance of this permit because is to be certified by a New York licensed pro- there are no longer any significant fish fessional engineer or surveyor. The application and wild life resources in the projected shall show the officers of the' firm and any his- area. tory of prior dredging operations in Nassau and Suffolk County. Permits are to be granted for re- These marshes once supported both commercial moval of material if such material is not required and recreational shellfishing. It was an asset for town purposes and the public interest is not worth millions of commercial and recreational to be otherwise prejudiced thereby. They are dollars for the town and was totally self-per- also granted on the basis that such removal of petuating, needing -no cultivation, seeding, fer- material will benefit the town substantially as a tilizing, or planting by man. necessary improvement of any waterway or waterways affected thereby. The ordinance fixes The communities on Long Island have become a time limit on the beginning and completion of aware of these problems and several have in- the removal operation and further specifies the stituted steps to gain a better understanding of times when such operation may be conducted or the areas of conflict and hopefully to achieve a halted. The New York State Conservation De- balance between the needs for industry and pop- partment or other authority shall act as consul- 3-9 tants to determine the value of dredge materials if certain stipulations were met.3 1 This would and the licensee shall pay the town such sums appear to indicate that many of the present con- 01 as fixed by the Town Board for soil, sand or flicts between dredging and conservation values other material removed. The removal of material can be resolved. and the redepositing and storage thereof shall neither undermine, weaken nor deprive of sup- The Eelgrass Problem port other lands in the vicinity, nor otherwise adversely affect the waterways of the town and One of the major problems faced by sportsfish- F the lands abutting thereon. Unless the permit ermen and boaters in recent years has been a states otherwise the dredging operation shall rapid increase in floating eelgrass in Great not substantially change the course of any chan- South and Moriches Bays. Eelgrass grows on bay r nel or the natural movement or flow 'of any waters bottoms in shallow water usually up to six feet or cause or accelerate the drift of underwater in depth, where there are no substantial cuff ents. soil, sand, gravel, bog or mud and the applicant Its blades can reach a length of over six feet, F .shall assume all responsibility for any and all and when loosened from its roots, floating operations. When the work is completed the li- clumps of eelgrass blades can clog engine in- censee must submit to the director of conserva- takes, foul nets and lines, and eventually pile F tion of New York State a certificate that the up on shore. Rotting eelgrass on shorelines has work has been completed in accordance with the resulted in the production of such offensive ordinance and the survey showing that the re- odors as to make it a public nuisance. 32 moval operation has been completed indicating the depth of the area from which material shall It has sometimes been claimed that the in- have been removed and the slopes from which creased occurrence of eelgrass was due to nu- 01 material shall have been removed connecting trient stimulation caused by municipal and ag- with the adjoining lands. In addition the li- ricultural pollutants. However, a recent study censee, upon completion of his operations, shall by Dr. R.M. Wilson of Adelphi Suffolk Colleg trim and dress the land under water and shall atOakdalehas shown thatthis is notthe case. 3 leave specifically required side slopes on the Eelgrass was very common to Great South Bay boundaries of any dredging areas adjacent to the before 1932, and in fact was. found all along the shore lines. This ordinance is accompanied with Atlantic coasts, on the European and African suitable liability in terms of fines and imprison- sides as well as on the American side. Due to ment for violation of the act. some unknown reason, but probably due to a fungas-withering disease, this eelgrass began to On April 15, 1965 the New York State Water Re- die off, and during the 1930's almost completely sources Commission decided that it was a state disappeared over its entire range. During the responsibility to evaluate and take a stand on 1940's and 1950's it began to make a sporadic all notices of the United States Corps of Engi- return in most areas but did not revive in Great neers relative to dredging. The New York State South Bay until the 1960's. The reason for the conservation people assigned to the LongIsland return of the eelgrass is as mysterious as its area go into the field, examine the proposed disappearance, and since it has revived in pol- projects, try to evaluate each project and return luted as well as clean waters, the incidence of the information to Albany. Within the first six greater pollution in Great South Bay does not months 110 public notices by the Corps were ex- seem to be the cause of eelgrass growth. amined by the conservation people. Of this num- ber the recommendation was that six be denied Daring the 1920's eelgrass was harvested and and of the six the conservationists provided sold as a valuable commodity, selling for any- modifications whereby approval could be granted wherefrom$20 to$60 per ton, delivered. It found 3-10 use principally as an insulation device for problem, and its attendant affects on boats and homes, as sound insulation, as a. substitute for fishermen. According to Dr. Wilson, there is hay, and as a- fertilizer. At one time it was used much more floating eelgrass along the ' bottoms in Canada and France in the making of paper, than along the surface, and the surface floata- and at one time in the production of guncotton tion may be the result of boats and dredges, in. Germany. The disappearance of eelgrass re- which stir up the bottom and cause the eelgrass sulted. in the decline of several communities that to rise to the surface. Where the normal depth of depended on it for their livelihood, but.the revi- Great South Bay averages about six feet, in val of eelgrass has not seen a revival in its use. many areas dredging has produced sinkholes of twenty feet or more. These holes have accumu- The discovery of an economic use for lated deposits of dead eelgrass and the decay of eelgrass will lead to the final solution of this eelgrass underwater, without oxygen, has the so-called eelgrass problem. The econ- lead to the production of hydrogen sulphide, the omic use, which would pay for the cost of "rotten egg gas," so-called because of its collecting, processing and delivering the smell. This 'has occurred particulafly along grass to the consumer, will pay for its re- shorefronts where fill from the bay bottom has moval from troublesome areas. Of the many possible .ways eelgrass could be been used to make new homes, parks, and the utilized, perhaps its uses as a fertilizer, like. Hence, part of the offensiveness of rotting And insulation, or a packing material are eelgrass may be a by-product of poor dredging. the most preferable and robable for further economic development.94 The offensiveness of rotting eelgrass may also be caused more by a combination of algae or pol- The eelgrass itself can serve to improve the ma- lution and eelgrass, rather than eelgrass alone. rine environment, since it provides a natural There is a greatneed for further research onthis habitat for many species of fish and shellfish, problem, as well as research into the general including weakfish, eels, scallops, and schools ecology of Great South Bay. of juvenile fish seeking protection from their natural predators. The protective aspect of the There seems to be no cure for the nuisance that eelgrass, along with its propensity to produce eelgrass has caused, unless private entrepren- plankton and its decomposition role, may indi- eurs begin to harvest it as a commercially feas- cate that the recurrence of eelgrass will in- ible product. Since one underwater acre can pro- crease the quality and quantity of fish in the duce about 8-1/2 dry tons of eelgrass, and the ocean and bays. It also is the chief food of the growth of eelgrass has been spreading steadily Brant (a species of migratory goose). There is over the last three years, this may be the ulti- an explanation or cure of the floating eelgrass mate solution. 3-11 SECTION 3 Pollution The ,near shore environmentis ... of critical Health has found it necessary to refuse to grant importance. This environment is being bathing permits to a small number of beaches on modified rapidly, by human activities, in both the north and south shores and on some in- ways that are unknown in detail but landlakes. 3 7 A joint survey by the United States broadly are undesirable. Geologic Survey and the Suffolk County Water Pollution, which renders beaches unsafe Authority indicates the presence of ABS (syn- for swimmers, destroys valuable fisheries thetic detergents) in the ground water and in and generally degrades the coastline, is most of the streams tested. 38 This is a positive the chief modification. 35 indication that sewage is finding its way, not only into our drinking water supply, but also in- One of the major causes of the diminution in to our recreational waters. value of the marine environment has been from Large quantities of shellfish are taken from pollution caused by the presence of an active Great South Bay and Long Island Sound by both residential, industrial and agricultural community commercial fishermen and local residents. Great along its shores. South Bay was the original "home" of the fam- ous "Blue Point" oyster. The growing and mar- Sewage keting of shellfish is still potentially one of the most profitable natural industries in Suffolk The waters surrounding our shores are a price- County. At present the New York State Conser- less asset which furnish pleasure to county res- vation Department prohibits the taking of shell- idents and draw thousands of visitors each sum- fish from the numerous creeks and canals that mer to participate in the recreational pleasures empty into the Bay and for a distance off shore of boating, bathing and fishing. Most of these of approximately one-half mile. Pollution attend- waters, at the present time, are clean, attractive ant to populated areas along the creeks and and unpolluted. Residents and visitors may shore front is the reason for this ban. swim, in most instances, without fear for their This form of pollution and its relation to shell- health. The inland areas contain many attractive fish has been discussed thus far from the sani- lakes and streams which provide recreation for tary point of view. The Public Health Service, those who prefer fresh water sport. in view of health standards, requires that the Coincident with the increasing population which conservation department maintain a close watch has occurred along the shorelines evidences of on all the waters in which shellfish may be pollution have begun to appear in these waters. taken. Since polluted grounds are very fertile For example, the Suffolk County Department of the shellfish do grow well. This, unfortunately, Health has observed through its beach program a creates a law enforcement problem since there slow but steady deterioration in quality of these are unscrupulous individuals who, if given the waters.36 The pollution first evidences itself in opportunity, will harvest this crop and sell it to the populous areas and proceeds to fan out. Pol- unsuspecting buyers. lution is inevitable. The shoreline areas are not In order to maintain these waters in a quality conducive to the use of individual disposal sys- state where they can be used without concern tems, with the result that the overflow from for injury to health it is necessary to provide for cesspools, seepage of polluted ground water, the public collection, treatment, and disposal of and illegal direct discharges of sewage find sewage as the only safe manner in which to dis- their way into the surrounding water. Within the pose of these wastes. With a continued popula- past 10 years the Suffolk County Department of tion increase in the use of individual disposal 3-12 systems with their subsequent failure, pollution Nutrient pollution, particularly in the Great South will progress to a point where these waters may Bay, has created the problem of fostering micro- be hazardous to use. scopic green algae that is becoming so dense (five million to a cubic centimeter of water) that The provision of public sewers for populated the shellfish find it virtually impossible to sur- areas would protect the waters of the bays vive. In the Moriches and Great South Bays much presently open for shelifishing. The failure to of this nutrient pollution can be directly attrib- provide public sewers will result in the shore uted to the duck farm operations located on the front pollution extending further and further into estuaries. The lack of good flushing action in the bays. Similar conditions apply to Long Is- the Moriches Bay has caused a spread of this land Sound on the north shore but to a lesser ex- nutrient into the Great South Bay. Examination tent due to more positive dilution by tidal action. by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute of many In recognition of this problem the Suffolk County of the duck ponds in fresh water areas indicates Board of Supervisors has authorized the creation the saturation of these ponds with algae that can of a Suffolk County Sewer Authority for the visibly be detected by the pea soup green establishment of a coordinated sewerage system color. 4 1 It is possible that a portion of this prob- for the western five towns. 39 Nassau County is lem could be alleviated by the reopening of the in the process of establishing its third sewer Moriches Inlet with a consequent flushing action. district. However, it would appear that the best solution would be to implement the laws requiring com- Industrial and Agricultural Pollution plete treatment of the wastes from, the duck A second aspect of pollution apart from sanitary farms before discharge into the bays. concerns may be called nutrient pollution. This results in the over- fertilization of the bays and Pesticides harbors from all types of upland effluents in- cluding lawn and farm fertilizers as well as Another area of pollution is caused by the use cesspool and raw seepage, both human and duck of pesticides. This is probably one of the most farm waste. serious because of the difficulty of treating it and the complexity of the results produced by it. A serious pollution problem which caused It is known that a large amount of chlorinated the failure of a once prosperous shellfish hydrocarbons, namely DDT, and similar pesti- industry and lessened the recreational use cides are used for crop control on the uplands and esthetic value of Great South Moriches and mosquito control in the salt marshes and and Shinnecock Bays prompted the towns tributary streams, in addition to their use in of Islip and Brookhaven to commission catch basins. Through seepage, ground water Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution to flow, and direct contact much of this material conduct an analytical survey towards find- finds its way into the bays. Although these pes- ing the causative agents and their neces- sary remedial measures. 40 ticides are relatively insoluble, they appear to be transported to the micro-organisms in the water and, are concentrated as part of the food Their findings indicate that these materials en- chain which results in appreciable amounts be- tering the Bay waters continually add extra ing found in fish, fish-eating birds, and other phosphorus and nitrate that eventually enriches carnivores. the waters to the point where the ecological balance is upset resulting in a diminution of the Unfortunately, not much is known about the re- optimum environment affecting shell and finfish. sultant effects on the marine life other than that 3-13 itis clearthat some species are killed, rendered ready begun a curtailment of the use of DDT. In sterile, or die in.embryonic development, result- Nassau County most of the mosquito control ing in the reduction of the population of higher work is done by irrigation and water control to forms of life such as fish. The reduction of eliminate breeding areas and by the encourage- higher forms of life allows the excessive growth ment of biological life that will feed on mosqui- of algae due to duck farm wastes resulting in toes. DDT was used in the past in Nassau over further pollution by the unconsumed algae dying a four year period. This was discontinued due and decomposing in the bay bottom. to the poor results relative to cost. Spraying in Nassau County is done with malathion. In those The problem of reducing the pesticide pollution areas where management is not effective or may be attacked in a number of ways, e.g., the possible, fuel oil emulsions are used as a lar- search for pesticides with different chemical vicide. Most of the salt marsh mosquitoes have compositions which would break down into rela- been eliminated in Nassau. Most of the existing tively harmless components. This is a world- pest mosquitoes come from stagnant waters. Suf- wide problem. Certainly, beyond encouraging re- folk County still has tremendous problems with search for such chemicals it is difficult to do the salt marsh mosquito. Some of the Island's much in this area. 42 However, since a large mosquito problems arise from the influx of amount of pesticide contamination was due to mosquitoes from Queens and New Jersey. the operation of the Mosquito Control Commis- In other areas of the country, upland marshes sion in Suffolk County, it is reasonable to as- have been flooded and biological controls intro- sume that a great deal of improvement could be duced, such as along the New Jersey coast. In achieved by the use of other chemical pesticides. other words, -the natural balance is relied upon The Suffolk County Mosquite Control Commis- as the means for mosquito elimination. Since the sion has indicated its complete willingness to effect of the various programs is unknown, re- experiment with new forms of control and has al- search in this field is obviously indicated. OEM 77 4 "y Water quality monitoring sampling program., Courtesy: Town of Hempstead Department of Conservation and Waterways. 3-14 14 Iq Flushing of Moriches Inlet The inlet through the barrier beach off Moriches The Woods Hole reports gave three courses of originally existed during the nineteenth century, action to improve the situation of Great South but closed up around 1886. A new Moriches Inlet Bay: 44 was created by tidal action in May of 1931. This 1. Reopen and stabilize Moriches In let, and pro- new inlet greatly increased salinities in the bay vide other inlets to the Bay. -- for instance, the salinity of the water at Smith Point rose from 12.7 parts per thousand before 2. Eliminate the pollution of the Bays by pre- the opening to 30.3 parts afterwards. Over the venting duck farm wastes from entering the water. years, the channel tended to move westerly and to gradually close. Despite dredging and im- 3. Close off Moriches Bay from Great South Bay provements in 1946 and 1947, the channel closed by the use of a tidal lock at Smith Point. completely in 1951. Previous to the opening of the inlet, the salinities of Moriches, Shinnecock In September, 1953, Moriches Inlet was reopened and Eastern Great South Bays were too low for and the shellfish industry immediately revived. shellfish production in general, and few if any Salinities rose, and the counts of "small forms" shellfish were harvested from these areas, al- in Great South Bay declined to near zero. The though the low salinities were favorable to the reopened Inlet reduced the exchange of water be- production of seed oysters * tween Moriches Bay and Great South Bay, thus 11 After the opening of Moriches Inlet, the produc- curtailingthe amountof pollutants traveling from tion of seed oysters was impossible, as the in- Moriches to Great South Bay. The new inlet also creased salinities were favorable to the growth reduced the amounts of phosphorus pollutants in IN of oyster drills, a predator which destroyed the both Bays, by improving the flushing action. 