Every spring, Seatuck Environmental Association leads the River Herring & Eel Survey, a community science effort to monitor the seasonal migration of river herring and American eels across Long Island and parts of Queens. Active since 2006, it’s one of Long Island’s longest running community science projects. Volunteers visit streams during peak migration (March–May) to record sightings, helping scientists track the timing, size, and location of these critical fish runs.
In Queens and the North Shore of Long Island, a region covering Long Island Sound, as well as the Sound Shore in Westchester, this work is done in collaboration with the Long Island Sound Partnership, where survey data informs habitat restoration efforts, identifies connectivity needs, and evaluates fish passage performance.
The survey is essential to understanding where river herring still return to spawn, often in fragmented or degraded habitats, if they are colonizing new streams, and the scale of their spawning migration. Volunteers are the heart of this project, providing the on-the-ground observations needed that help prioritize restoration sites and support initiatives like the River Revival Project, which aims to reconnect our rivers and restore fish abundance.
Thanks to targeted outreach and coordination by LIS Partnership staff (Jimena Perez-Viscasillas and Lillit Genovesi from NY Sea Grant and Sara Cernadas-Martín from NYSDEC/NEIWPCC), the North Shore stations, once overlooked rose to the top this year in both volunteer participation and number of observation events. This is a major milestone, especially considering that these sites continue to report few or no river herring sightings. The dedication of our volunteers, who return week after week even without fish in view, is what makes long-term recovery possible.
By the Numbers – 2025 River Herring & American Eel Survey
To thank these incredible citizen scientists, the LIS Partnership hosted a Volunteer Appreciation Event on July 26 at the Waterfront Center in Oyster Bay. Volunteers enjoyed kayaking, pizza, fish ID practice, a recap of this season’s findings, and special prizes for our top contributors. We’re very grateful to everyone who gave their time and energy to support this survey. Your efforts are making a real difference!
Learn more or get involved at https://seatuck.org/volunteer-river-herring-survey/.
The article was written by Sara Cernadas-Martin, the New York State Habitat Restoration Coordinator for the Long Island Sound Partnership. Cernadas-Martin coordinates the volunteer survey for the LIS Partnership. She works for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation through NEIWPCC.
On Saturday, August 16, the Long Island Sound Partnership celebrated its 40th anniversary with three simultaneous events along the Sound in Connecticut and New York. Hundreds of community members came out to enjoy free boat rides, hands-on exploration, marine science activities, arts and crafts, and more.
Events were held at UConn Avery Point in Groton, Connecticut; SUNY Maritime College in the Bronx; and The Waterfront Center in Oyster Bay, New York. Each event was free and open to the public, and all featured boat rides on the Sound, a nod to the Partnership’s origin story, which began with a boat ride announcement 40 years ago.
Daily News article from Aug. 16, 1985
“On June 20, we marked the release of our new 2025 Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan with an anniversary event for officials and partners, recognizing the progress we’ve made together,” said Maggie Cozens, LIS Partnership outreach coordinator and organizer of the Avery Point event. “But these August celebrations were truly special because they were for the public, inviting families and community members to experience Long Island Sound firsthand, learn about its importance, and join us in protecting it for the future. The response to this year’s events was outstanding. It shows how much people value Long Island Sound, and we’d love to build on that momentum by making these celebrations an annual tradition.”
Event Highlights:
Groton, Connecticut – UConn Avery Point
Connecticut Sea Grant hosted the event in Groton, where more than 200 attendees joined Project Oceanology staff aboard boats to explore Long Island Sound. On shore, families and community members interacted with Mystic Aquarium’s marine life touch tanks, visited science stations, created ocean-themed art, and enjoyed games on the lawn. A scavenger hunt encouraged visitors to travel from station to station, making sure they experienced all the activities.
Exhibits and programs were offered by a wide range of partners, including the CT National Estuarine Research Reserve, Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, CT DEEP, Save the Sound, New England Science and Sailing, and the Eastern Connecticut Conservation District.
The boat rides proved to be the highlight for many, giving people a rare chance to see the Sound from the water, while the activities on land kept energy and excitement high throughout the day.
The Bronx, New York – SUNY Maritime College
Families boarded the Sea Lab 41 for a boat tour of the Sound and took part in oyster education activities, raffles, and an art workshop at the New York Sea Grant hosted event.
