In 2020, CT DEEP was unable to conduct its Long Island Sound Trawl Survey due to COVID-19 restrictions.
In fall 2010, sampling for bluefish, scup, summer flounder, and weakfish was cancelled because the CT DEEP’s research vessel was out of service due to repairs.
Answer: Yes. The populations of finfish, like game fish and forage fish, show that the Sound is a rich feeding ground for fish. However, stressors on the Sound like changing water temperatures have an effect on which species can thrive in the Sound.
Amount of gamefish as a geometric mean of weight (‘biomass’) or count per tow from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Long Island Sound Trawl Survey. See the data notes at the bottom of the page to learn more about the geometric mean.
Game fish populations are affected by many factors. Some of these factors are environmental stressors like warming waters, regulations like policies that prevent overfishing, as well as habitat restoration efforts.
Tracking population stability of these fish can be an indicator of the Partnership’s efforts to protect and enhance the health of offshore habitats and their associated species for the Offshore Habitat objective.
Game fish are prized by anglers for their impressive size and strength, which makes fishing for them an exciting sport. The abundance of game fish reflects the productivity of Long Island Sound, and it reflects the effectiveness of coast-wide fishery management plans. These fish are harvested commercially and are managed by regulations restricting minimum harvest size, number, and season to keep their abundance at a healthy level.
Game fish abundance in Long Island Sound has been tracked since 1984, and there is a lot of variation in the populations over time. Recently, many of these fish populations are above historic averages: the scup, Striped Bass, Summer Flounder, Tautog, Weakfish, and Black Sea Bass. Meanwhile, the Bluefish and Winter flounder populations are below historic averages.
Overfishing, water quality, and changing water temperatures in the Sound may be reasons why different fish in the Sound are doing well, while others are not.
Some game fish are overfished or have been overfished. For example, the striped bass population shows declining trends of abundance over the last decade, and in 2018 the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission assessed the Striped Bass population as overfished and overfishing was occurring. In an organized effort to rebuild the stock, both Connecticut and New York currently have a slot limit of one fish per angler between 28-31 inches.
When the Sound faces water quality issues like hypoxia, which means the water is low in dissolved oxygen, this has a negative effect on fish that are particularly sensitive to hypoxic water, like bluefish. Read more here on Hypoxia and its Effect on Wildlife. Additionally, the water temperature in the Sound is getting warmer. From 1960-2023, the annual Sound-wide water temperature has increased by 3.7 percent. Warm water species like black sea bass flourish in the water waters while fish that are better suited for colder water, like winter flounder, are showing a decrease in population. Check out the Partnership’s Warm Water/Cold Water Fish Index to learn more about how changing water temperatures affect fish in the Sound.
The Long Island Sound Partnership is working on developing a methodology to accurately assess the status of this indicator. Check back in soon.
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