by Sandy Shangtong Li and Kyle Turner On Monday, members of the Tzortziou Bio-Optics Lab—Jonathan, Kyle and summer interns Dean and Sandy — joined Captain Brad Ries from Someday Came Fishing Charters to sample nine locations in the Peconic Bay and Shinnecock Bay near the eastern end of Long Island. Throughout the day, Captain Brad Ries provided his perspective of the bay and its changes over time, as a local who has been working in the area for more than thirty years. The morning started with heavy clouds but soon dissipated to a gorgeous sunny day; ideal weather for fieldwork. Dean's focus for the internship is on carbon cycling in the Long Island Sound estuary. Sandy will be focusing on documenting the fieldwork to create communication materials for public outreach and engagement. Four sampling activities were conducted at each station:
Captain Brad Reis shared that many restoration activities are happening in the Peconic Bay, and the water clarity has improved with the addition of clams and seagrasses planted by the Shinnecock Indian Nation. Some days the water is so clear people can see 12 feet into the water (all the way to the bottom in some locations). Regulations now require a septic system that costs roughly 40,000 dollars for new houses being built to prevent effluence into the surrounding waters. The area has been experiencing a population boom since the COVID-19 pandemic. More and more people left the city and made their summer homes their primary residence. The offering prices on real estate are now often higher than the asking price. Tucked in the multi-million dollar houses and resorts in the Hamptons is the Shinnecock Indian Nation's reservation. The tribe is proposing a casino and has installed two billboards to create revenue, but they have faced tremendous pushback on these projects. People come to the area to enjoy the lifestyle of "Summer in the Hamptons', but for locals, the four months from mid-May to mid-September is the most critical time of the year for their livelihood. "We have four months to make it." says the captain. He also emphasized the importance of data to better monitor and study the marine life in the bay. As for the fish population in the bay, Captain Brad said, "the sea trout are making a comeback!' with a big smile on his face.
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