'A seed every year. However, there was an increase After 1953 Moriches Inlet slowly began to refill in the productivity of hard clams, which are not due to the natural shoaling of the tides. The bothered by the drills, and oysters transplanted bays became increasingly dependenton the level from other waters. of rainfall runoff from streams to provide adequ- During the 1940's it became apparent that the ate flushing of the area. During the last few presence in Great South Bay of a small algae, years the reduction in rainfall has lessened the termed "small forms," was destroying the once natural flushing action of Great South Bay. The prosperous oyster industry. Blooms of these dredging of Fire Island Inlet, along with the 'A "small forms" at concentration of 3,000,000 per shoaling of Moriches Inlet, has pulled polluted cubic centimeter and higher in some places were water from Moriches to Great South Bay. The re- preventing oysters from feeding properly. The sult has been abundant blooms of algae from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute identified Moriches Bay to Fire Island Inlet. These algae the destructive "small forms" to be chiefly the have been tentatively identified as Nannachloris algae Nannachloris, a microscopic unicellular as well as types of diatom and flagellate phyto- type of plankton that gave the water a greenish plankton. The growth of these algae forms has color when it bloomed in force. 43 The Nannach- severely affected the growth of oysters, clams, loris blooms were found to favor waters of low and other fish, and the solution to the problem salinity (less than 25 parts per thousand) and by appears to lie in the direction of dredging Mo- much increased concentrations of dissolved riches Inlet once more. However, simply dredg- nitrates and phosphates found in Moriches Bay. ing the inlet will not be sufficient unless a pro- All The cause of the high levels of nitrates and gram of stabilization is also undertaken. Without phosphates was clearly the result of duck farm revetments and breakwaters to stop the continual wastes entering the bay from the many duck shoaling action, dredging will not provide a per- 4 farms located on its streams. manent solution to the algae bloom problem. 3-15 jii@ 'A' T I .0400 2 , if @ A@@ Tidal movements and signs of shoaling at Moriches Inlet. Courtesy: Lockward, Kessler and Bartlett. 3-16 SECTION 4' Education Committee deliberations have been held with near marine locations and is housed in the same representatives from conservation, sports fish- building with the state laboratories of the con- ing, commercial fisheries management, charter servation department. boat operators, shellfish, public health, dredg- ing, private industry, and from its own staff C.W. Post College at Westbury - Offers regularly membership representing education, atomic re- scheduled courses in marine biology in The search, industrial research, land management, Graduate Department of Marine Science. The and planning. school also offers undergraduate and graduate programs in related sciences. It has become clear that the broad field covered by the term oceanography is heavily dependent Hofstra University at Hempstead - The Masters upon education and research. The term oceano- program includes oceanography as one area of graphy in the context of the committee's work is venture. Regularly scheduled courses in hydro- defined as the science of the physical, chemi- biology, oceanography (as oceanic biology), and cal, biological, geological, and temporal inter- general ecology are offered. Conservation of relationships of the marine environment. Mathe- Natural Resources is offered at the undergradu- matics binds these ecological elements together; ate level. The school does not have any marine engineering techniques translate the academic facilities. into workable or applied practices. The study of oceanography therefore calls for a background Molloy College for Women at Rockville Centre - in a combination of these disciplines. The edu- Basic courses in physics, chemistry, biology cational institutions on Long Island are con- and mathematics are offered. cerned with both the pure science and the ap- plied science aspects of oceanographic studies. Nassau Community College at Garden City - This two-year college offers basic courses in phys- Long Island is indeed fortunate in the increas- ics, chemistry, biology and mathematics. ing number of higher educational institutions. There are 14 universities and colleges which New York Institute of Technology (Old Westbu offer some general courses in marine science, Campus) - There are two and four year programs ocean engineering and related studies. The fol- in the general sciences, e.g., life sciences, bio- lowing is a brief resume of those offering medical engineering and aero-space, technology. courses in the fields. 45 Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn at Farming- dale - This school offers graduate engineering Current Curricula and engineering administration programs. Adelphi University at Garden City and Adelphi Southampton College of Long Island University - Suffolk College at Oakdale - In addition to basic The division of natural science offers courses studies, occasional courses are offered in the in sedimentation, geology, marine ecology, and general field of oceanography. They are currently marine botany as well as the general sciences. carrying out a research study of eelgrass in the There currently exists approximately 8,000 Great South Bay, through their Oakdale Exten- square feet of advanced and supporting labora- sion, which owns four small to medium-sized tory space as well as a marine laboratory at Old boats. Adelphi Extension at Oakdale is situated Fort Pond. They operate three boats and have. 3-17 adequate dockage.. Southampton College is the federal laboratories. Originally the Cold Spring only one on Long Island that offers a four-year Harbor Biological Laboratory was devoted to undergraduate prDgram in marine science. marine research. That work has been phased out and they are now currently conducting investi- State University Agricultural and Technical Col- gations in quantitative biological studies. The lege at Farmingdale - Training in practical en- State Department of Conservation laboratories gineering is offered. These courses relate to the at Oakdale is the only public facility that now practical aspects of oceanographic operations. exists in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. At It is expected that marine biology courses will present, however, we do not have anything com- be offered in the 1967 fall semester. parable to other states, such as the Sea and Shore Fisheries Laboratories at Boothbay Har- State University of New York at Stony Brook - bor, Maine. The academic marine programs of- This institution offers the greatest potential for fered on Long Island are in an embryonic stage. the development of the science of oceanography Many other institutions in other areas of the on Long Island. It has a long range plan of de- country have pointed the way such as the Woods velopment of educational facilities for studies Hole Marine Biological Laboratory, Rhode Is- of the marine environment. At the present time land University, University of Delaware and its potential is enhanced by the fact that it has several others including Duke University, adequate space and facilities for oceanographic Rutgers, State University of Georgia, Yale Uni- research and education. There is a present lack versity, New York University, Columbia Uni- 46 of dockage facilities which, however, are avail- versity, and the University of Miami. able nearby. Suffolk Community College at Selden - This Ryther Report school offers a two-year program, in the basic An excellent report entitled Oceanography in courses. In addition an associate degree is of- New York has been prepared by Dr. John H. fered in marine technology. The college is en- gaged in Ithe Goose Creek, Town of Southold Ryther of the Woods Hole Oceanographic In- study, in conjunction with Fordham, Hofstra and stitute as a special consultant to the State Edu- cation Department of the University of the State Southampton College. 47 of New York, in January of 1966. The first United States Merchant Marine at Kings Point - four sections of the report deal with the various This is a Federal school for the training of deck phases of oceanography and its classification as and engineering officers. The four-year program a science. They discuss the development of pro- leads to a Bachelor of Science degree. posed programs and the organization, scope, and function of various types of oceanographic lab- Webb Institute of Naval Architecture - This oratories. school offers a four-year curriculum in hull de- sign and general naval architecture. The fifth section contains an outline of current activities and programs of institutions in the State of New York. A sixth section which is an Marine Laboratories addenda to the original report contains the fol- lowing recommendations which apply to Long In other areas of the nation the direct educa- Island: tional functions are complemented by the work and studies conducted at the various state and 1. The curtailment of any venture requiringlarge 3-18 oceanographic vessels. Every effort should be h. The recreational demands are emphasized. made to avoid duplication of programs. i. Specific mention is made of the possibili- 2. Consolidation of marine geology and geo- ties of the Nassau County Museum of Natural physics at Lamont Observatory with peripheral History as a center for a cooperative effort of study by 'others of the inshore (estuaries and marine study. coasts) processes. The balance of the immediate discussion relates 3. Emphasis on areas of physical oceanography directly to the educational institutions and and marine meteorology at New York University. covers such issues as: the Nassau County Mu- The need for peripheral area studies on Long Is- seum, Sea Grant Colleges, inter-university co- land is indicated. The lack of present field fa- operation, and limitations on the scope of ocean- cilities is indicated. ographic efforts. 4. Oceanographic engineering is indicated as a Nassau County Museum of Natural Histor, primary interest of the Oceanographic Commit- tee of the Nassau-Suffolk Regional Planning Education in the public appreciation sense as Board. It is here indicated that the relation of well as in the academic, is the foundation on Long Island industry to oceanographic engineer- which an oceanographic know-how will develop. ing is embryonic. The potentials in the multi-fields relating to the 5. General marine biology presently comprises marine environment are largely limited by the the major interest on the local scene. Dr. capacity developed to staff the laboratories, man the equipment, and convince the general Ryther notes the following: public of the need to protect and enhance the a. The paucity of marine facilities. marine environment. The County of Nassau has proposed an imaginative program for the develop- b. The need for marine study facilities and ment of a Estuarine Environment 4Center at Cow of marine science study sessions for intro- Meadow, Freeport, Long Island. 8 This instal- ductions to marine life. lation would include a floating laboratory, facil- ities for lectures in marine biology and ecology, c. The difficulties of the faculty I in their and for research into some of the specific prob- study because of increased crowding of cur- lems of the surrounding marine areas. These fa- rently available facilities. cilities would be made available to local uni- versities on a 'rental' basis. It is felt by the d. The need for a major marine facility labor- committee that this effort should be strongly en- atory is emphatically outlined with specific couraged. provisions for teaching and research, in a natural unpolluted marine environment. Day excursions to the Museum by elementary and secondary school classes and youth organiza- e. The establishment of a deep-sea oceano- tions should foster an interest and awareness of graphic center is premature at this time. the marine environment in our young citizens. From this beginning, it is hoped that motivation f. Marine microbiology is indicated as a ne- to enter some aspect of marine work of further glected field as well as the area of ecology. study will be achieved by some of the students. In addition, the general public could become 9. The pressing problems of Long Island's better informed on the relationships of Long Is- concern are pollution of coastal waters and land's unique environment to the daily life of its shellfish cultivation. people. 3-19 Sea Grant Colleges In 1862 the Congress enacted the Morrill Act As an outgrowth of the 1963 conference, Dr. which provided free grants of federal land for Spilhaus with nine others formed a committee to the establishment of Land-Grant Colleges for examine in depth the sea-grant proposal. They the study of agriculture and mechanic arts. The later wrote: concept was one of setting aside federal lands in each of the states in the amount of 30,000 A sea-grant college would specialize in acres for each senator and representative in the application of science and technology Congress. Several of the eastern states, with to the sea, as in underwater prospecting, already established universities andwithout fed- mining, food resources development, ma- eral lands within their borders would have been rine pharmacology and medicine, pollution omitted from the program. Congress also pro- control, shipping and navigation, forecast- ing weather and climate, and recreation vided that, in these cases, funds be provided in uses. It would relate such application to lieu of land. the underlying natural sciences, which underlie social sciences as they are af- fected by, and in turn affect, the occupa- The current recognition of the need for education tion and exploitation of the sea. 50 relative to the marine environment, including underwater agriculture has resulted in a reap- praisal by Congress of the desirability of ex- The 89th Congress passed such legislation. The panding the Morrill concept to include sea-grant Act provides for federal grants to selected in- colleges. Dr. Athleston F. Spilhaus, Dean of the stitutions currently engaged in studies of ocean- University of Minnesota's Institute of Technology ography and related marine sciences to encour- is credited with advancing the concept. He com- age further advances in the field. Twenty million mented in 1963: dollars was authorized for the first two years - 1967 and 1968 - with a 15 per cent limitation on I have suggested _the establishment of any one state. In other words, New York State 4sea-grant colleges' in existing universi- is elegible for a maximum of 3 million dollars in ties that wish to develop oceanic work. aid over the next two years. The funds are to The sea-grant college would focus atten- cover two-thirds of the project cost, with the re- tion on marine science, and it would de- mainder furnished by the recipiant. velop strengths in the applications of ma- rine science in colleges of aquaculture It is apparent, that this legislation offers a tre- and oceanic engineering. These would be mendous opportunity to the universities and col- modernized parallels of the great develop- leges of Long Island in advancing their capabil- mentsin agriculture and the mechanic arts ities and knowledge in the marine fields. which were occasioned by the Land Grant Act of about a hundred years ago. Basic funds, undesignated except that they be used by sea-grant colleges, could be ob- Inter-University Cooperation tained in much the way that agricultural support has been obtained in the past. Oceanography as a study is an interesting phe- Establishment of the land-grant colleges nomenon. One can observe a dichotomy consist- was one of the best investments this na- ing of the very specialized nature of the marine tion ever made. The same kind of imagi- nation and foresight should be applied to environment and its attendant problems, and the exploitation of the sea. 49 almost limitless range of activities, interests, 3-20 opportunities, and study areas.,If Long Island is inity, economic activity, population impact and to achieve optimal results in the understanding pollution -its own ecological system - contained of its own environment it becomes almost axio- in a geographically measurable package, can be matic that duplication of investment in time, fa- considered as a laboratory. Each of the marine cilities and manpower is to be avoided. More- associated assets or debits serves as a con- over, coordination - particularly in the educa- straint on the economy to the degree that its tional efforts -must be a paramount concern. The furtherance or elimination is limited by the amount of investment in any one area is limited. available knowledge. Therefore, pooling of resources, e.g., marine laboratories, library research sites, and equip- Therefore the educational efforts on Long Island ment is essential to efficiency. The problems should be geared to the solving of the physical, must be placed in a sensible order of priority for chemical, biological and socio-economic prob- solution. This requires a cataloging of problems lems pertinent to Long Island waters. If the to insure completeness. It also requires a con- local schools develop a strong competent know- census as to assignment. This may be resolved ledge of the relationships of human population by individual institutions each selecting its to the marine environment, Long Island could own area of interest, or a joint operation by two become a leader in the understanding of a prob- or more schools interested in the same problem, lem world-wide in scope. The success of marine or a combination of the two approaches. sciences and ocean engineering on Long Island is directly dependent on the quality of applied The nature of the sea-grant legislation is another and pure research related to the unique Long Is- argument in favor of coordination. A unified ap- land problems and the training of a manpower proach by the local schools should result in a pool ranging from technicians to PhDs. more comprehensive and strong proposal that would enhance Long Island's competitive ad- In essence, we are calling for an inner-directed vantage in relation to other areas of the state. program. Any attempts to compete with or dupli- cate on-going programs such as at Scripps or Woods Hole would be a weakening of the long- Summary range local potential. The proper time for a widening of objectives will come with maturity Long Island has a unique marine environment. of experience, coupled to private industrial The varieties and degrees of flora, fauna, sal- initiative. 3-21 SECTION 5 Industrial Research The Problem Long Island's most challenging problem is to 6. The biology and chemistry of the aquatic en- carry out a research program that will generate vironment, the relative contribution of various the knowledge necessary to manage its own ma- sources of nutrient elements, and potential rine environment in the face of population ex- means for the effective control of the aquatic pansion. There are many places around the plants that flourish in enriched waters and of world with marine environments similar to Long over-enrichment itself. Island's that.now or will have a requirement to understand the interaction between their popula- 7. Physical oceanography of storm surges, tidal tion growth and their marine environment. If actions and flushing times of bays and estuaries Long Island develops a strong capability in the and the affects of dredging upon flushing times, understanding and solution of its own problems salinities and fauna. it will be well on its way towards being the world center of such research. 