“The Bronx is a beautiful place to launch a boat trip,” remarked Lillit Genovesi, LIS Partnership Outreach Coordinator. “From the restored harbor, we could see the New York City skyline, SUNY Maritime, and the historic maritime community of City Island. It not only gets people to connect with the Sound by being on the water, these kinds of experiences show a different side of New York to people.”
Capt. Joseph Sullivan, SUNY Maritime, remarked about the improvements in water quality over the years. “When we used to teach the cadets boat handling drills 15 years ago, we would tell them to follow the prop wash, ‘It will look like root beer, but as we leave the East River it will turn the color of ginger ale.’ After all the work that has been done for the environment in the last decade it all looks like Sprite.”
Oyster Bay, Long Island – The Waterfront Center
New York Sea Grant and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation partnered to host the Oyster Bay event, where guests started the day with a community beach cleanup before heading out for boat rides aboard the historic Ida May. Fishing lessons, seining demos, and hands-on nature activities kept visitors engaged throughout the afternoon.
“It was just such a lovely community day, you could tell from people’s faces they were really having fun,” said Jimena Perez-Viscasillas, LIS Partnership outreach coordinator and organizer of the Oyster Bay event. “ We had folks learning how to fish from the dock, some birding, others using microscopes to look at samples from the beach, others making sock puppets of animals found around the Sound like river otters and ospreys, others getting in the water to seine and finding blue crabs and silversides…I think it’s not everyday people get the chance to do so many kinds of nature exploration by the water for free so it was an exciting event to be able to put together. At the end of the day, we had a lot of participants swing by the check-in table just to let us know how much they enjoyed it. It was really lovely!”
“When people experience the beauty and richness of Long Island Sound firsthand, they’re more likely to care about what happens to it,” said Erica Casper, LIS Partnership outreach support coordinator. “That’s why events like these matter. They’re part of how we grow a community of stewards who will help carry this work forward. Celebrating 40 years reminds us how far we’ve come and how important it is to keep working together for the Sound’s future.”
The LISCIF grant awards in New York were announced at Conscience Bay in Setauket
Members of the Setalcott Nation describing their project that includes planting native plants to restore the soil, waterways and natural habitat of the area and researching the feasibility of oyster hatchery at Conscience Bay.
Shahela Begum, LISCIF Program Director for Restore America’s Estuaries, announcing the 2025 awards.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Restore America’s Estuaries (RAE) is pleased to announce the 2025 award recipients for the Long Island Sound Community Impact Fund (LISCIF), a collaborative grant program with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Long Island Sound Partnership, formerly known as the Long Island Sound Study (LISS). Projects contribute to a wide range of Long Island Sound environmental, economic, and health benefits such as revitalizing waterfronts, increasing community access, building green jobs, green infrastructure to mitigate flooding, aquaculture, stewardship, STEM and place-based education.
In the second round of funding, organizations across New York and Connecticut submitted 27 Letters of Intent, with a total request of $2,420,516.67. Following recommendations from the interdisciplinary review committee, 20 applicants submitted Full Proposals, requesting a total amount of $1,864,103. LISCIF had up to $1,500,000 to distribute, with Restore America’s Estuaries selecting 16 awardees from various organizations, Tribal Nations, and institutions across the Long Island Sound region.
Additionally, Restore America’s Estuaries is excited to announce the continuation of LISCIF’s annual grant competition for an additional three years, providing $1,200,000 annually for each of the rounds. The next Request for Applications (RFA) will be made available in September 2025.
The following are the 2025 awardees: Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Collective Oyster Recycling & Restoration, Setalcott Nation, Connecticut River Museum, Alliance for the Mystic River Watershed, Trust for Public Land, Save the Sound, City University of New York LaGuardia Community College, Mill River Wetland Committee, Interdistrict Committee for Project Oceanology, Guardians of Flushing Bay, Environmental Leaders of Color, Energy Justice Law and Policy Center, City Island Oyster Reef, and Bronx River Alliance.
“EPA is proud to help support organizations and projects that protect and restore Long Island Sound, which provides economic and recreational benefits to millions of people,” said EPA New England Regional Administrator Mark Sanborn. “The partnerships forged through this funding are prime examples of how working together helps make for a better and cleaner environment.”
“EPA’s work on the Long Island Sound illustrates our longstanding commitment to restoring water quality with the support of local partners and communities,” said EPA Regional Administrator Michael Martucci. “These awards help strengthen those partnerships and advance the agency’s goals to deliver clean land, clean air and clean water for all those who enjoy the Sound.”
