State / Commonwealth / Territory - Marine Managed Areas (MMAs)

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:

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