8. The impacts of pollutants, such as phos- Extensive research programs will be required phates, nitrates, insecticides, herbicides, de- before we adequately understand the various tergents, and other industrial and household contaminants from human, household, industrial, wastes upon the flora and fauna of the marine pesticidal, herbicidal, or agricultural wastes: environment. how these contaminants reach the marine en- 9. The development of more objective techniques vironment; their effects on the biology and chem- to measure the tolerance levels of different or- istry of the environment; and their flushing by ganisms to pollutants and to identify and assess the physical oceanography of the off-shore the changes in abundance and distribution of or- waters. The type of research needed would have ganisms making up biological communities under to be a comprehensive study that would lead to pollution stress. an understanding of the complex interaction of many different factors upon one another. Some of A better knowledge of these complex biological, these important factors are: chemical and physical interactions is required 1. The life cycle of fish and shellfish. before effective plans can be laid for the con- servation and full utilization of Long Island's 2. The role of the wetlands and the measure of marine environment. the productivity by type of wetlands. Local marine research to date has been sporadic, 3. Investigations of the role our coastal low- uncoordinated and unrelated. The problems of lands (estuaries, marshes and lagoons) play in Long Island are not concerned with deep-sea the life histories of many important fishes and oceanographic projects but with problems assoc- shellfish and how they are affected by pollution iated with in-shore marine sciences. Further- and other man-made alterations. more, comprehensive studies of the marine en- vironment need to be put on a continual basis, 4. The productivity and the role of the bottom so that data can be collected over a series of lands in fish and shellfish production. years for the purposes of analysis. It will be necessaryto definethe data to be collected, and 5. The complex role of algae, bacteria, and when and where it is to be collected. It will also other plankton forms in providing food, and in have to provide for data interpretation to gener- decomposing wastes and bottom sediments. ate knowledge in sufficient detail to support 3-22 effective planning. While it may be started on a return as contrasted to the long return. All re- pilot basis, it will certainly grow into a large search that adds , to knowledge is desirable. and expensive program. However, the aim here is to place a focus on that body of research that is needed to solve the Almost all of the data collection necessary to problems as stated in the context of this report. the acquisition of an understanding of the ef- fects of population growth on Long Island's ma- For this purpose, it seems -reasonable to recruit rine environment must be done on-the Island it- a team composed of marine biologists, physical self, and in its adjacent waters.. Furthermore, it oceanographers, limnologists, marine ecologists, will be expedient if data interpretation is also and other such scientists as are necessary. done on the Island close to the scene of the This group should be representative of the best data collection. talent available -in the Nation. They would be responsible for the. definition of scope of the program. Procedures b. TRANSLATION - Once the scope is establish- ed, it becomes necessary to organize the discrete The level of success to be achieved in the im- parts into a program. This requires a translation plementation of a comprehensive research pro- from the descriptive language -- e.g., we must gram will depend in part on the administrative study the effect of dredging Moriches Inlet as a and organizational procedures that are adopted. method of pollution control of Moriches Bay -- There are several approaches that can be taken. into research language -- e.g., we must system- The following schedule is an example based on atically monitor flushing actions, impacts on the assumption that initiation, coordination, and salinity, sand drift, levels of nutrient aggrega- control will be centralized. Other logical se- tion and so on, relative to dredging the Moriches quences can similarly be developed for other Inlet to relieve the pollution of Moriches Bay. forms of administrative management. The work of translation would also be conducted by the team of consultants. a. DEFINITION OF SCOPE - It is suggested c. PRIORITIES - The money and trained person- here that a review and examination be made of nel needed to carry out a research program of this the local marine environment, existing problems nature is limited. Therefore, it is prudent to and areas of conflict, and potential problems; establish a time schedule or priority roster for with the view towards the identification, defini- the overall program. The first step would be the tion, and description of the specific research ef- selection of a pilot program. In this pilot project forts that must be carried out to gain a total, or methods could be tested, interrelations hips near-total, understanding of the local system. formed, observation posts established, equip- Since much of this is contained in the body of ment developed, and personnel trained. this reportin descriptive language it may appear that this phase has already been completed. Ac- tually, the list contained herein is far from com- The design of the pilot program is a very com- plete. In addition it is necessary to differentiate plicated process, involving numerous choice or between that research which will add to the ac- priority decisions on the topics of study, timing complishment of the practical or economic needs of work, and locations for study. There are two fromthatwhich has esoteric value. This is not a types of priority involved -- technical and econ- debate between pure and applied research; or even omic -- in the con.text of this discussion. There between applied research that has an immediate are others, e.g., bias and expediency. 3-23 Technical priority refers to the logical sequence strong opinion that substantial financial support that must be followed to insure scientific rigor, can be expected. Emphasis of such support has avoidance of duplication, and coordination of documentation in the recent report of the Presi- many steps into a complete entity. Economic dent's Scientific Advisory Committee, Effective priority refers to solving the problems first that Use of the Sea. 51 may yield an immediate return, or that require solving to avoid irretrievable losses. For ex- Contracts should then be awarded solely on the ample, research on sand drift may be valuable basis of costs and competence. If the local in coping with erosion control, beach buildup, schools and research facilities combine their channel stabilization and ecological changes in strength and concentrate on Long Island prob- bottoms. The information gained from such study lems, they should receive as much support in could result in new control techniques that would the form of assignment of responsibility in the save millions of dollars. On the other hand, a program as their capabilities and costs will specific research project on wetland ecology permit. could yield similar returns in improved fish and shellfish production. Both cases involve im- g. MONITOR CONRACT-The pilot project should portant areas of concern. A priority choice would be monitored to insure maximum results. probably result in the selection of the wetland study, since there is a continuing attrition of h. ANALYZE AND REDEFINE-The results must these irreplacable resources. ,It should be be objectively assessed at the completion of the stressed that this discussion is for explanation pilot project. The original consultant team purposes, and no qualitative distinction is meant should be reemployed for this purpose. Redefin- to be inferred. In point of fact, the initial pilot ition of subjects, objectives, priorities, and study should cover as broad a range of studies methods@ should then occur. as possible. i. ITERATION - Steps b-h should be repeated The consultants would advise on the technical for the expanded program. priorities. However, the economic priorities must be chosen by the local interests. Facilities d. PROPOSAL FORM-The pilot program written in research language must now be put into proposal The ability to carry out a wide range of research form. This includes the scope of services, per- projects is in part dependent on the availability formance standards, timing, monitoring proce- of research facilities, i.e., proper sites, labora- dures, legal requirements, and form of reports. tories, and supporting equipment. There is a current paucity of such facilities on Long Island. e. SOLICIT PROPOSALS - All qualified research although several private firms are engaged in groups: educational, institute, industrial or oceanographic research and development on private, should be invited to submit proposals in Long Island. It is estimated that the current accordance with the established forms. annual investment for commercial research by private firms amounts to 2-1/2 million dollars. f. SECURE FUNDS AND AWARD CONTRACTS - However, with the exception of shellfish and On the basis of submitted proposals, funds should pollution-oriented studies, this research and de- be sought from federal, state, and local govern- velopment is not directly concerned with the ma- ments, foundations and other private sources, to rine environment of the Island but in the devel- finance the pilot program. It is the Committee's opment of underwater commercial and military 3-24 products. Although Long. Island has many unique addition, the New York State Department of Con- attributes and locational advantages, research servation is investing 1.65 million 'dollars 1or and industry not related to the local marine en- marine research facilities on the campus at vironment could find many other sites along Stony Brook -and its related facilities at Flax - 51 other areas of the coast. Pond. What are needed are facilities devoted to the Other state programs have and will'serve in a problems of the local unique marine . environ- peripheral support role. These include the fund- ing of land acquisition programs, 57 and the var- ment. If excellence is developed in this direction it can be expected that industrial spinoffs -- re- ious grant provisions of Section 5A of the., Con- servation Law for water and pollution studies. 5 8 search and development, hardware production and maintenance of related hardware -- would FEDERAL PARTICIPATION Direct research result. projects relating to the local marine environment LOCAL EFFORTS - Industry has a significant have been undertaken in the past by the U.. S. role to play by investing its research talents, ef- Coast and Geodetic Survey and the U.S. Corps of forts and money in bolstering the growth in Long Engineers on tide studies, bottom topography,, Island based-ocean engineering, technology, hard channel development, harbor dredging and. eros- ware production and marine food fields. In fact, ion control. The Corps was recently assigned the major initiative must come from the local the task of carrying out a, pollution study of community, public and private. 52 This does not Great South Bay. 59 preclude federal or state participation. It would be welcome. Realistically, it must be recognized These activities all contribute I to. the store of that federal and state support is eagerly sought knowledge. However, the most.publicized role by most communities. Those communities that of federal participation has been about the poss- develop a capacity and know-how should be in a ibility of establishing a major national oceano-. more favorable competitive position. graphic research institute on Long Island. Spec- ulation in this direction was given impetus by There are several encouraging signs that this is the creation on December 26, 1965 of an Institute taking place. Nassau County and the Town of for Oceanography. 60 This followed previous cen- Hempsteadhave proposals advanced by the Nas- tralization moves, such as the merging of the sau County Museum of Natural History and the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, the Weather Department of Conservation and Waterways for Bureau, and a Radio Research Laboratory into the creation of new research facilities. 5' The the Environmental Science Service Adminis- County of Suffolk has made park lands available tration. for research sites. 54 Local universities and col- leges are indicating their desires and intentions Dr. Harris B. Stewart, Jr., the Director of the to enlarge their efforts in marine research. These Institute in talking of the long-range objectives programs and efforts should be strongly encour- said . ..... like all oceanographers', I would:like aged. to see the Institute's headquarters on a coast- line." He added that the prospects, however, are. STATE PARTICIPATION - The State Education a long time away. The promise of -achieving Departmenthas designated Stony Brook Univers- prominence and,eco.nomic gain by virtue of such ity as the marine science center for the entire action is indeed inviting. The likelihood of this New York State University system. -55 The Insti- occuring is another matter. In the first place, tute of Marine Sciences at the school will provide there is considerable confusion concerning the. a strong nucleus for research development on various types of national marine laboratories. Long Island. Flax Pond has been acquired by the and institutes that could or would be established State to be used for marine biological work. In on Long Island. In the second place, there must 3-25 be a realistic appraisal of Long Island's com- would provide for a marine research laboratory petitive position among the other communities, employing 70 technicians and scientists. It from Maine to Florida, with similar aspirations. would also provide berthing and a base for ocean The PSAC report 61 recommended two types of vessels of the survey which have a combined facilities--a data center, and specialized labor- complement of 200 men. Four sites on Long Is- atories and facilities for marine studies. land, as well as many others on the east coast meet the site selection criteria established by The data centershould function as the country's E.S.S.A. The following criteria have been set 01 chief supplier of oceanographic data. The exist- forth: ing National Oceanographic Data Center, funded by contributions from various. agencies is oper- a. The site should contain deep-water port facil- ating at far less capacity than current demands ities to accommodate at least five vessels at warrant. Increased activities in ocean research, dockage with a minimum of 25 feet of water. both federally andprivately raise the importance of the Data Center. The Panel recommended that b. The site should contain a minimum of 8 acres. a substantial increase over the present 1.4 million dollars be funded so that the Center can sub- c. The site should be in proximity to higher 01 stantially improve its services. academic institutions and other research fa- cilities. They also recommended that the specialized laboratories and facilities should be 11 ... appro- d. The site should be in proximity to an adequate priately located, whenever possible, near uni- housing supply of low to high-cost range. versities or other scientific centers for the con- tributions that such centers can make." e. The site should be capable of being serviced by adequately staffed and equipped local ship Among the laboratories called for, mention is handling and repair firms. made of the need for a temperate zone marine laboratory. This is the only facility that bears Four locations on Long Island that currently close relevance to Long Island. meet all or most of the criteria are: Temperate Zone Marine Laboratory with a. Hempstead Harbor - Town of North Hempstead controlled environment facilities for main- tenance and study of communities and or- b. Port Jefferson Harbor - Town of Brookhaven ganisms of the temperate seas, especially those of the open oceans, including food c. Greenport Harbor - Town of Soithold fishes. Its location should be readily ac- cessible to the open sea to permit direct d. Fort Pond Bay - Town of East Hampton support of field studies as well as labor- atory investigations. 62 However, it must be observed that the research carried out by this facility would not be aimed At the present time there is only one proposal towards the solution of Long Island's marine put forth by any agency of the federal govern- problems. Therefore, the importance of the lo- ment for the immediate creation 'of a marine- cation of the E.S.S.A. facility on Long Island oriented facility on the east coast. The E.S.S.A. in this regard has been locally overemphasized. plans to establish a joint facility for the Coast The major emphasis of Long Island's effort and Geodetic Survey and the Institute for should be aimed at developing research facil- Oceanography on the east coast. The facility ities that focus on local problems. 3-26 SECTION 6 Economic Aspects The marine environment is important to the eco- led to a concentration on other types of "trash" nomic health of Long 'Island. The 1965 total or industrial fish. value of marine related industries is conserva- tively estimated at approximately 180 million The output of the industrial fishery is used to dollars (see Table @ 11). This does not take into make fishmeal and fish oil. The ground up whole account educational dollars, the full value from fish produces a fishmeal of about 60-74 per cent protein content. The use of fishmeal in the poul- tourism -_ largely dependent on the marine attri- try industry has allowed for the production of butes of Long Island or current industrial ac- tivities in ocean engineering. chickens at less cost and in less growing time and has given the United States the competitive A substantial improvement in the health of the edge in world markets in broilers and fryers. marine environment could mean an increase in Fishmeal is also used as a food for cattle, mink, commercial and sport fishing, tourism and rec- hogs and other animals, as well as trout. reation, shellfish production, and boating of at An improved type of fishmeal called fish protein least an additional 200-250 million dollars an- concentrate (FPC) can also be produced from nually. The full development of Long Island's these industrial fish. This product is odorless marine potential could yield a total value many and tasteless and can be stored indefinitely times this amount. Conversely, a substantial de- terioration .of this environment could lead to a without spoilage, since all of the fish oil has been removed. A plant for producing FPC was corresponding decline of this segment of the recently established in Greenport, entailing an economy.. investment of over 1 million dollars. 63 Unfor- A discuss .ion of the specific marine activities tunately, this plant created a public nuisance follows: with its odor, and together with a shortage of fish, these circumstances have forced it to close temporarily. There is however, a good Commercial Fishing potential for an FPC industry on Long Island, if adequate standards are institutedto prevent The U.S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries re- nuisance factors. The operation of such an in- ports that the annual value of commercial fishery dustry would be a boon to the fishing industry, of eastern Long Island is worth a total of 3 mil- resulting in twelve-month employment. It is also lion. dollars dock side of which food fishery is possible that the growth of an FPC industry valued at 1'rhillion dollars. The balance repre could lead to the development of ancillary food sents industrial fish. Long Island produces packaging and processing on Long Island. about 67o of -the total fish caught in the nation. Fish oil is a product of several uses -- particu- The food fishery concentrates on flounder, blue- larly as a cooking oil. However, products made fish, fluk e, mackeral, cod, whiting, striped bass, from whole unviscerated fish, such as fishmeal, swordfish and others. The industrial fishery con- FPC, and fish oil, cannot be used for products centrates on fish not used for direct consump- for human consumption in the United States. tion; such as menhaden, hake,, scup, butterfish, The Food & Drug Administration is reconsider- and other -"trash" fish. Menhaden and scup form ing its position on FPC, since it has great po- the major portion of Long Island's fishing busi- tential for feeding people. 64 Fish oil can ness, both by weight and by volume (see Ap- be used in Canada to make margarine and for pendix A-13). In recent years there has been a cooking oils, but it cannot be so used in the marked decline in menhaden catches which has United States. 3-27 The health of the fish industry is intimately quate docks, improvement of the dock facilities tied to the health of the wetlands. The wetlands could attract industry to the area. are a producer of plankton which forms part of the food chain of larger fish. Smaller fish feed The bigger problems faced by the fishing in- on these minute food stuffs and in turn are food dastry are of broader scope than can be solved for the larger fish. Furthermore, the wetlands by this committee. Russian trawlers operate serve as a spawning and nursery area for the within 25 miles of our coast and are government larger fish. Menhaden, for example, spawn in the developed, owned, and operated. The U.S. has ocean or Long Island Sound. When the young fish very few boats big enough to compete with the are about one inch long they swim to the se- Russians, or a source of labor willing to venture clusion of the wetlands, where they find their out to the fishing banks for weeks at a time. 65 food supply, as well as protection from larger The fishery industry is also hampered by a fish. After spending about eight months in these lack of international controls over many fisher- shallow, estuarine, nursery areas, they return to ies, obsolete crew requirements on large boats, the ocean during the winter and may migrate to training programs and the lack of government the south. By this time they have been trans- subsidies or financing enjoyed by other formed from slender, transparent larvae into countries. deep-bodied juveniles, resembling adult men- haden. Although all fish caught by Long Island Shellfish fishermen do not necessarily breed in Long Is- Senator Claiborne Pell imaginatively describes land wetlands, many of them mature here, and the view of oceanographic activities from a preservation of these wetlands along with those manned space station called "Seascan" in the all along the east coast, is essential for the year 1966. 