“RAE is looking forward to a continued collaboration with EPA and the Long Island Sound Partnership to support essential projects in the Long Island Sound region that will result in healthier, stronger, and economically thriving community institutions,” said Daniel Hayden, President and CEO of Restore America’s Estuaries.
Clean Air, Land, and Water for Every American is the first pillar of EPA’s new strategic plan. By working with communities and awardees throughout the region, LISCIF funds help build capacity through job and skill development. RAE guides applicants throughout the grant application and project implementation cycle and ultimately, aims to support long-term success for recipients’ missions/goals for the Long Island Sound region.
“Extended funding allows for continued capacity-building trainings and supporting projects that ensure impactful and efficient use of federal dollars,” said Shahela Begum, LISCIF Program Director.
In consultation with Restore America’s Estuaries, an external panel of subject matter experts help to select projects based on their potential to address challenges faced by environmentally distressed communities within the geographic scope of the Long Island Sound estuary, managed under the Long Island Sound Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP). As the newest CCMP was released by the Long Island Sound Partnership last month, projects are structured to support the objectives and goals of the CCMP.
Extended funding to LISCIF provides additional Annual Learning Exchanges focused on each state, providing more networking opportunities for award recipients, Tribal Nations, community organizations, municipalities, and institutions to come together and learn from one another. Funds support vital projects that contribute to a stronger and more resilient Long Island Sound.
For more information on LISCIF funding or upcoming events, please visit www.estuaries.org/liscif or direct questions by email to sbegum@estuaries.org.
The LIS Habitat StoryMap features seven habitats found in the Long Island Sound watershed:
Each habitat section contains general information, photo and video examples from New York and Connecticut, a discussion of habitat threats, and images of some of the plants and animals that inhabit each habitat. In addition, each section includes an original video from local environmental professionals highlighting phenomena observed there, as well as a potential educational activity for students, and additional educational resources to explore the habitat more in-depth.
The StoryMap also contains a glossary with relevant terms found throughout the tool and a conclusion section with links for students to explore how they can get involved in protecting local habitats.
There are two versions of this StoryMap: the Student Version and the Teacher Version. The main differences between them are that the Student Version contains information in a simple, bulleted format, and the Teacher Version contains more extensive information as well as linkages to NGSS. Note: the NGSS links contained in the StoryMap are for a middle school grade level. For elementary and high school NGSS, see the additional resources section below.
Have you used this resource in your teaching? Tell us about it! Hearing back from educators and teachers about how they’ve used this resource is hugely appreciated as it helps our partners measure community impacts and improve future tools. If you would like to share with us how you’ve used this resource, CLICK HERE
This teacher webinar included a walk-through of the StoryMap tool led by interns Nicole Govert (CTSG) and Charlotte Burger (NYSG), break-out groups for discussion and exploration of the StoryMap among attendees, and a Q&A with some of the experts who contributed videos and images to the project. The recording includes everything except the break-out groups.
Featured Expert Panelists:
Juliana Barrett, University of Connecticut Sea Grant College Program and the Department of Extension
Juliana Barrett is with the University of Connecticut Sea Grant College Program and the Department of Extension. Her work focuses on climate change adaptation and coastal habitat management working with Connecticut’s municipalities, NGO’s and state and federal partners. Prior to coming to Sea Grant in 2006 she worked with CT DEEP on management plans for state natural areas and for The Nature Conservancy as the Director of the Connecticut River Tidelands Last Great Places Program. She has a doctorate in plant ecology from the University of Connecticut and is a co-author of the Vegetation of Connecticut and Salt Marsh Plants of Long Island Sound.
Dr. Joshua Idjadi, Eastern Connecticut State University
Dr. Idjadi is a community ecologist focused on the causes of coral reef decline and recovery. He and his students have conducted research in French Polynesia, Jamaica, and most recently, the Bahamas. Currently, his lab is focused on the feeding behavior of reef herbivores and how habitat and diet influence the gut microbe community in herbivorous fish. Dr. Idjadi teaches marine ecology focusing on CT and New England coasts. Before coming to Eastern, Dr. Idjadi was a post-doctoral fellow at the New England Aquarium and taught Ecology as an adjunct faculty member at Brown University.
