area, our primary objectives are to evaluate the basic ecological system of the 

 Sound region, and to consider both the development-related and the natural 

 alterations in this systemo Certainly man's knowledge of ecological systems 

 has increased and will continue to increase, although we appear to face an 

 environmental predicament in that the capacity to alter these systems may in- 

 creasingly exceed our capacity to foresee environmental consequences. Thus, 

 even mth adequate knowledge, our ability to foresee and adequately evaluate 

 and compensate for environmental change becomes increasingly difficult. There- 

 fore, we have taken, as a major response to planning, both for the present and 

 as a baseline for the future, a review of conditions resulting in environmental 

 change and their application to the study area. 



In identifying combined actions and possible outcomes of those 

 actions which consistently cause and sustain significant environmental changes, 

 we recognize that the present social system defines, to some degree, the environ- 

 mental conditions most likely to persist. Similarly, the projection method used 

 in the development of plans and recommendations tends to accept the social state 

 as it exists, and to some degree makes future changes more difficult. This is 

 not to say that projections are not useful, but in this report we have not taken 

 projections or social structure as dominating constraints, so that more desirable 

 environmental outcomes could be considered, recommended, and perhaps obtained. 



In presenting the fish and wildlife planning report, we have in- 

 cluded to some degree the folloiving ecosystem and planning concepts. First of 

 all, a major requirement is the avoidance of conditions or sets of actions 

 which lead to domination or reduce variety or diversity. Dominating factors, 

 particularly if rapidly developed, are significant in their ecosystem-damaging 

 potential. Secondly, and in direct relation to the first, our evaluations dis- 

 courage actions which are likely to lead to large-scale irreversible ecological 

 change. Third, we place a high value on environmental diversity, including a 

 wide variety of essentially untouched ecosystem components, as well as managed 

 and developed ones. Finally, the concepts of ecosystem organization, including 

 directional and potential states, capacity, succession, specialization, and 

 evolution, are included as integral parts of our planning efforts for the 

 preservation, protection, and management of the fish and wildlife resources of 

 the Long Island Sound region. It is through these evaluations that the Fish 

 and Wildlife Planning Report is formed and presented. 



Before considering a possible management plan for the Sound, it is 

 necessary to first consider the Sound's present environmental system and the 

 demands placed upon that system. The follov^d.ng section examines the Sound's 

 ecosystem (productivity), its fishery, and its wildlife resources. The demands, 

 requirements, and needs of the public in relation to use of these resources is 

 also examined. The remaining sections of the planning report consider what 

 methods can be used to satisfy the latter demands on the Sound's resources, 

 while at the same time, maintaining or improving the Sound's environmental 

 conditions. 