66 The fascination of his predictions preservation of the industry. Without these tidal is that they are reasonably possible. It is the wetlands, the life cycle of the menhaden, as current responsibility to make them probable. well as flounders, fluke, and others, would be broken. Seascan is approaching the most active seacoast in the world. In the bays and Besides the gradual encroachment of housing, estuaries of the Southern New England the productiveness of the wetlands has also shore are acres of farms in which varieties of seaweed, lobsters, oysters, clams, been curtailed by pollution from homes, indus- mussels, and transplanted North Sea sole tries, pesticide spraying, and municipal sewer- are cultivated. On Long Island, not far age. Furthermore, many of the dredging opera- from Orient Point, is the great nuclear tions undertaken in the past have been detri- complex in which sea water is desalinated mental to maintaining the wetlands as producers and fresh water piped to the mainland, of food products necessary for maintaining fish minerals are extracted from the bitterns, and millions of kilowatts of power are life. Hence, wetlands which have not been de- produced. The island bays near the nu- stroyed completely, often show very marked re- clear plant are also sea farms, using the ductions in their productivity. waste heat to cultivate odd warm-water creatures from which biological medicines are extracted. Long Island has a natural advantage in its prox- The entire east coast is marked with sea imit,y to the Atlantic fishing grounds, and Green- farms, and their products are famous... 67 port, Long Island is actually as close to them as New Bedford, Massachussetts. Although The shellfish industry has a long history of Greenport is a good, deep water port with ade- operation on Long Island. Such trade names as 3-28 the Blue Point oyster have made Long Island shellfish farming operation involves a seeding world famous in this area. However, thepassage stage (natural dr by hatcheries) and a cultivat- of time has seen. Long. Island fall from its pre- ing stage. In the natural setting, mature male dominance in this field. Fifty years ago, Long and female oysters in spawning beds emit sperm Island produced 3,300,000 bushels of oysters a and eggs into the water. A mature oyster can lay year. As recently as 15 years ago, though pro- about 100 million eggs a season. Fertilization duction had fallen to 1,250,000 bushels a year, takes place in the water currents, and the re- the Island still ranked as the nation's leading sulting larvae, swim freely for approximately 10 oyster grower, and accounted for 13 per cent of days to three weeks. Eventually, they fasten or the country's total production. At its peak the $$set" on to shells, rocks, and other suitable oyster industry employed .3,000 people and pro- material on the bottom of an open water floor duced a crop valued today at 50 million dol- of a seed bed, usually found in a bay or harbor. lors. 68 But in 1964 production had fallen to Long Island possesses several areas which are 28,462 bushels valued at 315,000 dollars and brackish enough (low salinity) to permit natural represented only 1 per cent of the nation's total oyster setting, however, the highest percentage output. Employment had fallen from 3,000 to a of the best natural set has been grown in Con- few hundred. necticut waters. Due to a variety of factors, Connecticut seed production has fallen to less The hard clam industry has fared somewhat than 1 per cent of what it was fifty years ago. better', with production increasing in the last several years. In 1965 the clam industry pro- During the next stage, the cultivating stage, the duced 5.9 million pounds of clams valued at 5.1 farmer must shift the baby oysters, or dispat" 9 million dollars. The value of the total 1964 from the seeding beds to the growing beds, and shellfish crop was 8.8 million dollars, which in- then to shaping beds and finally to fattening cludes .7 million dollars in bay scallops. The beds. All during this period of growth the farmer decline in the oyster industry has been partially takes steps to eliminate the natural enemies of offset by an increased concentration on hard the oyster (predators such as starfish, drills, clams. (Appendix A-12, A-13 lists the amounts and conches). After a period which can be as of shellfish caught in recent years by types). long as eight years the shellfish can be har- Hard clams are harvested by baymen working vested and sold. with tongs, or by shellfish farmers who seed leased areas and harvest the crop with hydrau- LongIslandhas many saltwater bays with small lic harvesters. Clams are graded into three cat- fresh water streams feeding into them that are egories -- Little Necks, Cherrystones and Chow- highly favorable areas for farming of shellfish, ders. The small clams bring as much as 14 dol- particularly oysters and hard clams. At the lers per bushel while the larger bring about 3 present time, New York State leads in the pro- dollars per bushel, depending on the market. duction of hard clams, although it no longer New York State is the country's leader in the leads in oyster production as it once did. Shell- production of hard clams, due to Long Island's fish can be one of the readiest sources of nu- output. tritional production from the sea. For example, forty tons of shellfish can be produced from one The decline of Long Island's oyster industry, acre of underwater property. 69 Moreover, shell- and the problems of the shellfish industry in fish contain twice as much iron, pound for pound, general can be traced to several causes -- some as sirloin beef. They are rich in copper; phos- man-made and some natural. It takes five to phorous, calcium, iodine, and Vitamins A,B,C, eight years to grow a marketable size crop of and D. They are a food with a low caloric con- oysters and clams. With respect to oysters, the tent. 3-29 There are four elements necessary for success- 2. CLEAN WATERS AND FOOD SUPPLY ful shellfish farming: Shellfish can only grow if there is an adequate food supply in the waters they inhabit, and if 1. Adequate sources of shellfish seed. these waters are free from toxins. Bacterial pollution can contaminate otherwise harvest- 2. Clean waters and adequate food supply. able shellfish, and ruin a crop. Nutrient pollu- tion (or over-fertilization) causingalgae blooms, 3. Control of underwater and shore front property. is an equal threat to the industry. The growing encroachment on the island's wetlands by new 4. Control of natural predators. housing has destroyed much of the food sources for shellfish. It is the minute protozoa and algae 1. SOURCES OF SEED-Therehas been evidence produced by these wetlands that the oyster con- that natural set as a source of seed will face sumes. The average oyster pumps 50 gallons of extinction unless immediate steps are taken to water a day through its gills in order to secure remedy the situation. One of the main reasons its food supply. forthe accelerated decline was the catastrophic storm of November, 1950 which virtually wiped The growing population on Long Island has pro- out the natural seed and spawning beds in Long duced sewerage wastes which have polluted Island Sound. The disappearance of a number of many of the potential shellfish farming areas. oyster firms after the storm also reduced the Of the 549,000 acres of active shellfish produc- fight against predators. A bi-state (Connecticut- tion land in and around Long Island's shores, New York) cooperative study and development 145,415 acres (26 per cent) are permanently program to achieve the restoration of natural closed to harvesting due to pollution (see Ap- seed areas (principally in Long Island Sound pendix A-6, A-10). Besides contamination, wastes near the Connecticut shore), is desirable. such as duck farm effluents have often caused a nutrient imbalance and a resulting bloom of An alternative approach which has only recently algae. The studies of the Woods Hole Oceano- been pursued is the controlled production of graphic Institute shortly after the end of World seed by special pond culture or hatchery tech- War 11 showed that the over-fertilization of the niques. waters of the Great South Bay by duck farm wastes combined with a peculiar water circula- Pond cultures have been used in Europe and tion pattern, caused a bloom of small plankton Japan, and only on a limited extent in this area. algae called Nannocbloris of over 5 million per There exists severalponds on Long Island which cubic centimeter of water.70 This algae bloom could be adopted to seed production by applica- was a non-nutrient weed-type growth which tion of these foreign techniques. For example, crowded out needed nutrients, and resulted, in the use of Japanese techniques in a pond on shellfish starvation, and was the chief deter- Fisher's Island produced over $100,000 of seed rent of shellfish production in the Bay. At that oysters in one year. A brighter prospect is the time, a partial solution to the problem was pro- development of hatcheries or greenhouses where vided by dredging of Moriches Inlet to improve seed can be produced under an environment of the circulation pattern and prevent the wastes controlled temperatures and food supplies -- such from flowing westward into Great South Bay. as protozoa and algae -- needed to grow oysters. When Moriches Inlet is large enough to flush The four existing hatcheries are too small to Moriches Bay, the over-fertilization problem of supply all of the seed needed to revive the Great South Bay is lessened. oyster industry. 3-30 3. UNDERWATER AND SHORE FRONT PROP- establishments to support the land-based phase ERTY PROBLEMS - Long Island is particu- of shellfish farming. These needs include ade- larly blessed with over 900,000 underwater acres quate docking facilites for shellfish vessels to suitable for shellfish farming in its general vic- both dock and unload, and shore front areas inity. Only .40,000 acres, is presently leasable, with clean waters for the establishment of shell- and only a small percentage is actively farmed fish hatcheries. In some cases, the shellfish because of the lack of seed oysters. These do industry has had to compete with other, non- not include the spawning beds, where the criti- marine oriented, industries for clean water loca- cal firtilization process takes place. Since one tions, forcing it to absorb high overhead costs good acre of shellfish producing ground has the in terms of land acquisition and taxes. capacity to hold 500 bushels of marketable shellfish, this unused land representsa vast un- 4. CONTROL OF PREDATORS - In the past tapped natural resource. Le -asing of. land is es- years there has been a rise in the population of sential to encourage scientific farming rather some of the natural enemies of shellfish. There than reliance on natural propagation. In the has been an unprecedented rise in the oyster towns of Islip, Huntington, and Brookhaven, drill population in Gardiner's Bay, particularly, where a balanced farming program between bay- in all Long Island waters in general. There has men and farmers has been initiated, shellfish also been an influx of a highly prolific and fast cultivation and propagation has been on the up- growing barnacle in the Gardiner's Bay and grade. Shelter Island areas that sets in early Spring The shellfish industry needs adequate shore covering and smothering seed oyster crops. 77,7@7 -11 I'll 0- _T 7777 I NO." 4 4Y. IMF- VI' Elimination of starfish. 3-31 01 Finally, there has been a very rapid increase of Nassau County was second with 4 million tons. starfish in Long Island Sound spreading into Forty to forty-five per cent of the sand and Huntington and Oyster Bay Harbor. One starfish gravel sold to New York City customers was alone can consume an estimated200 to 400 seed shipped by water. oysters a year -- and there are probably billions of starfish in Long Island Sound every year. The. existence of restrictive zoning ordinances on upland sites mean that future mining may in- The use of chemicals, such as lime, and high creasingly turn to dredging operations. These frequency sound waves for the elimination of dredging operations can occur in waters up to these predators have been confined mostly to 30 feet of depth, and are usually accomplished laboratory experiments. The shellfish industry by an endless chain or dipper-type dredge. Since has helped itself through research and the use bottom lands are in the public domain, dredging of good resource management techniques. How- operations for sand are usually part of a town or ever, the industry in its weakened economic county public improvement, where the prime pur- state is unable to support the level of basicand pose is to dig a channel, improve a beach, and/ applied research necessary to solve these prob- or attempt to improve the circulation of a bay or lems. In the meantime, the industry has the con- harbor. tinuing obligation to attempt better resource management techniques. Major controversies have arisen when the public benefit was either negligable or non-existent. If the problems are solved, it is estimated that The Suffolk County Board of Supervisors, in re- the present leasable acreage is capable of pro- ponse to a series of newspaper articles on the ducing a crop of oysters valued at 100 million subject have indicated that they would support dollars annually. 71 a policy of prohibiting the use of the two county dredges to those operations that justify or prove SAND AND GRAVEL MINING their public benefit.73 Instead of requiring gov- ernmental, expenditures for harbor improvements The sand and gravel industry is the counties' the usual practice is for the township to allow only mining operation and has an annual payroll commercial dredging to take place. The town of about $4,000,000.72 Although a valuable nat- gets the work done and also recovers a royalty ural resource, it can be found easily throughout for each ton of sand and gravel taken. The im- much of the north shore of Long Island. About provement of Huntington Harbor would have 90 per cent of the sand and gravel produced cost, ordinarily, 2 million dollars. Because the comes from upland mining operations. There now bottom consisted of usable sand and gravel the exists many zoning controls which prevent the town was able to sell the privilege of mining spread of this type of operation, due to the un- this resource and realize a 0.5 million dollars 74 sightly land scars it leaves behind. The result profit. has been that sand and gravel dredged frombays and harbors has found a profitable market. It Usable s-and and gravel bottoms exist, primar- should be noted that many of the upland opera- ily, on Long Island's north shore, but it is not tions were located adjacent to harbors, so that entirely clear that dredging of these areas has sand and gravel could be transported by barge always been a net gain for society. Controls on to New York City. The City is the largest mar- dredging often have been sloppy or non-exist- ket for this output, due to the construction in- ent, resulting in contractors digging deeper dustry requirements. During 1965 Suffolk County channels than called for; dredging areas not produced 6.5 million tons of sand and gravel within their contract; or leaving large and irreg- and was the largest producer in NewYorkState. ular "sink holes" on the bottom. 3-32 Furthermore, it has been argued that, like other been a thriving duck industry' on Long Island. types of dredging, aquatic sand and gravel oper- Today this -industry produces, Annually, 7 to 8 ations disturb the ecological environment of the million ducks having a value of 13 to 15 million bottom. The churning up of the bottom creates a dollars. 75 The duck industry is located -today silt which covers the bottom and blocks out sun- along the shorefronts and riverfronts of the light, thus killing off plants by ending photo- Towns of Riverhead, Southampton and Brook- svnthesis. This not only ends the food supply haven. This industry provides 1,500 jobs And a of finfish and shellfish but stops one of their 3 million dollar annual payroll. The 45 firms of major sources of -oxygen -- that which is nor- the duck industry- have a total investment value mally given off during photo synthesi s. Further- of about 30 million dollars. About SO. per cent of more, the decay of the aquatic animals killed off all ducks grown in the'United States come from' in the process results in the production of noxi- Long Island; The ducklings are hatched in -in- ous gases detrimental to other life forms. cubators and take two months to grow to a mar- ketable weight of 4-1/2 - 5 pounds.- Besides the On the other hand, it is argued that the bottom value of . the duck meat, the duck farmer finds a ooze or mud is not nearly of such ecological im- valuable commodity in duck feathers, which. portance as the wetlands, and since this type of bring in about7 per cent.of the total duck farmer operation does not affect the wetlands, the eco- revenue.76 logical loss is minor. Furthermore, mining oper- ations redeposit the bottom mud back on the bot- During their growth stage, the ducks need a con- tom after removing the sand and gravel from it. stant supply of water in the form of ponds or This mud resettles and new bottom growth streams, since this is their natural habitat al- should recover it. It is further argued that by im- though some ducks are raised. upland. This ac- proving the flushing action of what may be pol- counts for the fact that the duck farms are lo- luted harbors, the ecological condition of these cated on some of the most valuable shore front bays and harbors will be improved rather than property in the region. Because of this water- destroyed. based-type agriculture, the streams running through the duck farms carry off duck excrements In general, the exact ecological effects of dredg- and pollute the downstream areas.-The duck ing operations is not sufficiently understood to sludge has built up in many areas for.so many. prove either argument. However, it is the opinion years that it is now several feet thick and often' of the committee that most of the bottom lands necessitates costly dredging operations of the dredged to date do not represent "mud" bottoms streams - and bays - so affected. The value of the but, in -fact, are hard or sand bottoms that are duck industry to the Island is counterbalanced detrimentally affected by dredging. In addition, by the resulting cost to the general public in the so-called "mud" bottoms are not useless in pollution, nuisance-, loss of bathing, recreationj an ecological sense. They serve the functions fishing,. lowering of adjacent real estate values,- of providing a decomposition zone over a photo- danger to the public health,, and -cost of public synthetic one. In other words, the elimination of pollution abatement programs, including dredg- the decomposition zone alters or destroys the ing. nutrients necessary for the growth of the marsh- land vegetation. Because of the. failure of local authorities t6 cope with the problem the State of New York en-. Duck Forming tered the situation in 1949 with. legislation, di- recting the- abatement of pollution by the duck Since the 1870's when the first white Pekin farms -within. a period of ten years. 77 A; saving-, ducks were brought in from China, there has clause permitting the pleading of poverty was in- 3-33 corporated in the law, however, and combined bacteria and coliforms, and the introduction of with a lack of local cooperation and a lack of certain chemicals to coagulate the dissolved state enforcement, the result has been continued matter, as well as aeration to restore the pollution by the duck farmers. water's oxygen content. This type of operation should be able to remove 90 per cent of the dis- During the 1950's the state did force the duck solved phosphates and nitrates, but it will not farmers to dike their farms so as to separate the be installed on all of the duck farms until 1968, ducks from open and public waters. The State at least. The cost to the individual duck farmer Department of Health, in cooperation with the has been estimated to be $47,000, although 60 Water Resources Board of Suffolk County, also per cent of this cost may be financed by state required that a system of resettlement ponds or and federal pollution control agencies. This lagoons be instituted to filter out the settleable raises serious questions as to whether this pro- solids before the effluent waters were returned gram will eliminate the pollution or merely serve to streams or harbors. This program has been ac- as a delay to the solution of the problem since cepted very slowly by the duck farmers, and in the practicality of this approach has not been many cases the lagoon operation has not been established. sufficient to prevent duck sludge from continuing to pollute the adjacent waterways. Recreation and Tourism The duck pollutants do not consist of only solid Americans spend more money on recreation than material but also in bacteria, coliforms and dis- they do on clothing. Recreation stands number solved phosphates and nitrates. These latter four on the list, exceeded only by food, shelter have rendered extensive areas of Moriches Bay and overall transportation. 