Sue Merrow, Former Chair of CT’s Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)
Susan Merrow is a retired environmental activist with a specialty in public policy. Over the past four decades, she has served two three-year terms on the National Board of Directors of the Sierra Club, one year as its President. She was appointed by two different Governors of Connecticut to the Connecticut Council on Environmental Quality, serving for four years as its Chair. She was elected to six two-year terms as the First Selectmen of the Town of East Haddam. She also served as a Board member of the Connecticut River Watershed Council (now called the Connecticut River Conservancy), the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters, and the Eightmile River Wild and Scenic Coordinating Committee. She currently lives in Tenants Harbor, Maine, with her husband Arthur, where she volunteers with the local nature center.
Roger Wolfe, CT DEEP, Wetland Habitat and Mosquito Management
Roger Wolfe is a Wetland Restoration Biologist and Coordinator for the Wetland Habitat and Mosquito Management (WHAMM) Program, Connecticut Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Bureau of Natural Resources, Wildlife Division. He has 35 years as an Environmental Scientist working in mosquito control and coastal wetland management and restoration; 12 years with the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife and 23 years with CT DEEP. His career has focused on coastal wetlands developing and promoting Integrated Marsh Management (IMM) which incorporates wetland restoration, wildlife habitat enhancement, salt marsh mosquito control, invasive plant management, and coastal resiliency. He has also been involved in several inland impoundment and streambank stabilization projects.
Dr. Roman Zajac, University of New Haven
Roman Zajac is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biology and Environmental Science, at the University of New Haven. Dr. Zajac’s research has focused on both deep-water and intertidal soft sediment, benthic communities and in particular how natural and human-caused disturbances can affect these communities and their recovery. He has also conducted extensive research on salt marshes and how their fauna are being impacted by various types of climate change including sea-level rise and global warming. More recently, his research is addressing biodiversity patterns on tropical patch reefs, and how increases in macroalgal cover may be affecting fish communities that use batteries as habitat. He has published over 70 scientific papers and over 100 technical reports as well as other scientific products. His work has been funded by a variety of international, national, and non-governmental agencies.
The StoryMap is aimed at a middle school audience and paired with NGSS for that grade level. However, it can be enjoyed by everyone and adapted for all grade levels. Click below for suggested NGSS for elementary school and high school that could also be aligned with this educational resource.
While we don’t have audio clips currently available for the StoryMap text, many devices offer accessibility options for those needing the StoryMap read aloud. Click on the buttons below for guides on how to turn on these settings in selected devices.
This project came together as an adaptation of the Long Island Sound Mentor Teacher (LISMT) program to the coronavirus pandemic. In lieu of in-person workshops through LISMT, funds usually provided by the Long Island Sound Partnership for this program were reallocated to support two interns – one in NY and one in CT – in the development of an educational tool for LIS watershed educators.
This StoryMap tool was developed by Connecticut Sea Grant (CTSG) intern Nicole Govert and New York Sea Grant (NYSG) intern Charlotte Burger, with supervision from UConn Associate Professor and CTSG Education Coordinator Diana Payne and NYSG LIS Partnership Outreach Coordinator Jimena Perez-Viscasillas. Govert recently completed her Masters degree in Environmental Science with a concentration in Ecology at the University of New Haven. Her research interests focus on using GIS techniques to spatially analyze benthic community patterns in Long Island Sound. Burger is a senior at Barnard College, where she is pursuing a Bachelors degree in Environment and Sustainability.
Questions? Comments? Email Jimena Perez-Viscasillas at jbp255@cornell.edu or Diana Payne at diana.payne@uconn.edu for more information!
This story map, created by UConn CLEAR in partnership with the Long Island Sound Partnership, explores the land and people in the Long Island Sound Watershed. From Canada down to the northern coast of Long Island, the watershed is a vastly diverse area in both land and people, populated by nearly 9 million people and characterized by farms, forests, urban centers, beaches, marshes and more.
The Sound is an integral part of the lives of those who live, work, and visit the region every day. Let this story be your start…
Follow the story of breathing oxygen back into Long Island Sound’s waters.
This story map introduces the updated Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan, highlighting recent progress and outlining goals for the future.
As the Long Island Sound Partnership marks 40 years of work to restore and protect Long Island Sound, one of the region’s most valuable economic and recreational resources, a new interactive Story Map introduces the updated Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan, highlighting recent progress and outlining goals for the future. As part of a rebranding effort to better reflect broad collaboration across agencies and communities, the initiative has been renamed from the Long Island Sound Partnership. A new logo accompanies the name change, representing a renewed commitment to the Sound’s long-term health.
Dive into the Story Map to see how far we’ve come and where we’re headed.
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