Saving Sea Meadows

I counted 75 Harbor seals on a day filled with high winds and chop.

  I am standing on a hillside, “clicking” as fast as I can the clumps of seals, on clumps of rocks. Then a recount looking for bobbing heads.

With winter approaching, tidal zones are sometimes extremely low- giving me a grander view of the state of health of surrounding eel grass ecosystems.

The opportunity to observe smaller meadows surrounding Fishers Island has sparked a personal interest for me in the Seagrass Research & Restoration Initiative for Southern NY, and New England which today has lost 65% of area eelgrass meadows.

For decades, these thick carpets of swaying grass that once provided critical habitat for Flounder, Scallops, and Clam have degraded.

Research Science supported by NOAA and coordinating with organizations such as The Nature Conservancy, has conducted lab analysis of eel grass from 10 locations stretching between Long Island and Cape Cod.

While I am still learning about the specific findings of the study-the need to reduce nitrogen pollution was highlighted to protect the resilient eel grass.

Recently, I shared these photos with The Nature Conservancy in Long Island noting how diverse a feeding ground this is ….even greener pasture for a Sea Horse sighted last summer!