80 swimming is the and Peconic Bay unfit for the harvesting of number two outdoor recreational activity of the shellfish, or have lead to a demise in shellfish American people. Twenty-eight per cent of all production in these areas, due to nutrient Americans over twelve participate in fishing, pollution and the resulting algae growth. twenty-three per cent participate in boating, and The present study simply reconfirms Woods seven per cent water ski. Hole's findings. It seems an almost inescapable conclusion that the nutrients added by the duck The provision of recreational goods and services farms result in a bloom of small forms (Nanno- is an important part of the Long Island economy. chloris). Studies conductedin the laboratories of The larger part of this business is marine- the Adelphi Institute of Marine Science show that oriented, and it depends upon the survival of a unpolluted bay water when introduced with healthy marine environment for its prosperity. "small forms" will not support the growth of ad- This would include such activities as boat ditional numbers of "small forms. ,78 However, building, sales and services fishing gear and as little as one per cent duck waste added to boat rental services, as well as party boat oper- this water will support a so-called bloom of ations; swimming and diving equipment sales; "small forms." and the rental of housing to people attracted to the Island's shores. There has been an $18,000 study (85 per cent financed by Suffolk County) undertaken to study the best method for removing these effluents, and BOATING AND MARINAS - In 1965 it was esti- a $25,000 plant is being established to deter- mated that there were about 175,000 pleasure mine the effectiveness of this program. 79 This boatsusedin the Nassau-Suffolk Region, includ- process involves chlorination of effluents to kill ing inboard and outboard motor boats and sail 3-34 boats. It is estimated that Long Islanders spend is tied to the sport fishing industry, which also an estimated 59 million -three hundred thousand depends not only upon clean waters, but water dollars per year on boat upkeep, dock rentals, capable also of supporting marine life. Unfortu- and other operating costs, as well as the pur- nately, the pleasure boat operators work against chase of new boats. They consume approximately themselves when they dump garbage and human 12 million gallons of gas each year, which alone excrement into the bays and harbors. The use of accounts for a 3 million six hundred thousand shipboard toilets is particularly obnoxious in dollar industry. Sales of new boats is an esti- the shallow waters of Great South Bay, where in- .mated 30 million dollar industry. About 2.3 per adequate flushing by the tides results in con- cent of the total pleasure boats in the United centration of their wastes in the water and upon 81 States can be found on Long Island. the bottom. The result is further nutrient and bacterial pollution of these areas. The average marina in the United States does an annual $87,000 average gross. Slip rentals for SPORT FISHING - Sport fishing is a common comparable craft can vary from $5.00 to $70.00 pastime and recreational outlet for the Island's per slip-month, depending upon services offered residents. The sale of fishing tackle, bait, oper- and location. The average cost is probably in ation of party and charter boats and other fish- the neighborhood of $1.00 per foot per month -- ing activities probably amounts to a 45 million or $30.00 per month for a 30 foot slip. The boat- dollar industry for Long Island, conservatively 82 ing industry will undoubtedly continue to pros- estimated. The continuance of this sport de per in the future, due not only to future popu- pends largely upon the ecological health of the lation growth, but to the growing popularity of bays and harbors where the large portion of sport sailing and motor boating. Its health depends fishing is carried out; and upon the maintenance directly upon the maintenance of relatively clean of navigable channels, particularly in Great waters and clean channels. The boatingindustry South Bay. M a @T ZN AUJI N" RWHR 'aps", Party Boats. 3-35 V- PM W WL A &M 1@ P9 MA TRO-0 M latn Fishing Pier Additional facilities such as fishing piers would seasonal homes and apartments contribute 50 provide access to many occasional and serious million dollars to the Island's economy that is anglers who do not have the means or desire to directly ascribable to the marine environment, fish from boats. and not elsewhere classified. TOTAL - The total annual value of the recrea- OTHER RECREATION -Sales of swimming, div- tion industry attributed to the marine environ- ing, and beach equipment is an important busi- ment, conservatively estimated, can be broken ness to Long Island, probably producing 2-3 mil- down as follows: (in million dollars) lion dollars in annual sales. 83 An even larger business derived from the marine environment is TABLE I the construction, sale, and rental of seasonal homes. According to the 1960 Census, there were Boating $ 59.3 42,236 seasonal housing units in the region, Fishing 45.0 33 823 of which were in Suffolk. Since there Vacation housing 50.0 would be little of this housing if there were no Other recreation 2.5 marine environment, we can estimate that these Total $156.8 3-36 Home Building ond Reol Estote The marine environment is important to indus- orientation. Popular demand and avail- tries which are not directly related to it. The ability of suitable land to accommodate in- availability of access to harbors and bays can creased population is the builder's first raise property values by substantial increments. concern. In no event does the average builder wish to see the marine environment The desirability of waterfront property for de- unnecessarily deteriorate or destroyed in velopment often works against the preservation any fashion and will work toward the ac- of the- marine environment, since it often means complishment of these objectives. How- the filling in of valuable wetlands. Furthermore, ever, swimming, boating, visual beauty, sewage from waterfront homes often seeps di- and to some extent fishing are perhaps the rectly into the nearby harbor adding to the pol- major aspects which are quickly brought lution problem. It is difficult to estimate the to mind by the average builder's reflection upon the worth of marine environment to total value of waterfront property on Long Island, his own property. One would imagine that or the total incremental land costs due to proxi- it is not beyond the capability of the mity to the water. In San Diego, a house sells Nassau-Suffolk Regional Planning Board for $8,000 more if it is on the waterfront. Apart- and its subcommittee on oceanography to ments in Columbus, Ohio, rent for $15 more per produce hard fact in support of a program month if they have a view of a 7-1/2 acre I 'lake' to insure the maintenance of a marine en- vironment program in all its aspects, in- which the builder salvaged from an abandoned cluding some which might escape the sand pit. On Long Island, waterfront plots can builder. 85 command a premium of about $5,000 - $15,000 over non-waterfront lots. 84 It seems likely that A portion of the present conflicts between the if current trends continue, all of the wetlands real estate and building industries and their im- adjacent to the mainland will be filled and used pact on the marine environment can be largely for home building. attributed to governmental inertia. Fortunately, the builders as represented on Long The issues of dredging for land-fill with sub- A Island by the Long Island Home Builders Insti- sequent wetland losses become public, after the tute, have proven to be a progressive industrial private investor has purchased the particular group. They have a general awareness of and a property, conducted engineering studies, and in desire to preserve certain aesthetic and produc- some cases has begun construction. It is at this tive aspects of the marine environment. This stage that governmental action occurs, if at all. may be achieved through the use of sound land The amelioration of conflicts and the wise use planning practices including the concept of of resources requires two-way cooperation. Pub- cluster zoning to provide access to the water- lic agencies should make their policies and pro- front, while at the same time preserving most of grams known in advance. In the case of wetland the marsh in an open space use. According to preservation, the proper units, e.g., counties, Richard D. Schoenfeld, President of the Pick- towns, should develop conservation plans that wick Organization, Inc. and an officer of the include the lands to be saved. This would place Institute: the entrepeneurs on notice. Furthermore, land having a definite conservation value should It is essential that while compatibility be- either be acquired by public acquisition of the tween marine environment interests and fee simple, or preserved through modem land de- builder interests could be achieved, it velopment practices, i.e., cluster zoning, density must be remembered that builders are zoning, easements, or the purchase of develop- people-oriented as opposed to any other ment rights. 3-37 Deep Water Ports Presently, Suffolk and Nassau Counties receive volume of visitors will create additional ferry almost all of their imported goods from a New services from the mainland. York City point of access whether shipped by Summary of Economic Value water or land. Some petroleum products come in directly at such points as Port Jefferson, North- There is an ongoing economic base on Long Is- ville, Inwood and Roslyn. Some general cargo, land due to the marine environment. The follow- 01 such as seed potatoes, comes in via Greenport. ing table is an estimate of its 1965 value: Suggestions have been made for the establish- TABLE II OF ment of a major port facility in Suffolk County Total Value of Existing Marine-Oriented providing for the movement and handling of gen- Industries, Nassau-Suffolk Region, 1965 eral cargo. It must be recognized that such fa- (Total value of annual final product estimates, IV cilities would face competition from the Port of New York, Port of Newark, and Port Elizabeth. 16 in million dollars) These three ports have extensive and modem fa- Recreational Activities $106.8 F cilities and presently operate at less than opti- Seasonal Housing 50.0 mum capacity. Commercial Fishery: Finfish 3.0 Shellfish 7.0 While a general cargo facility can be important Duck Farming 14.0 to the County's development, consideration Sand and Gravel 0.-4 should also be given to a port-oriented industrial $181.2 complex offering choice waterfront industrial These marine-oriented businesses generate de- sites. Most waterfront land in the nation's sea- mands in non-marine businesses. Therefore, ports must be devoted to actual cargo handling, their total impact is much greater than outlined and due to surrounding urban land uses, the cost here. The continuance and possible increase in of land is too great for it to be utilized for in- the value of these activities depend basically on dustrial purposes. Yet many industries would be the quality of the marine environment. Programs attracted to industrial land offering waterfront- of wetland conservation and management; re- age as a transportation source, and for cooling search directed towards the solution of existing of industrial processes. Some of these industries problems; pollution elimination; training of are: food processing, chemicals, petroleum re- workers, technicians, and scientists; will all fining, glass and stone products, and transpor- contribute to human well-being and economic tation equipment. 87 gain. Shellfish alone, under improved conditions In the future, the construction of a large-scale can conservatively yield an additional 100 mil- lion dollars annually. No attempt has been made nuclear desalinization plant which would produce to es.timate the potential returns from the other fresh water and electricity, could also enhance existing activities, let alone the return from new the desirability of having waterfront industrial industries. sites in the same area. Itis clear from the preceding documentation that Although marine transportation has a very lim- government, education, and industry working to- ited potential, the advent of the Fire Island Nat- gether to meet the common challenge can offer a ional Sea shore and the anticipated increased bright future for Long Island. 3-38 CHAPTER B: Administrative Agencies and Organizations There are more than one hundred governmental to solve the mutual problems affecting the total units that exercise an interest or control over marine environment. It is true that fragmented some aspect of the marine environment of Long approaches have been undertaken. However, Island. They range in size and scope from the without having a basis to relate the pieces to Congress of the United States to an incorporated the larger problem, many of the efforts amount to village of less than twenty persons. 88 The roles little more than groping in the dark. vary from those of an advisory nature to ones of regulatory control. Many of these units also per- Coordination is necessary among all the en- form operational activities. These interests are tities of government -- federal, state and local -- diverse and often mutually competitive. 89 to protect, improve and enhance the marine en- vironment. Nassau and Suffolk Counties contain thirteen towns, two cities and numerous villages that The lack of initiative on the part of government have water frontages within their boundaries. in general to solve these problems, has resulted Each municipality controls its own destiny in in recent years in the formation of numerous cit- matters of planning and zoning for land use. izen groups on Long Island whose main purposes Therefore, the pattern of development adjacent have been to lobby for corrective actions. to and into the marine waters is of local choice. The problems of pollution caused by some of these uses become a state concern and are sub- Several of the agencies have been discussed ject to Health and Conservation Departments' earlierin the report under subject headings such controls. Channel improvements, beach pro- as "Conservation", "Dredging", or "Pollution tection and stabilization and other dredging Control". This material will not be repeated projects must be approved by the Corps of En- except as it bears on its relationships to the gineers. As a result of these interrelated activ- activities of other agencies. It must also be ities, the marine environment is subject to con- stressed that it is not the intent to discuss every trol in some degree by each municipality in existing unit of government or citizen organ- which the waters are located as well as by the ization. Rather, the purpose is to highlight sig- county, state, and federal governments. nificant examples that either call for remedial action or set a model to be followed and ex- At the present time there is no systematic co- panded upon. Three cases have been chosen. ordination among the various municipalities The first involves the administrative procedures relative to the marine environment. The reso- followed in granting dredging permits. Federal, lution of problems, created by one municipality state, and local agencies, and on occasion pri- that affect other municipalities, has no regular vate citizens, all participate in the process. The means of solution other than through the courts. second case describes a single town effort to By the same token, effective coordination by the cope with the management of its marine environ- various federal agencies that exert control or in- ment. The third case focuses on two notable in- fluence over the marine environment of Long stances of citizen action to fill a void in gov- Island is lacking. ernment's exercise of its responsibilities. The situation is further complicated by the lack Dredging Procedures of knowledge of what should be done. No effec- tive program exists to gain an understanding or In New York State all permits for dredging are 3-39 subject to the rules established under Part 332 (c) The proposal will not endanger the of the Conservation Law, Part III-A as adopted health, safety and welfare of the people of by the New York State Water Resources Com- the State of New York. 92 mission. 90 The only drawback to this legislation is that, Navigable waters -- excavation or fill (1) unfortunately, it does not apply to Nassau and Noperson orlocal public corporation shall Suffolk Counties. excavate from or place fill in the navig- able waters of the State unless a permit 'Navigable Waters of the State' shall mean therefor shall first have been obtained all lakes, rivers, streams and waters with- under this Part. 91 in the boundaries of the state and not pri- vately owned, which are navigable in fact The staff of the New York State Department of or upon which vessels are operated, except Conservation acts as the permit agents for the (italics ours) all ridewaters bordering on Commission. In this capacity the local conser- and lying within the boundaries of Nassau and Suffolk Counties. (Navigation Law, vationagents receive the applications for dredg- Section 2, Subdivision 4) 93 ing, review them in accordance with established standards, and then either grant or deny the re- Nassau and Suffolk Counties are subject to fed- quest. Provision is made for public hearings, eral jurisdiction for all activities that create a review by the central office, and finally by the disturbance affecting navigable waters. The Commission itself. United States Corps of Engineers is the permit The standards are well-written, and if followed agent. It was pointed out in a previous section (see page 14) that the Corps does not address should obviate a current major conflict problem itself to ecological issues in passing upon a of the marine environment. They read as follows: dredging permit. The basis for the issuance of a permit shall be a determination that the proposal The State of New York assumes an advisory role is in the public interest in that: in these two counties. Permit requests are re- (a) The proposal is reasonable and neces- viewed by the Conservation agents. Their report sary. (b) The proposal will not cause unredson- is submitted to the New York State Water Re- able, uncontrolled or unnecessary: sources Commission. On occasion, other state (1) Erosion of soil from banks or up- departments, i.e., Health and Commerce also file lands. reports with the Commission on a particular ap- (2) Increased costs of water treatment. plication. The Commission reviews the findings (3) Loss of crop land and forest by of all reports and files the final report with the flooding. (4) Destruction and failure of natural Corps. This is entirely an advisory function and propagation of fish and aquatic re- appears to be weak procedure. sources. (5) Loss of water for beneficial uses and purposes. Coincidental with the State review, the Fish and (6) Pollution of affected waters. Wildlife Service -- a division of the Bureau of (7) Increase in turbidity. 'Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, Region V, of the (8) Deposition of silt and debris. United States Department of the Interior -- also (9) Irregular variations of water velocity. review these proposed projects and files an ad- (10) Irregular variations in temperature visory report with the Corps. This latter review of waters. (11) Irregular variations in level of is required under the provisions of the Federal waters. Coordination Act. 3-40 It appears that two courses of action are avail- is that such an agency at the local level does able to improve the situation. The Corps could exist. Of note however, is the banning of private adopt similar standards now in existence dredging permits in public wetland areas as of throughoutthe balance of the State of New York, July 7, 1964. In addition, only two sites at Jones or the present laws should be amended to place Inlet are permissable dredging areas for the re- the waters of Nassau and Suffolk Counties under moval of fill necessary for public projects. 96 state jurisdiction. These sites are considered to be of little wild- life value. Town of Hempstead - Conservation and Waterways Another point of interest is the fact that the de- partment prepared a management plan, which is On July 23, 1963, the Town Board of the Town reproduced on the following page, outlining the of Hempstead adopted a resolution establishing allowableuses in the wetland areas of the town. a Department of Conservation and Waterways. 