Unified Water Study
Friends of the Bay has been participating in the Unified Water Study (UWS) since it was first launched by Save the Sound in 2017. There are now 27 different organizations surrounding Long Island Sound in both NY and CT that are part of the UWS. As the name indicates, this is a unified approach to water quality monitoring where each group uses the same methods and equipment so that the data is comparable and more consistent. Funding for the UWS is made possible by a Long Island Sound Futures Fund grant awarded by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. We participate in both tier 1 and tier 2 parameter collections.
Supporting Oyster Aquaculture Restoration (SOAR)
The Supporting Oyster Aquaculture and Restoration (SOAR) program is coordinated by The Nature Conservancy and Pew Charitable Trusts. They work in conjunction with local environmental organizations like Friends of the Bay to support a resilient oyster industry and leverage aquaculture in reef restoration.
The SOAR program began during Covid as a way to support commercial oyster growers by buying surplus product that was not being sold and use it in oyster reef restoration projects. Friends of the Bay works in conjunction with the Town of Oyster Bay Department of Environmental Resources to deploy the oysters in conservation management areas.
Friends of the Bay has been participating in the SOAR program since 2020. We have been providing local logistical and have helped in identifying the best places to deploy oysters in Oyster Bay. We have also established base stations and conducted a shoreline profile of the shoreline adjacent to the site where oyster have been deployed in order to determine if establishing an oyster reef int hat area will have a long term effect on the morphology of the shoreline. We aim to see if planting oysters will have any effect on the shoreline over time, such as preventing erosion.
In 2021 SOAR established a shellfish growers resiliency fund through partnering with PEW, NOAA, state management agencies, and shellfish farmers. This paved the way for a more resilient U.S. shellfish industry that benefits marine habitats. In 2023 eight states participated in the program with 6.3 million in funding from $3 million in federal grants and philanthropic donations.
The SOAR program began during Covid as a way to support commercial oyster growers by buying surplus product that was not being sold and use it in oyster reef restoration projects. Friends of the Bay works in conjunction with the Town of Oyster Bay Department of Environmental Resources to deploy the oysters in conservation management areas.
Friends of the Bay has been participating in the SOAR program since 2020. We have been providing local logistical and have helped in identifying the best places to deploy oysters in Oyster Bay. We have also established base stations and conducted a shoreline profile of the shoreline adjacent to the site where oyster have been deployed in order to determine if establishing an oyster reef int hat area will have a long term effect on the morphology of the shoreline. We aim to see if planting oysters will have any effect on the shoreline over time, such as preventing erosion.
In 2021 SOAR established a shellfish growers resiliency fund through partnering with PEW, NOAA, state management agencies, and shellfish farmers. This paved the way for a more resilient U.S. shellfish industry that benefits marine habitats. In 2023 eight states participated in the program with 6.3 million in funding from $3 million in federal grants and philanthropic donations.
Stony Brook Grant
info coming soon...
Beach Clean Ups
Friends of the Bay hosts monthly beach cleanups from February to November and we help organize smaller beach cleanups with local groups. We primarily clean beaches within the town of Oyster Bay, varying from beaches on the bay to beaches on the sound. We provide volunteers with gloves and reusable bags to collect the trash. Much of the trash accumulates at the high tide line and the beach grass. It's important to take time to clean our beaches so that we keep litter out of our waterways and keep marine life safe. Volunteers of all ages are encouraged to participate.
Terrapin Monitoring
In 2018 Seatuck began a terrapin monitoring project that aims to engage Long Islanders in monitoring and recording the distribution of diamondback terrapins on the Island. Friends of the Bay has partnered with Seatuck to help gather data around Oyster Bay using Survey 1-2-3. We encourage our volunteers to keep an eye out and report signs of diamondback terrapins at local beaches. If you would like to learn more about how to get involved you may use the buttons below.
Lobster Trap Removal
Starting in 2010 Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk's Marine Program has conducted several research projects to remove abandoned lobster traps in the Long Island Sound at the ports of Mattituck, Mount Sinai, and Northport. So far they have removed a total of 19,000 abandoned lobster traps, meaning 430.9 metric tons of derelict lobster traps have been removed from the sound. After collection the traps are either returned to their owners or recycled. The burnable debris from the derelict lobster traps is converted into renewable energy at the Covanta Energy “energy from waste” recovery facility. Friends of the Bay has been supporting this program by hosting events to help raise public awareness about the traps.
Oyster Gardening
Since 2017 the Oyster Bay Cold Spring Harbor Protection Committee has been encouraging volunteers to start community oyster gardens to help improve Oyster Bay's water quality. They provide property owners with the training, equipment, and support needed to successfully garden juvenile oysters in floats off their property or on community floats such as docks. Friends of the Bay has been working with the committee by helping spread awareness and hosting community meetings.
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