n.O FINFISH OF NEW HAVEN HARBOR 



by David N. Pease, Neil B. Savage and Christopher J. Schmitt 

 Normandeau Associates, Inc., Bedford, N. H. 



INTRODUCTION 



Although severely polluted. New Haven Harbor supports a 

 diverse and productive ichthyofauna. The harbor provides habitat for 

 many commercially, recreationally and ecologically important fishes. As 

 with most mid-Atlantic estuaries. New Haven Harbor is important as a 

 nursery area both for species that spawn locally and for others that 

 spawn in Long Island Sound and further offshore on the continental 

 shelf. The harbor also has importance as a feeding ground for adults of 

 some species . 



Prior to April 1970, when The United Illuminating Company 

 commenced ecological studies in the harbor, no long-term or comprehen- 

 sive study of finfish in New Haven Harbor had been made. United 

 Illuminating monitoring studies have been conducted continuously since 

 1971 to provide both baseline and operational data as a means of assess- 

 ing potential impacts of New Haven Harbor Station operation on this 

 valuable resource. The results of these investigations have been pre- 

 sented and interpreted regularly in a series of Annual Reports (NAI, 

 1973, 1974a, 1974b, 1975a, 1975c, 1976a, 1977a, 1978a). This report 

 provides a comprehensive account of the New Haven Harbor ichthyofauna, 

 discusses the potential for impact of New Haven Harbor Station opera- 

 tions on 16 representative finfish species , and evaluates the magnitude 

 of impacts that have been detected. 



Review of Comparable Studies 



Mill 'River Studies 



An unpublished student paper (Bissel, 1971) and an FWPCA 

 (1970) survey describing some fishes in the Mill River below the Whitney 



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