94 This is the first such attempt on the Island and This is unique in that Hempstead is the only can serve as a pilot study for the development town in the State of New Yo ,rk with such an of a comprehensive plan for the total marine en- agency. Among the responsibilities of the de- vironment of the two counties. partment are: Citizen Effo rts a. To promote natural propagation and GREAT SOUTH BAY - Several years ago a cit- maintenance of desirable species in eco- logical balance in the town wetlands and izen's group was organized to combat Robert waterways; Moses' proposal to construct a four lane high- way on the top of a man-made dune across the b. Topromote and maintain sound manage- length of the Great Barrier Beach (Fire Island). ment practices for such propagation and They concluded that the best means to prevent maintenance in such wetlands and water- ways, having regard to ecological factors, this construction and to retain the unbuilt por- the compatibility of production and har- tions of the Island in a natural state would be to vesting of fish and wild life crops with have it placed under the jurisdiction of the Na- other necessary and desirable land uses, tional Park Service as a National Seashore. the improvement of fish and wild life re- sources for recreational purposes, the re- They were successful in this venture. Congress quirements for public safety and the need passed the authorizing legislation creating the for protection against abuse of the privi- lege of hunting, fishing or trapping; Fire Island National Seashore on September 11, 1964. 97 c. To preserve and maintain the channels, creeks, canals, bays and other waterways The leadership of the group soon recognized that of the town in a manner to meet the needs the problems of the Great South Bay had an inti- of boatmen, but consistent with sound con- mate relationship to the Seashore. They also servation practices; recognized that intergovernmental coordination d. To promote and maintain areas of town to solve these problems was lacking. In re- wetlands for public recreation purposes, sponse a new committee was formed to promote but consistent with sound conservation the creation of a "politically-responsible mech- practices. 95 anism of intergovernmental cooperation by which the Great South Bay and its wetlands, bay bot- The committee did not assess the level of toms, estuaries, -marine environment and shore- achievement of this department, since the matter line can be analyzed, planned, regulated and is extraneous to its work. The important factor preserved as a unit." 98 3-41 In essence, they call for a Commission to be grated approach be taken to provide for all the composed of federal, state and local representa- needs, without one use detrimentally affecting tives and private citizens, to treat the bay as a the others. Their goal was the formulation of a unit. The Commission would initiate a detailed plan whose marine uses would be "compatible study of the characteristics, uses, economic in- with the special character of the area and with terests, existing master plans of relevance that one another". 10 1 would lead to the preparation of "a comprehen- sive and enforceable master plan for the conser- The report contains several specific recommen- vation of the bay resource and its marine envi- dations designed to meet the diverse needs ronment and shoreline". 99 culminating in a proposed use plan for the Har- bor and surrounding properties. They also sug- Provisions are also included that would grant gested road and drainage improvements as ad- regulatory powers to the Commission to grant or junct topics to the plan. deny permits for dredging or other disturbance of the Bay during the preparation of the plan. The merits of their plan are not of consequence to the Oceanographic Committee. A more im- The latter point, while logical from the citizens' portant lesson can be gathered. In the absence group point of view is not essential to their of any governmental planning endeavor, private overall concept. It was pointed out in the prev- citizens demonstrated the desire and willingness ious discussion of dredging that the prevention to work together to support a comprehensive ap- of undesirable projects -- from a conservation proach to the uses and development of the-ma- point of view -- could be accomplished by trans- rine environment. ferring the permit powers from the Corps of En- gineers to the New York State Department of In conclusion, it is patently clear that an in- Conservation. creasing segment of the population is concerned with and willing to work for the enhancement of MOUNT SINAI HARBOR - Since 1960, several this valuable resource, and further, that such proposals have been put forward by the County endeavors are necessary and worthwhile. and Town of Brookhaven officials for the de- velopment of Mount Sinai Harbor. This is apart Of course, questions can be raised as to the from the sand and gravel mining operations that validity ofthis separate and fragmented approach are discussed in this report on pages 14 and 15. to the problems that concern the total marine environment. The last section of this report con- In the main, the various schemes called for ad- tains a discussion of the Oceanographic Commit- ditional dredging for boating purposes. The at- tee's recommendations for solving this enigma. tendant conflicting demands between boating, bathing, sports fishing, and conservation inter- ests gave rise to the formation of a citizens' group called "The Advisory Committee for Mount Sinai Harbor". The significance of the Committee's work is that they chose to assume a positive posture. Instead of merely opposing specific projects, they took it upon themselves toprepare a reportoutlining counterproposals @ 0 0 They recommended that a balanced and inte- 3-42 CHAPTER C: Marine Resources Council Background The previous chapters mention the current status of this section contains a discussion of one ex- of the activities, problems and controls relative ample of a combined type that appears to be best to the marine environment of Long Island. Sev- suited to the overall needs. It would be pri- eral physical and administrative factors or con- marily advisory, composed of citizen and gov- ditions weave through the entire discourse and ernmental members, representative of all inter- touch upon each specific topic or activity. The ests in the marine environment. The council majorphysical criteria are seen as the condition could also be assigned operational duties such of the wetlands, the degrees of pollution and as the initiation and administration of a compre- dredging practices. hensive research program. The preservation and wise management of the The form, functions, placement in the govern- wetlands is demonstrated to be a vital link to mental structure, staffing and costs of the coun- the continuation of commercial fishing, sports cil constituency are mentioned. fishing, shellfishing, conservation, recreation and tourism. Form of Agency Pollution in its various forms is proven to be a detrimental force over the same range of ac- Form can be defined as structure and/or the tivities. conventional way of behaving. The term is used hereinthe contextof the administrative behavior Dredging for the creation of navigable channels of the organization. The other connotation of and harbors, the production of fill for the build- form-- structure--i s discussed in the paragraphs ing of uplands, or for sand and gravel mining, on "constituency." affects--positively and negatively--all the prev- iously mentioned fields, and the real estate and Most governmental bodies can be classified as housing industries. being basically regulatory, operational or ad- visory in form. The emphasis is determined by-- The major administrative factors include the and varies according to--their functions, juris- need for coordinated and directed research, ef- dictions, powers, responsibilities, size, methods fective enforcement against detrimental prac- of financing, and relationships to other agencies. tices, and the coordination of governmental functions. The results of the study indicate the The proper management of the marine environ- need for the establishment of a marine resources ment requires all three forms of action. For ex- council with the purpose of coordinating a con- ample, the control of duck farm pollution, sew- tinuous regional approach to the management and age discharge and seepage into the marine enhancement of the marine environment. waters from boats, marinas and land based fa- cilities of any sort, and to a limited extent, the There are several approaches that can be taken, control of pesticides, herbicides and insecti- ranging from an authority with conclusive powers cides is or should be regulated by an environ- to a citizen's board of an advisory nature, or mental inspection and control team. Similarly, varying combinations of both types. The balance the dredging and stabilization of inlets and 3-43 channels, management of the wetlands, and the grams coordinated and resolution of conflicts construction of parks, marinas, bridges are all achieved, is the desirable goal. operational activities. The formulation of a comprehensive plan for the management of the Therefore, it is recommended that the proposed marine environment and the encouragement of council be primarily advisory in form. This rec- its use is advisory in form. ommendation does not necessarily diminish the value of the council, since the initiation and/or Regulatory and operational actions are currently support of regulatory. actions is not precluded being carriedoutby line agencies with mandated as advisory functions, nor does this discussion powers, e.g., the U.S. Corps of Engineers, the preclude the eventual enlargement of the admin- Nassau and Suffolk County Departments of istrative functions to include regulatory activi- Health and Public Works. There are instances as ties at such time as they are deemed practical cited earlier in this report where the regulatory and desirable. powers are seen to be insufficient, or inadequ- ately enforced, or in conflict with actions taken It is also suggested that the assignment to the by other agencies. This is pertinent to the topic council of limited operational activities related at hand, since it can be suggested that all reg- to the marine environment, not currently within ulatory powers be vested within one central the scope of existing agencies, be considered agency. This would entail the transfer of staff, as proper and desirable. duties, and statutoryImandates from the existing Functions agencies. 'The feasibility and desirability of such a move The advisory role of governmental agencies is a is certainly questionable. Pragmatically speak- staff function usually directed towards a spec- ific clientele. This clientele could include the ing, the power structures, -vested interests and general public--or a segment thereof; a superior governmental inertia, represent forces that tend officer or agency; line departments; or a combi- to prevent such implementation. The committee nation of the above. Depending on the clientele considers this resistance to be valid. Greater and the specific nature of the agency, the ad- efficiency or effectiveness would not necessar- visory function could be one of coordination, ily accrue as a result of the transferral of these information or promotion. powers. In fact, the reverse would probably occur. The marine resources council is envisioned to serve the entire gamut of clientele by perform- The specific agencies have the experience, in- ing the functions of coordination, information ternal rapport and administrative control to im- and promotion. prove their performance beyond the level that would be achieved by consolidation. Insufficient COORDINATION - The council would provide powers can be strengthened and inadequate en- the forum for coordinating the actions of govern- forcement procedures can be improved within the mental line agencies. In this fashion, some of existing framework of laws and practice. the existing conflicts in programs and duplica- tion of services could be avoided or lessened. The necessary ingredient that apparently is not, In addition, the non-governmental interests could and probably will not be solved by the inde- be involved, particularly in cases of conflict be- pendent agencies is the means for dialogue and tween public actions and private opposition. coordination between them. A forum, where mu- tual problems may be analyzed, working pro- Another area of coordination involves the field 3-44 of education. The council could serve as a cat- tation, and technical and scientific research. alyst for bringing the various universities, col- The council could hold seminars, publish re- leges and institutes together to work on those ports, support proposals for educational programs aspects of curriculum, staff, facilities and re- and otherwise encourage the appreciation on the search programs related to the marine sciences partof Long Island citizens of the importance of and ocean engineering that are more suited to the marine environment. mutual effort. INFORMATION - One of the major tasks of the Public programs for the provision of adequate committee during the past fifteen months has sewerage systems and water pollution control been the accumulation, cataloging, distillation could be encouraged by the support of the and development of information that is pertinent council. to the issues of the Long Island marine environ- ment. At the present time there is no local The greatest current need is in the solution of central library, data center, or storage and re- the problems attendant to the local marine en- trieval unit available to service government, vironment. It is in this area that the council can industry, education, or the general public on perhaps be most useful. The tasks would include: this subject. The files established by the com- the encouragement of university coordination to mittee represent a very modest beginning. Nev- specialize in local marine problems; and the en- ertheless, the requests already received in re- couragement of the establishment of research cent months from all sectors of the community facilities-national, state, local, foundational reinforces the belief in the value of expanding and industrial-- that will focus on Long Island's the capacity to provide this information. marine problems. On this base, it would then be possible and feasible to encourage the growth The council could serve as the clearing house of marine-oriented industries on Long Island. for this information including data on: the liter- ature, research projects, facilities, legislation, Placement of Agency educational programs, grants-in-aid, commercial developments and general planning efforts. This It is recommended that the marine resources service would be particularly beneficial to the council be created by and located within the county industrial commissions and the private Nassau-Suffolk Regional Planning Board. This business andtechnical. organizations in their ef- recommendation is based on the following as- forts to attract desirable marine-oriented indus- sumptions, reasons and criteria: trial firms to locate in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. 1. The previous discussions on the form and functions of the council indicate the compre- In addition, much of the information already hensive scope of concern with the total environ- available, and that which will result from future ment of Nassau and Suffolk Counties. There- studies, is useful and necessary to the develop- fore, it is logical to conclude that the jurisdic- ment of a comprehensive plan for the marine en- tion of the council must include both counties. vironment. The council should work with and 2. The Board's responsibility for the develop- guide the existing responsible planning agencies ment of a comprehensive plan for the two coun- in this direction. ties, and the council's interest in the segments of the plan involving the marine environment PROMOTION - Dynamic improvements can be are closely interrelated. made to elevate the status and to maximize the 3. The council should be independent of control potential of marine activities on the Island. They from any single interest or bias concerning the rest on public support, governmental implemen- activities of the marine environment. Placement 3-45 within the Board would ensure this condition. This is a convenient aggregation of interests 4. Since the initiative for developing the marine and the committee recognizes that a good case potential, and the powers to guide and control could be made for other. arrangements. It is en- development through planning and zoning are tirely possible and probable that the adopted or- local prerogatives, it is apparent that the coun- ganization will differ from this model. For ex- cil be a creature of local government-rather ample, topics mentioned as work for sub-com- than of the state or federal government. mittees may be deemed broad enough to warrant 5. The Board has the legal ability to create the full committee status. Nevertheless, this group- council in the same fashion that it established ing follows the sequence of the study and is the Oceanographic Committee. Therefore, new flexible enough to include all sub-topics- or additional legislation which often takes time although there is a great deal of overlapping and for implementation is not required. mutual concern in the activities of the marine@ 6. There already exists personnel who have environment. The following paragraph discusses worked in this area with the committee, who can the makeup of each committee. serve as the nucleus for staffing. - Constituency and Organization ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION - This com- mittee would be concerned with issues of con- The membership should reflect a balanced repre- servation, wetlands, and pollution control. The sentation of all interests in the marine environ- membership should include representatives of ment. This requires many participants. In order governmental operating and regulatory agencies, to establish a managable unit, it is suggested i. e., the United States - Corps of Engineers, that committees be set up within the council for Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Park each broad area of concern. Each committee Service; New York State - Department of Con- servation, Water Resources Commission and would be self-operating under the guidance of a chairman and supported by staff, as required. Office for Planning Coordination; Nassau and Sub-committees would be formed within each Suffolk County - Departments of Health, Mos- quito Control, Public Works, Planning, Agricul- committee for each separate topic of inquiry. tural Extension Services, and sewer authorities; The committee and sub-oommittee chairman similar existing town and village agencies; and would meet in executive session to coordinate citizen sportsmen and conservation organiza- the work of the general membership. The execu- tions active in these fields. The sub-committees tive committee would be guided by a general could be limited to conservation, wetlands and chairman. pollution control--or additional sub-committees could be set up as seen fit. The following is offered as a suggested method EDUCATION AND RESEARCH - This commit- of delineating the committees. Three broad tee would be concerned with inter-university co- groupings have been developed in the course of this report. ordination, industrial research, and the guidance of an applied research program. They are: The inter-university sub-committee would be 1. Environmental Protection composed of representatives from each of the universities, colleges and institutes on Long 2. Education and Research Island and should also have participation from non-Long Island schools that have active ma- 3. Commercial Aspects rine interests on the Island. 3-46 IN The industrial sub-committee would be composed gram. For this purpose, it is recommended that a of firm representatives that have an ongoing ma- high caliber research administrator be employed. rine research program, or indicate a desire to This person would require secretarial assist- create one. It would also be desirable to invite ance and perhaps additional professional aid as participation from E.S.S.A. the program develops. The guidance of an applied research program It is also anticipated that some staff functions could be a sub-committee or full committee re- could be provided by the Board in the normal sponsibility. The research program itself is course of operations as it did for the past fifteen operational and basically a staff function. months. COMMERCIAL ASPECTS - This group would be composed of leaders from all sectors of the bus- COSTS - It is recommended that a budget be es- iness community that have a relationship to the tablished within the budget of the Nassau-Suffolk marine environment, including the Nassau and Regional Planning Board for the fiscal year 1967 Suffolk County Industrial Commissions and La- to provide for the following personnel and bor Departments, the Long Island Association expenses: and technical societies. The sub-committee could concentrate on public I - Research Administrator information. and relations, commercial and in- 1 - Stenographer dustrial marine development, and governmental- business liaison. 