SUMMARY 



PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT » To assemble information on the ecosystem of the Long 

 Island Sound (LIS) Region, its fishery, and its wildlife and to recommend mea- 

 sures for uses of these resources that will be compatible on an environmental. 

 economic, and social basis » 



THE ECOSYSTEM 



Long Island Sound is an integrated system of biological communities 

 and certain physical and chemical conditions and resourceso Estuarine conditions 

 are a dominating feature of the Sound waters « Wetlands are particularly impor- 

 tant to the estuarine system because they provide habitat and food, and they 

 serve as pollution filters and heavy metal sinks. The Sound is 80 feet deep, 

 on the average, with light penentration reaching to approximately 30 feet. The 

 circulation pattern of the Sound is complex with only moderate mixing of the 

 denser salt water and incoming fresh water. This circulation pattern, however, 

 is sufficient to bring nutrients from the bottom waters to the surface layers 

 where they can be utilized by the phytoplankton and zooplankton populations in 

 the Soundo Primary productivity and standing crop (phytoplankton) are high in 

 the Sound, but productivity drops at the herbivore (plant-eating zooplankton) 

 level and is less efficient at the carnivore (animal-eating) levels 



THE FISHERY 



Present annual consumption of fishery products in the LIS region is 

 96 million pounds. However, the Sound supplies only a small percent of this 

 demando Commercial landings of finfish have declined to almost one- sixth the 

 17 million pounds landed in 1956, although the total landed value has remained 

 relatively constant at between $2-3 million. It must be stated, however, that 

 because of dollar devaluation this dockside value is worth less today than it was 

 in l956o The landings of all significant shellfish species have also declined, 

 including the lobster fishery which has decreased steadily since 1969. LIS salt- 

 water anglers in 1970 numbered approximately 818,000, each averaging over 12 days 

 of fishing. The estimated annual yield of sport fish as well as sport fishing 

 demand have been difficult to assess. The comparison of sportfishing and commercial 

 fishing on an economic basis is also difficult, since their values are not based 

 on comparable costs. It is estimated that sportfishing is probably more "valuable" 

 than commercial fishing in terms of total economic return, but until accurate 

 data for the sport and commercial fishery are obtained, no valid comparison 

 of these fisheries can be made. In view of these facts, a conservative fishery 

 management policy is recommended for the present time. It would appear that the 

 major limitations to productivity of the fishery are loss of habitat and deterior- 

 ation of water quality. Fortunately, due to recently enacted wetland legislation 

 in New York and Connecticut, the present wetland loss rate appears to be stab- 

 ilizing near zero. Water quality, however, continues to be a major problem. The 

 Sound waters west of Oyster Bay and Stamford plus many Connecticut estuaries with 

 marginal water quality remain closed to shellfish harvesting due to pollution. 



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