Highlighted
MMAs: Long Island South Shore
Estuary Reserve
Long Island South Shore
Estuary Reserve Act (Article 46 of the
Executive Laws of 1993)
Long Island's South
Shore estuary is a dynamic ecosystem,
formed during the past 5,000
years by the interaction of a
rising sea level with the glacially-deposited
material that makes up Long Island.
The entire natural system, including
the barrier islands and the 173
square miles of shallow bays
behind them, is still changing
and evolving in response to wave
action, tides, coastal storms,
and the continuing rise of sea
level. In this estuarine environment,
tidal marshes, mud and sand flats,
underwater plant beds and broad
shallows support microscopic
plants and animals which, in
turn, support the finfish, shellfish,
waterfowl and other wildlife
that typify the South Shore estuary.
For purposes of planning and
description, the South Shore
Estuary Reserve is conveniently
viewed as three subregions: the
western bays, Great South Bay
and the eastern bays.
The Reserve stretches
from the western boundary of
the Town of Hempstead to the
middle of the Town of Southampton.
South to north, the Reserve extends
from the mean high tide line
on the ocean side of the barrier
islands to the inland limits
of the mainland watersheds that
drain into Hempstead Bay, South
Oyster Bay, Great South Bay,
Moriches Bay and Shinnecock Bay.
Human population
growth and burgeoning development
in the Reserve, especially since
World War II, had and continues
to have a dramatic effect on
the estuary. Most habitat loss
in the Reserve has been the result
of the filling of low-lying lands
in the western portion of the
Reserve for residential and commercial
uses. Other development activities,
including construction of canals,
roads and bridges, have also
destroyed or degraded habitats.
The goals of the
Reserve are to: 1) improve and
maintain water quality; 2) protect
and restore living resources
of the Reserve; 3) expand public
use and enjoyment of the estuary;
4) sustain and expand the estuary-related
economy; and, 5) increase education,
outreach, and stewardship.
Relevant Agencies/Programs:
Marine Managed
Area Systems:
| |
Harbor
Management Plans |
| |
Waterfront
Revitalization and Coastal
Resources Act (NYSEL Art.
42 Sec. 922) |
| State
Parks |
| |
Parks, Recreation
and Historic Preservation
Law (Title B Article 3 Section
3.01) |
| Natural
Heritage Program Areas |
| |
NYSEL Environmental
Conservation (Title 5 Section
11-0539) |
| Scenic
Areas of Statewide Significance |
| |
Waterfront
Revitalization and Coastal
Resources Act (NYSEL Article
42) |
| Shellfish
Closure Zones |
| |
(Citation
needed) |
| Shellfish
Spawner Sanctuaries |
| |
(Citation
needed) |
| Significant
Coastal Fish and Wildlife
Habitats |
| |
Article 42
of the New York State Executive
Law, 19 NYCRR 601 & 602 |
| Local
Waterfront Revitalization
Programs |
| |
Waterfront
Revitalization and Coastal
Resources Act (NYSEL Art.
42 Sec. 910) |
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