1 - Clerk-typist Staffing Office equipment and suppl ies The, work of the Oceanographic Committee was aided, by staff assigned by the Board. At the Reports,'membership and miscellaneous expenses very minimum, the Marine Resources Council could operate if secretarial services were as- The committee estimates that this minimum com- sured. However, the real opportunity for progress mitment would amount to approximately 35 thou- liesin the undertaking of a unified research pro- sand dollars. 3-47 The following table or organization is a graphic presentation of the discussion. TABLE III ORGANIZATION OF THE MARINE RESOURCES COUNCIL 7 Nassau-Suffolk Regional Planning Board@ E@ Executive Committee of Marine Resources Council Committee on Education. Environmental and Commercial Protection Research Aspects Conservation] Public. Inf. & Marine Devel. I Rel. IPollution Controll FGo;@t-business liaisonI Inter-univers7ity FApplied Resea7rch 3-48 EPILOGUE IF A MAN HAS A TALENT AND CANNOT USE IT, HE HAS FAILED. IF HE HAS A TALENT AND USES ONLY HALF OF IT, HE HAS PARTLY FAILED. IF HE HAS A TALENT AND LEARNS SOMEHOW TO USE THE WHOLE OF IT, HE HAS GLORIOUSLY SUCCEEDED, AND WON A SAT- ISFACTION AND A TRIUMPH FEW MEN EVER KNOW. THOMAS WOLFE "The Web and The Rock" The unique talent, or gift, of Long island is its marine environment. Few communities have been endowed with such a handsome but delicate gift. The marine environment is a control on the at- tractiveness and health of the island. Well managed, it will continue to serve as Long Island's greatest asset. Unmanaged or mismanaged, it will become a costly and dangerous liability. 3-49 Notes CHAPTER A: - Discussion of the Problem Section I - Background PAGE 1. William A. Ritchie, The Archaeology of New York State (Garden City, N.Y., 3-1 The Natural History Press, 1965). pp. 141, 163-169, 265-271. Jacqueline Overton, Indian Life on Long Island (Port Washington, N.Y., Ira J. Fried- man, Inc., 1963). 2. Rufus Langhans, Nesaquake Tales (Smithtown, N.Y., The Smithtown Li- 3-1 brary, 1965), and Places and Names, 1961. 3. "Island Fishermen: A Handful of Us Left," The Long Island Catholic 3-1 (April 23, 1964). Senator Claiborne Pell, Challenge of the Seven Seas, (New York, N.Y., William Morrow & Co., 1966). p. 102. 4. Yearbook of Fishery Statistics, Food and Agriculture Organization of the 3-1 United Nations, (New York, N.Y.) vol. 18. S. The federal expenditures for oceanographic programs have grown from 8 3-1 million dollars in 1953 to over 300 million dollars at the present time. Similarly, private industry has invested almost 3 billion dollars in continen- tal shelf exploration in the past decade. See the Report of the Panel on Oceanography, President's Science Advisory Committee, Effective Use of the Sea (Washington, D.C., The White House, June, 1966). pp. 66-75. 6. Suffolk County Department of Planning, Economic Base (Hauppauge, N.Y. 3-2 The Department, May, 1962). Nassau County Planning Commission, Se- lected Population and Employment Data (Mineola, N.Y., The Commis- sion, 1965). 7. Suffolk County Department of Planning, op. cit.Arthur D. Little, Inc., An 3-2 Industrial Development Study of Suffolk County. (September, 1965). 8. These groups are discussed at length in Chapter B, p. 39. 3-2 9. See Appendix A-1. 3-2 10. The following men were appointed: Rear Adm. E.C. Stephan, USN (ret.), Dr. 3-2 Clarke Williams, Mr. Leo Geyer, Mr. George Vanderborgh, Dr. Edwin P. Creaser, Sr., Mr. Harold Gleason and Dr. Mark E. Frey. 11. This statement of objectives was ratified by the Nassau-Suffolk Regional 3-2 Planning Board on September 27, 1965. 12. See Appendix, A-2. 3-2 13. Nussbaumer, Clarke and Velsey, Summary of Drainage Report-Suffolk 3-3 County, N.Y. (New York, N.Y., July, 1957). This report dicusses the gen- eral topography as related to drainage. See also the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey's Quadrangle Maps for Long Island of 1954. 14. Lee E. Koppelman, Planning For Open Space in Suffolk County (Hauppauge, 3-3 N.Y., Suffolk County Dept. of Planning, May 1964). p. 6. 15. Col. Thomas H. Wiggin, Report on A Comprehensive Plan for the Develop- 3-4 ment and Distribution of the Available Water Supply of Suffolk County, Long Island, N.Y. (Suffolk County, New York, Suffolk County Water Author- ity, January, 1957). p. 24. Section 2 - Conseruation 16. Mr. Anthony Taormina, of the New York State Department of Conservation, 3-5 rendered such testimony before the Committee on Oct. 20, 1965. 3-51 17. Eugene P. Odum, "The Role of Tidal,Marshes in Estuarine Production" 3-5 The Conservationist (New York State Dept. of Conservation, June-July, 1961), pp. 12-15. 18. Report of the Environmental Pollution Panel - President's Science Advisory 3-5 Committee, Restoring the Quality of Our Environment, (The White House, November, 196S). p. 222. 19. Effective Use of the Sea, p. 17. 3-5 20. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Review Draft of Shellfish Resources (New 3-5 York, August 7, 1962). 21. N.Y.S. Dept. of Conservation, Mt. Sinai Harbor, p. 7. 3-5 22. Mr. Anthony Taormina, loc. cit. 3-7 23. Mr. David H. Wallace, of the New York State Department of Conservation, 3-8 in testimony on September 22, 1965. Mr. George Vanderborgh, president, Long Island Shellfish Farmers, in testimony on November 15, 1965. 24. Restoring the Quality of Our Environment, p. 22. 3-8 25. This estimate is based on various testimony presented to the Committee 3-8 and includes the materials removed by the Long Island State Park Commis- sion for its various park programs. 26. Testimony of Mr. Edward Leitiet and Mr. George Murphy of the U.S. Dredg- 3-8 ing Corp., April 20, 1966. 27. Mr. George Vanderborgh, loc. cit. 3-8 28. Mr. Anthony Taormina, loc. cit. 3-9 29. See Suffolk County Appropriations Bill No. 223, March 28, 1966. 3-9 30. Dredging Ordinance of the Town of Babylon, November 26, 1957. 3-9 31. Mr. David H. Wallace, loc. cit. 3-10 32. Maxwell C. Wheat, Jr. "Eelgrass - A Controversial Link in the Chain of 3-10 Life in our Marine Waters" The Conservationist (New York State Dept. of Conservation, February-March, 1962) pp. 28-30. 33. Ronald S. Wilson and A. Harry Brenowitz, A Report on the Ecology of Great 3-10 South Bay and Adjacent Waters, (Institute of Marine Science, Adelpbi Uni- versity, Oakdale, N.Y., 1966). 34. Ibid. pp. 24-25 -1-11 Section 3 - Pollution 35. Effective Use of the Sea, p. xi. 3-12 36. Testimony of Mr. Jack Flynn, P.E., Principal Sanitary Environment 3-12 Engineer of the Suffolk County Dept. of Health, Nov. 15, 1965. 37. Ibid. 3-12 38. County of Suffolk, N.Y., Report on Need and Feasibility for Public Sewer- 3-12 age Disposal Facilities in Western Suffolk (Hauppauge and Riverhead, N.Y., January, 1962) Appendix B. 39. Resolution No. 494-1965 of the Board of Supervisors of Suffolk County, New 3-13 York, Sept. 27, 1965, establishing the Suffolk County Sewer Agency, and for other purposes. 40. Restoring the Quality of Our Environment. pp. 223-224. 3-13 41. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Report on a Survey of the Hydrography 3-13 of Great South Bay made during the summer of 1950 for the Town of Islip, N.Y. (Woods Hole, Mass., Jan., 1951). 42. Testimony of Mr. Kinsey of the Nassau County Department of Parks, Mos- 3-14 quito Control Division, April 13, 1966. 43. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Report on a Survey on the Chemistry 3-15 and Hydrography of Great South Bay and Moriches Bay made in June, 1957 for the Town of Islip, N.Y. (Woods Hole, Mass., Oct, 1957). p. 4. 44. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Report ... of 1950 ... PP. ii-iii 3-15 3-52 Section 4 - Education 45. The basic list was taken from the report, Oceanography in New York, by Dr. 3-17 John H. Ryther of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. The individual schools were asked to update the information if necessary. Four schools responded. 46. Ibid. 3-18 47. Ibid. p. 37. 3-18 48. Nassau County Marine Environment Center - Feasibility and Recommenda- 19 tions, Museum of Natural History, Division of Recreation and Parks, De- partment of Public Works, June, 1966. (mimeo). 49. Speech at the meeting of the American Fisheries Society in September, 1963 3-20 and quoted in Science, September 4, 1964. 50. Dr. Athleston F. Spilhaus, et. al. Science vol. 15, (June, 1966) p. 1359. 3-20 Section 5 - Industrial Research 51. Effective Use of the Sea, p. 80. 3-24 52. Statement by Captain Everett Snyder, U.S.N. and Mr. Robert Abel at Herit- 3-25 age Motel, Syosset, N.Y., August 24, 1966. 53. Nassau County Marine Environment Center - Feasibility and Recommenda- 3-25 tions, as cited above, also Ralph G. Caso. and Francis Purcell, "Testimony before the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Subcommittee on Fish and Wildlife Conservation on H.R. 11236" (Town of Hempstead, N.Y., June 21, 1966). 54. The Suffolk County Board of Supervisors has set aside a portion of the park 3-25 at Cedar Beach Point in the Town of Southold for experimental research on shellfish. 55. Master Plan of the State University of New York at Stony Brook. 3-25 56. Testimony of David H. Wallace, N.Y. State Dept. of Conservation, before 3-2S the Committee, Sept. 15, 1966. See also the N.Y. State Capital Construction Budget for F.Y. '66-'67. This project is receiving 75% federal financing under P.L. 88-309. 57. The Land Acquisition Bond Act of 1960, provided for the allocation of 75 3-25 million dollars to be spent by local municipalities and the State for the pur- chase of open-space areas for conservation and recreation. See Article 16-C Park and Recreation Land Acquistion Act, Section 875-85. 58. New York State Conservation Law as amended, Article V, Part V-A, (1963), 3-25 "Comprehensive Public Water Supply Studies and Reports." 59. "Harbor Bill Passes" Newsday, September 3, 1966. 3-25 60. Evert Clark, "Ocean Institute is Formed by U.S." New York Times, Dec- 3-25 ember 26, 1966, p. 72. 61. Effective Use of the Sea, p. 100. 3-26 62. Ibid. 3-26 Section 6 - Economic Aspects 63. Testimony of Harry H. Raines and representatives of the Greenport Sea 3-27 Food Products Co. 3-53 64. Senator Claiborne Pell with Harold Leland Goodwin, Challenge of the Seven 3-27 Seas, (William Morrow & Co., New York, 1966) pp. 65-67. 65. As cited by Mr. Cornelius Poillon, President, Long Island Fishermen's 3-28 Assoc. in testimony before the Committee on October 10, 1965. 66. Senator Claiborne Pell, op cit., pp. 1-24. 3-28 67. Ibid., p. 6. The Committee wishes to acknowledge its appreciation to the 3-28 publishers, William Morrow & Co., Inc. for their generous cooperation in permitting this quote to be used. 68. "Underwater Farming Long Island's Oldest Industry and Newest Business 3-29 Frontier" Long Island Commercial Review, Special Section (November 21, 1963), also testimony of D. Wallace and G. Vanderborgh, Jr. before the Com- mittee, September 15 and September 22, 1965. 69. Ibid. 3-29 70. Woods Hole, "Report ... of June, 1957 ...... p. 8. 3-30 71. Testimony of George Vanderborgh, Jr., President, Long Island Shellfish 3-32 Farmers, before the Committee, September 15, 1965. 72. Testimony of Mr. Edward Leitiet and Mr. James Murphy representing U.S. 3-32 Dredging Corp., before the Committee, April 20, 1966. 73. Ibid. 3-32 74. Ibid. 3-32 75. Testimony of the Long Island Duck Farmers Cooperative, Inc. before the 3-33 Committee, December 15, 1965. The total investment in land,buildings and equipment, including processing plants, totals 16.4 million dollars. 76. Ibid. This amounts to 1.2 million dollars. 3-33 77. New York State Water Pollution Control Law of 1949 (now Section 112 of 3-33 the New York State Public Health Law). 78. Wilson and Brenowitz, op. cit. p. 24. 3-34 79. For a history of this pilot plant and the relevant legislation, see "A Study 3-34 of the Pollution Control Effects in Suffolk County, New York, as it Pertains to the Long Island Duck Industry." (Long Island Duck Farmers Coopera- tive, Inc., Eastport, New York, 1965, mimeo) pp. 4-13. 80. Estimates were made on the basis of data obtained from the State of New 3-34 York and from William B. Rick, Planning and Developing Waterfront Prop- erty, (Technical Bulletin 49, Urban Land Institute, Washington, D. C.). p.8. 81. Estimate based on statistics supplied by the New York State Dept. of Li- 3-35 ,censes and information supplied by the National Home Builders Institute. 82. Estimate based on testimony of Cornelius Poillon and others. 3-35 83. Estimate based on testimony of Joseph Dutra, Herbert Bellringer and others. 3-36 84, Taken from material submitted by Richard Schoenfeld from the National 3-37 Home Builders Institute, Washington, D.C. 85. Richard Schoenfeld, Letter to Lee E. Koppelman, May 13, 1966 and testi- 3-37 mony before the Committee, April 27, 1966. 86. Arthur D. Little, Inc. An Industrial Development Program for Suffolk County, 3-38 Report to the Suffolk County Department of Commerce and Industry, p. 70. A full discussion of the locational requirements and advantages for port- oriented operations is contained in Benjamin Chinitz. Freight and the Met- ropolis (Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass. 1960). IL 87. Arthur D. Little, Inc. op. cit. pp. C-1 to C-25. 3-39 3-54 CHAPTER B: Administrative Agencies and Organizations 88. The population of the Incorporated Village of Dering Harbor in the Town of 3-39 Shelter Island in 1960 was 19 persons according to the Bureau of the Census. 89. See discussion on pages 3-6 to 3-9. 3-39 90. Part 332, Conservation Law of the State of New York, Part III-A Laws of 3-40 1965, Chapter 955, adopted by the N.Y. State Water Resources Commission on December 2, 1965. 91. Ibid., Section 322.2 (b) - 1. 3-40 92. Ibid., Section 332.6. 3-40 93. Ibid, Section 322. 1 - (e). 3-40 94. Case No. 9733 Resolution No. 1327-1963. 3-41 95. Ibid, Resolution No. 1327-1963. 3-41 96. Department of Conservation and Waterways, The Hempstead Town Conserva- 3-41 tionist, Vol. 1 (Hempstead, N.Y., Winter, 1966), p. 4. 97. Public Law 88-587 (88th Congress) "An Act to Establish the Fire Island 3-41 National Seashore and for other Purposes. " 98. Excerpt from a draft of a proposed bill to be submitted to the New York 3-41 State Legislature for the creation of a Great South Bay Conservation Com- mission, sent to Lee E. Koppelman by Mr. Irving Like, on September 8,1966. 99. Ibid,, p. 2. 3-42 100. "A Proposal to the Town of Brookhaven for the Development of Mount Sinai 3-42 Harbor," September 23, 1966, (mimeo). 101. Ibid., p. 1. 3-42 3-55 BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS Chinitz, Benjamin -Freight and the Metropolis- Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 1960. Lyles, Charles H. -Fishery Statistics of the U. S., 1963 Washington, D.C., U.S. Dept. of the Inte- rior, Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, 1963. Overton, Jacqueline - Indian Life on Long Island, Port Washington, N.Y. Ira J. Friedman, 1963. Pell, Senator Claiborne, with Harold Leland Goodwin- Challenge of the Seven-Seas New York, William Morrow & Co., 1966. Ritchie, William A. - The Archaeology of New York State (Garden City, N.Y., The Natural History Press, 1965). Yearbook of Fishery Statistics, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (New York, N.Y., 1962). Vol.18 REPORTS Adelphi University -Institute of Marine Science. A Report on the Ecology of Great South Bay and Adjacent Waters, (by R.S. Wilson and A.H. Brenowitz). Oakdale, N.Y., July, 1966. Arthur D. Little, Inc., An Industrial Development Program for Suffolk County- Report to the Suffolk County Dept. of Commerce and Industry, September, 1965. Caso, Ralph G. and Francis T. Purcell - Testimony before The House Merchant Marine and Fish- eries Subcommittee on Fish and Wildlife Conservation on H.R. 11236. Town of Hempstead, N.Y., June 21, 1966. Grumman Aircraft Corporation, Grumman Deep Submergence Qualifications. Bethpage, N.Y. 1965. Glancy, J.P. "Biological Benefits of the Moriches and Shinnecock Inlets with Particular Refer- ence to Pollution and the Shellfisheries". Report to the District Engineer, (N.Y.) U.S. Corps of Engineers, March 30, 1965. Interagency, Committee on Oceanography of the Federal Council for Science and Technology. Oceanography -The Ten Years Ahead. A Long Range National Oceanographic Plan 1963-1972. ICO Pamphlet No. 10, June, 1963. Interagency Committee on Oceanography of the Federal Council for Science and Technology. National Oceanographic Program, Fiscal Year 1966. ICO Pamphlet No. 17, January, 1965. June, F.C. and J.W. Reintjes. "A Status Report on the Atlantic Menhaden." A species report prepared for the 21st Annual Meeting of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commis- sion, Atlanta, Georgia, September, 1962. Lyles, Charles H. -Fisheries of the United States, 1964. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Marine Fisheries, Washington, D.C., April, 1965. Marine Technology Society. Exploiting the Ocean. Transactions of the 2nd Annual MTS Confer- ence & Exhibit, June 27,-29, 1966. Mt. Sinai Harbor, The Advisory Committee for "A Proposal to the Town of Brookhaven for the Development of Mount Sinai Harbor." September 23, 1966 (Mimeo). Nassau County Planning Commission. Selected Population and Employment Statistics. Mineola, N.Y. The Department, 1963. National Association of Counties. Community Action Program for Water Pollution Control. Wash- ington, D.C., 1965. Nussbaumer, Clarke and Velsey. Summary of Drainage Report-Suffolk County, N.Y. New York, Nussbaumer, Clarke and Velsey, July, 1957. 3-56 New York State Conservation Department, Bureau of Marine Fisheries. New York Landings. (1959 and 1965). Freeport, N.Y. New York State Dept. of Health. Moriches Bay Drainage Basin. Suffolk County Survey Series Re- port No. 1, Albany, January, 1951. New York State Dept. of Health. Peconic River-Flanders Bay Drainage Basin. Suffolk County Survey Series Report No. 2, Albany, November, 1951. New York State Dept. of Health. Great South Bay-Easterly Section Drainage Basin. Suffolk County Survey Series Report No. 3, Albany, July, 1952. New York State Dept. of Health. 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Report on a Survey of the Chemistry and Biology and Hydro- graphy of Great South Bay and Moriches Bay conducted during July and September, 1959, for the Towns of Islip and Brookhaven, N.Y. (by R.R.L. Guillard et al). Woods Hole, Mass., March, 1960. ARTICLES .4 Baldwin, Hanson W. "Undersea Research and Exploration Growing Rapidly Throughout World." New York Times (July 25, 1965). Boyle, Robert H. "Jersey's Scofflaws of the Sea." Sports Illustrated (October 1965), pp. 94-96. Clark, Evert. "Ocean Institute is Formed by U.S." N.Y. Times (Dec. 26, 1965) p. 72. "Fish Flour- FDA Approval Likely on Improved Product." Science (May 6, 1966) pp. 738-40. Franklin, Ben A. "Once Plentiful Eastern Oyster Has Become Victim of Drought and Disease." New York Times (October 31, 1965), p. 68. Gall, Peter. "Undersea Work Bases, Small Subs May Bring New Era in the Oceans." Wall Street Journal (September 15, 1965), p. 1. Griffin, John R. "A Research Park Does Not Live by Research Alone." Urban Land, XXIV, (1965), pp. 3-7. Hamey, John E. "Wetlands Preservation on Long Island." Reprinted from the New York Conser- vationist N.Y. State Dept. of Conservation. The Hempstead Town Conservationist, I (Winter, 1966). "Island Fishermen: A Handful of Us Left" Long Island Catholic (April 23, 1964). Levine, Ivan. "Explore Potential on Long Island for Oceanography R & D. " Long Island Commer- cial Review (March 3, 1965), p. 1. "Oceanography: Congress Wants Cabinet Council and Study." Science, (June 10, 1966), pp. 1490- 92. "Oceanography Promising Market for Microcircuit Manufacturers." Space Electronics (April 5, 1965), p. 37. "Oceanography: PSAC Panel Calls for Setting Up New Agency." Science (July 22, 1966) pp. 391- 93. 3-57 Odum, Eugene P. "The Role of Tidal Marshes in Estuarine Production." The Conservationist (N.Y. State Dept. of Conservation, June-July, 1961). pp. 12-15. Perlmutter, Alfred. "Our Changing Shoreline." New York State Conservationist (Reprint) N.Y. State Dept. of Conservation. Rick, William R. "Planning and Developing Waterfront Property." Technical Bulletin No. 49, Urban Land Institute, Washington, D.C., June, 1964. "Sea Grant Colleges: Idea Gains Adherents." Science (June, 1966) pp. 1358-60. "A 'Sea-Grant' College". Newsday (Oct. 20, 1966) editorial. Smith, William D. "Oceanography: The Profit Potential is as Big as the Sea." New York Times (July 17, 1966), p. 1. Rorholm, Niels. Economic Impact of Narragansett Bay. Bulletin 374, University of Rhode Island Agricultural Experiment Station, Kingston, Rhode Island, December, 1963. Suffolk County, N.Y. Report on Need and Feasibility for Public Sewerage Disposal Facilities in Western Suffolk. Hauppauge and Riverhead, N.Y., January, 1962. Suffolk County Dept. of Planning- Economic Base. Hauppauge, N.Y. The Department, 1962. Suffolk County Dept. of Planning- Planning for Open Space in Suffolk County. Hauppauge, N.Y., 1964. Tamblyn, Brown, Inc. A Study for a Research Park, Long Island, New York. New York, January, 1965. Uftited South Oyster Bay Assn. "Progress Report on Activities of Executive Committee andOb- jectives". Massapequa, 1965 (Mimeo). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Distribution of Shellfish Resources-South Shore-Suffolk County. New York, August, 1962. 01 U.S. Congress, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. A Compilation of Oceanography Bills to be Considered Before the Subcommittee on Oceanography. Washington, July 29, 1965. U.S. Dept. of Health, Education and Welfare, Public Health Serv ice. Biological Problems in Water Pollution, (c.m. rarzwell, ed.) Cincinnati, Ohio, July, 1962. U.S. Dept. of Interior. A Supplementary Report on the Wetlands of the Long Island Region. Wash- ington, D.C., March, 1961. U.S. Dept. of Interior. 1964 Saline Water Conversion Report, Washington, D.C., 1963. U.S. Library of Congress, Legislative Reference Service. Abridged Chronology of Events Related to Federal Legislation for Oceanography, 1956-65. Washington, July, 1965. Wiggin, Col. Thomas H. Report on A Comprehensive Plan for the Development and Distribution of the Available Water Supply of Suffolk County, L.I. N.Y. Suffolk County, N.Y. Suffolk County Water Authority, January, 1957. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Report on a Survey of the Hydrography of Great South Bay made during the summer of 1950 for the Town of Islip. N.Y. Woods Hole, Mass., January, 1951. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Report to the Towns of Brookhaven and Islip, New York on the Hydrography of Great South Bay and Moriches Bay. (by H.C. Redfield). Woods Hole, Mass., April, 1952. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Report on a Survey of the Hydrography of Great South Bay and Moriches Bay made in June, 1954, for the Towns of Islip and Brookhaven, N.Y. (by D.F. Bumpus et al). Woods Hole, Mass. December, 1954. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Report on a Survey of the Chemistry and Hydrography of Great South Bay and Moriches Bay, made in June, 19@7, for the Town of Islip, N.Y. (by J.H. Ryther et al). Woods Hole, Mass., October, 1957. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Report on a Survey of the Chemistry, Biology andHydro- graphy of Great South Bay and Moriches Bay conducted during June and September, 1958, for the Towns of Islip and Brookhaven, Long Island, New York (by J.H. Ryther et al), Woods Hole, Mass., December, 1958. Thune, George. "Oceanographic Activities Accelerate..." Long Island Commercial Review (Oct. 19, 1966) p. 1. "Underwater Farming Long Island's Oldest Industry and Newest Business Frontier." Long Island Commercial Review Special Section (November 21, 1963). 3-58 Wainwright, London. "Exploring Depths of Sea and Men. 'I Life (August 19, 1965) p. 21. "Water Pollution: New Agency Moving from H. E. W. to Interior." Science (May 6, 1966) pp. 736-38. Wheat, Maxwell C., Jr. "Eelgra�s:-"A Controversial Link in the Chain of Life in our Marine Wa- ters" The Conservationist (N.Y. State Dept. of Conservation, Feb.-March, 1962) pp. 28-30. Willatt, Norris. "Wealth From the Sea?" Barron's (May 17, 1965) p. 5. LETTERS AND MEMORANDA Barbash, Maurice-Letter to Dr. Edwin P. Creaser, March, 1966, outlining a proposed Great South Bay Conservation Commission. Brandes, Ely M. - "Impact of Saline Water Conversion." Sanford Research Institute, 1960. Creaser, E.P. "Summary of Dr. Ryther's Report on Oceanography." May 16, 1966. Creaser, E.P. "Current Educational Efforts in Oceanography." Paper submitted to the Oceano- graphic Committee, May, 1966. Creaser, E.P. "Implementation of Oceanographic Program in Education and Research." Paper submitted to the Oceanographic Committee. Creaser, E.P. "Deliberations and Endorsements on Research and Education." Paper submitted to the Oceanographic Committee, February 19, 1966. Field, Sheldon B. "Proposal for a Specialized Ship Model Testing Facility". January, 1965. Frey, Mark-Letter to Lee E. Koppelman, Sept. 13, 1966, with supporting memorandum. Gulf Universities Research Corp. Inc. "The Gulf Coast Marine Sciences Center." Long Island Duck Farmers Cooperative, Inc. "A Study of the Pollution Control Efforts in Suffolk County, New York, as it pertains to the Long Island Duck Industry." Eastport, N.Y., 1965. Mercer, Hugh - Letter to Mr. Richard Griffith, U.S. Dept. of Interior, November 2, 1965. Patterson, Edward D. Letter to Admiral E.C. Stephan, September 14, 1965. Outlining activities of the Nassau County Museum of Natural History, with supporting documents. Poillon, Cornelius, Long Island Fisherman's Assn. and L. Clarke, Atlantic Processing Co. "Re- port on Critical Needs of the Commercial Fishing Industry of Long Island, N.Y." Westhampton Beach, Dec., 1965. Schoenfeld, Richard. Letter to Lee E. Koppelman outling views on marine environment, May 13, 1966, with supporting documents from the National Home Builders Assoc., Washington, D.C. Schudel, Donald R. "A Plan to Develop Long Island as a National Center for Oceanographic Re- search." Paper submitted to Oceanographic Committee, August 5, 1965. Smith, Walter L. "An Outline Report of the Possibilities of Developing a Marine Industry in the Bi-County Area." Suffolk County Community College, August 1965. Spike, James E. "Summary Report on the Concept of a Sea-Grant University." October, 1965. Suydam, John E. "Statement of John E. Suydam before the Oceanographic Committee of the Nassau-Suffolk Regional Planning Board, Nov. 3, 1965." Taormina, Anthony and David H. Wallace. "Bi-County Needs for the Proper Preservation, Man age- ment and Development of its Marine Resources. 11 Paper submitted to the Oceanographic Commit- tee, November 9, 1965. Vanderborgh, George. "A Report on Shellfish Farming in Long Island Waters Critical Needs." Paper presented to the Oceanographic Committee. MISCELLANEOUS Isbransten, W.M. "Deep Water Ports on Long Island." An address given before the LongIsland Section of The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, February 19, 1965. Morse, Robert W. "The Role of The Navy in Undersea Technology." Address before the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers Convention, New York City, March 24, 1965. 3-59 Ryther, John H. "Oceanography in New York - A Prospectus." for the State University of New York, January 14, 1966. Whiteleather, R.T. "Twenty Years of Progress in Federal Fisheries Work on the South Atlantic Coast." A paper presented at the 20th Annual Meeting, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commis- sion, New York, N.Y., October, 1961. Whiteleather, R.T. "The Importance of Wetlands- Possible Ways of Measuring Priorities. 'I Paper presented at the 20th Annual Meeting, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, New York, N.Y., October, 1961. 3-60 PART IV APPENDICES At a regular meeting of the NASSAU-SUFFOLK REGIONAL PLANNING BOARD held on April 26, 1965, the following resolution was unanimously adopted: RESOLUTION Re: OCEANOGRAPHIC COMMITTEE WHEREAS, it is in the interest of the people of Nassau and Suffolk Counties to plan for industrial growth, and WHEREAS, the field of oceanography has tremendous growth potential, and WHEREAS, the natural resources of Nassau and Suffolk Counties are of prime value in this field, Be It Therefore RESOLVED, That the Nassau-Suffolk Regional Planning Board create a special commit- tee to be comprised of persons from the field of government, finance, industry and educa- tion for the purpose of investigation and recommendations for the implementation of oceanographic projects in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. A A A- I HEARINGS September 9, 1965 joint Dinner Meeting September 15, 1965 Mr. Lee E. Koppelman Planning Mr. George Vanderborgh, Jr. Sea Farming Mr. Leo A. Geyer Current Industrial Participation on Ocean Engineering Dr. Edwin P. Creaser Current Educational Efforts in Oceanography Dr. Mark E. Frey Potential Programs for Long Island September 22, 1965 Mr. David H. Wallace History and Potential of the Oyster Industry October 6, 1965 Mr. Jay Verme Mr. Richard Deane October 13, 1965 Mr. Cornelius Poillon Mr. Lawrence I. Clarke October 20, 1965 Mr. Anthony Taormina Wetlands and the conservation aspects related to marine organisms October 25, 1965 Mr. James S. Lunn November 3, 1965 Mr. Pearsall Mr. William Paulsen Mr. Harry Kilthau A-2 November 15, 1965 Mr. George Vanderborgh, Mr. Anthony Taormina and Mr. John Suydam Summary reports November 15, 1965 Mr. Jack Flynn Pollution of marine resources November 23, 1965 Special Meeting Shellfish Laboratory December 1, 1965 General Work Session December 15, 1965 Mr. Nelson Houck Mr. Alden Young Mr. W.D. Urban Mr. Devenpeck (Representatives of duck industry) January 19, 1966 Mr. George Semerjian Sand and Gravel Mining February 9, 1966 General Work Session February 16, 1966 General Work Session March 9, 1966 Harry H. Rains, Esq. Greenport Seafood Products, Inc. March 16, 1966 General Work Session March 23, 1966 Mr. Maurice Barbash March 30, 1966 Mr. Leo A. Geyer Dr. Mark E. Frey April 6, 1966 General Work Session A-3 April 13, 1966 Mr. Edward Patterson Mr. Kinsey Nassau County Departments of Parks and Mosquito Control April 20, 1966 Mr. Edward Leitiet Mr. Murphy April 27, 1966 Mr. Richard D. Schoenfeld May 4, 1966 Mr. Joseph F. Dutra, Jr. May 11, 1966 Dr. Robert Cushman Murphy May 18, 1966 Mr. Herbert H. Bellringer May 25, 1966 Dr. Bentley Glass July 6, 1966 Dr. John H. Ryther September 22, 1966 General Work Session September 28, 1966 General Work Session October 5, 1966 General Work Session October 12, 1966 Meeting with representatives of Long Island's colleges and universities Dr. Bentley Glass University of the State of New York at Stony Brook Dr. J.D. Barton, Jr. Southampton College Dr. Louis Pyenson University of the State of New York at Farmingdale Dean Geoffrey Charlesworth Hofstra University Mr. Thomas Haresign Southampton College A-4 Prof. Charles Rockwell Nassau Community College Prof. William Hershcopf Nassau Community College Dr. Robert Z. Brown Adelphi College - Suffolk Mr. George Edward Beatty Molloy College Prof. Walter L. Smith Suffolk Community College Dr. Allan B. Burdick Adelphi University October 12, 1966 Dr. Charles F. Powers University of Michigan Dr. Hugo Freudenthal Long Island University October 19, 1966 General Work Session October 26, 1966 General Work Session November 2, 1966 General Work Session November 9, 1966 General Work Session November 16, 1966 General Work Session December 7, 1966 joint meeting with Nassau-Suffolk Regional Planning Board A-5 SHELLFISH AREAS New York I. INTERSTATE AREAS - 409,785 Acres A. Active shellfish production areas 1. Total of such areas: Approximately 38,000 acres 2. Areas fully approved: Area Acres Location Long Island Sound 13,500 N.Y. - Connecticut State Line 3. Areas conditionally approved: None 4. Areas closed to harvesting by pollution a. Full year: Area Acres Location Pollution Source Long Island Sound 7,500 N.Y. - Connecticut State Line Municipal Wastes Raritan Bay 17,000 N.Y. - New Jersey State Line Municipal Wastes Approximately 24,500 acres of active shellfish production areas are closed to harvesting by pollution. b. Part of year: None B. Inactive shellfish areas: 1. Total of such areas: 371,785 acres 2. Areas fully approved: 356,635 acres 3. Areas conditionally approved: None 4. Areas closed by pollution: 15,150 acres C. Areas closed due to presence of marine toxin: None A-6 11. INTRASTATE AREAS A. Active shellfish production areas 1. Total of such areas: 511,000 acres 2. Areas fully approved: Area Acres Location NASSAU COUNTY Hempstead Harbor 1,150 North Shore - Long Island Dosoris Pond 160 North Shore - Long Island Bayville Harbor 320 North Shore - Long Island Oyster Bay Harbor 1,650 North Shore - Long Island Oyster Bay 2,700 North Shore - Long Island Cold Spring Harbor 1,090 North Shore - Long Island Hempstead Bay 11,800 South Shore - Long Island South Oyster Bay 4,700 South Shore - Long Island Zach's Bay 210 South Shore - Long Island SUFFOLK COUNTY Cold Spring Harbor 1,025 North Shore - Long Island Lloyd Harbor 685 North Shore - Long Island Huntington Harbor 490 North Shore - Long Island Huntington Bay 3,850 North Shore - Long Island Centerport Harbor 480 North Shore - Long Island Northport Bay 2,510 North Shore - Long Island Duck Island Harbor 275 North Shore - Long Island A Smithtown Bay 10,540 North Shore - Long Island Stony Brook Harbor 940 North Shore - Long Island Conscience Bay 290 North Shore - Long Island 'A Setauket Harbor 60 North Shore - Long Island 4 Port Jefferson Harbor 600 North Shore - Long Island Mt. Sinai Harbor 390 North Shore - Long Island Mattituck Inlet 235 North Shore at eastern end of Long Island Goldsmith's Inlet 15 North Shore at eastern end of Long Island Great Peconic Bay 19,700 Between North and South Shores at eastern end of L.I. Cold Spring Pond 225 Southern Shore of Great Peconic Bay Sebonac Creek 480 Southern Shore of Great Pecorfic Bay Cutchogue Harbor 470 Between Great Peconic Bay and Little Peconic Bay - eastern L.I. Little Peconic Bay 13,995 Between North and South Shores at eastern end of L.I. A-7 Area Acres Location North Sea Harbor 190 Southern Shore of Little Peconic Bay Noyack Bay 3,960 Southwest of Shelter Island or Southold Bay 1,210 West of Shelter Island Hashamomuck Pond 190 Northwest of Shelter Island Pipes Cove 380 Northwest of Shelter Island Greenport Harbor 300 Northwest of Shelter Island Shelter Island Sound 11,085 Southwest of Shelter Island West Neck Harbor 460 Southern Shore of Shelter Island Dering Harbor 205 Northern Shore of Shelter Island Coecles Harbor 1,250 Eastern Shore of Shelter Island Sag Harbor 1,170 South of Shelter Island Northwest Harbor 1,530 Southeast of Shelter Island Orient Harbor 2,410 North of Shelter Island Long Beach Bay 605 Northeast of Shelter Island Gardiners Bay 48,875 Eastern end of Long Island Threemile Harbor 1,110 South of Gardiners Bay Acabonac Harbor 485 Southwest of Gardiners Island Napeague Bay 10,895 Southeast of Gardiners Island Fort Pond Bay 1,510 Southeast of Gardiners Island Montauk Harbor 1,250 Eastern tip of Long Island AL Block Island Sound 125,700 Off the eastern tip of Long Island Fishers Island Sound 6,840 Fishers Island Mecox Bay 1,150 South Shore - Long Island Shinnecock Bay 9,450 South Shore - Long Island Quantuck Bay 400 South Shore - Long Island Moriches Bay 6,230 South Shore - Long Island Bellport Bay 3,520 South Shore - Long Island Great South Bay 65,770 South Shore - Long Island Approximately 390,155 Acres of active shellfish production areas fully approved 3. Areas conditionally approved: None A-8 4. Areas closed to harvesting by Pollution a. Full year Area Acres Location Pollution Source NASSAU COUNTY Little Neck Bay 675 North Shore - Long Island Municipal Wastes Manhasset Bay 2,540 North Shore - Long Island Municipal. Wastes Hempstead Harbor 3,480 North Shore - Long Island Municipal Wastes Oyster Bay Harbor 200 North Shore - Long Island Municipal Wastes Jamaica Bay 540 South Shore - Long Island Municipal Wastes Hemp .stead Bay 2,265 South. Shore - Long Island Municipal Wastes South Oyster Bay 375 South Shore - Long Island Municipal Wastes SUFFOLK COUNTY Huntington Harbor 95 North Shore - Long island Municipal Wastes Northport Bay 245 North Shore - Long Island Municipal Wastes Nissequogue River 570 North Shore - Long Island Municipal Wastes Smithtown Bay 100 North Shore - Long Island Municipal Wastes Port Jefferson Harbor 580 North Shore - Long island Municipal Wastes Mattituck Inlet 4 North Shore - Long Island Municipal Wastes Peconic River 585 Between North and South Municipal Wastes Shore of L.I. at eastern end Flanders and Reeves Bay 2,540 West of Great Peconic Municipal Wastes Bay and Duck Farm Wastes Cutchogue Harbor 2 Between Great Peconic Municipal Wastes Bay and Little Peconic and Duck Farm Bay Wastes Greenport Harbor 170 Northwest of Shelter Municipal Wastes Island and Duck Farm Wastes Shelter Island Sound 90 Southwest of Shelter Municipal Wastes Island and Duck Farm Wastes Sag Harbor 320 South of Shelter Island Municipal Wastes and Duck Farm Wastes A-9 Area Acres Location Pollution Sources Mecox Bay 90 South Shore - Long Municipal Wastes Island and Duck Farm Wastes Shinnecock Bay 350 South Shore - Long Municipal Wastes Island and Duck Farm Wastes Quantuck Bay 150 South Shore - Long Municipal Wastes Island and Duck Farm Wastes Moriches Bay 2,285 South Shore - Long Municipal Wastes Island and Duck Farm Wastes Bellport Bay 320 South Shore - Long Municipal Wastes Island Great South Bay 5,345 South Shore - Long Municipal Wastes Island Approximately 120,916 Acres of active shellfish production areas closed full year due to pollution b. Part of year, Area Acres Location Pollution Source SUFFOLK COUNTY Moriches Bay 8,900 South Shore - Long Municipal and Duck Island Farm Wastes B. Inactive Shellfish Areas: 1. Total of such areas: 60,320 acres 2. Areas fully approved: 60,000 acres 3. Areas closed by pollution: 320 acres C. Areas closed due to the presence of marine toxins: None Source: New York State Department of Health A- 10 LONG ISLAND LANDINGS :.BY AREA OF CATCH 1965 Area Pounds@of Fish Pounds of Shellfish Ocean, New Jersey Boundary to East 4,759,862 350,862 Rockaway -'Ocean, East Rockaway Inlet to Jones 933,200 699,821 Inlet Ocean, Jones Inlet to.Moriches Inlet 2,183,261 1,009,716 Great: South Bay .144@773 4,325,176 Ocean,. Moriches Inlet, to Shinnecock - 1,775,116. 275i835 Inlet Moriches and Shinnecock Bays 253,400 574)882 Ocean, Shinnecock Inlet to Montauk, 3,743,875 92,103 - including Block Island Sound Gardiners, Peconic and-Adjoining 3,371,111 1,636,969 Bays Long Island Sound 672,435 1,218,845 Unclassified 29,990,300 1,218,845 Ocean, Outside 3 mile limit 4,744,960 620,534 Total 52,572,293 10,804,893 Source: New York State Conservation Department A- 11 r r COMMERCIAL FISH AND SHELLFISH LANDING FROM LONG ISLAND WATERS, PRINCIPAL SPECIES r (Including fish landed in New York City) Species ------------------ - Pounds ------------------------- Value Pr 1958 1963 1965 1965 Fish: Bluefish 115,465 696,750 1,036,366 $ 156,817 r Butterfish 3,039,730 1,151,041 765,655 89,407 Cod 2,200,363 882P200 365,931 53,239 Eels 263,690 201,950 269,100 39,010 r Flounders 2,533,107 6,520,800 5,937,806 383,225 Fluke 2,341,236 1,305,865 2,451 552 557,042 Hake 601,635 646,805 668,433 21,085 r Herring, Sea 295,870 87,050 277,320 5,828 Mackerel 157,838 78,820 90,938 12,500 Menhaden 55,298,950 91,650,540 30,139,635 417,407 Scup or Porgy 14,319,291 9,307,715 7,536,888 746,701 Sea Bass 841,608 576,360 381,611 84,467 Sea Trout 87,500 85,820 72,963 13,788 (Weak Fish) Shad 211,000 69,400 13,312 1,609 Spearing 140,300 165,200 144,962 20,500 Striped Bass 320,815 626,100 702,935 135,831 Swellfish 230,300 947,700 402,492 20,754 Swordfish 84,000 46,860 87,665 29,731 Tilefish 88,622 27,935 44,900 4,664 Whiting 2,020,045 2,367,660 3,337,645 160,522 Whiteperch 21,100 20,600 33,350 5,205 All Other 1,802,403 322,480 659,974 51,798 Total 87,014,868 118,285,651 55,421,433 $ 3,011,130 Shellfish: Lobsters, 357,362 380,055 648,571 $ 446,277 northern Clams: hard 3,736,956 5,311,032 5,947,632 5,149,573 soft and others 643,656 1,081,328 1,716,137 194,849 Oysters 1,056,725 394,468 199,336 322,471 Scallops: Bay 594,039 302,374 886,043 721,497 Sea 2,018,697 1,924,371 2,917,153 1,898,374 Squid 1,231,560 872,120 974,063 66,009 Other Shellfish 420,507 96,660 338,210 54,482 Total 9,702,140 10,362,408 13,627,145 $ 8,853,532 Grand Total 96,717,008 128,648,059 69,048,578 $11,864,662 Source: New York State Conservation Department A-12 COMMERCIAL FISH AND SHELLFISH LANDINGS FROM LONG ISLAND WATERS, 1954 to 1965 -------------- Finfish --------------- ------------- Shellfish -------------- ------- Total All Species --------- Thous. Lbs. Thous. Dollars Thous. Lbs. Thous. Dollars Thous. Lbs. Thous. Dollars 1954 125,878.0 $3,430.3 10,877.5 $4,121.4 136,755.6 $ 7,551.7 1955 120,208.5 3,357.0 11,994.6 5,530.6 132,203.1 8,887.7 1956 141,451.1 3,633.9 11,213.5 5,161.4 152,664.7 8,795.4 1957 146,751.0 3,708.7 10,242.0 4,748.4 156,993.0 8,457.1 1958 87,014.9 3,315.4 9,702.1 4,522.5 95,938.5 7 837.9 1959 104,628.8 3,551.7 9,810.7 5,254.7 114,439.5 8,806.5 1960 115,439.2 31,407.1 10,793.3 5,332.6 126,232.5 8,739.7 1961 112,125.3 3,471.3 11,490.4 5,659.6 123,615.8 9,130.9 1962 165P720.5 3,645.3 12,035.2 6J84.7 1771755.7 9,830.0 1963 118,285.6 3,499.8 10,362.4 5,754.5 128,648.0 9,254.3 1964 677686.3 3,017.0 11X1.3 6P866.9 797157.6 9t884.0 1965 55,421.4 3,011.1 13,627.1 8,853.5 69,048.5 11,864.6 Source: New York State Conservation Department cafisM ME @ INFORMAIM CENTER Jill 3 6668 00002 6528