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Every four years, delegates from around the world meet to exchange ideas and perspectives about new research, emerging issues, scientific breakthroughs, and governance related to fisheries science, industry, conservation, and management. Dr. Pikitch has been accepted to give an oral presentation entitled "Feasibility of Replacing Bottom Trawl Surveys with eDNA Survey Methods" Learn more about the congress here.

IOCS's Dr. Ellen Pikitch speaks at the United Nations on the successful restoration of Shinnecock Bay, the importance of eDNA, and commemoration of the Shinnecock Bay Hope Spot on its first anniversary. Photo credit: John Griffin/Stony Brook University

The Southampton Press featured the daylong June 9th celebration at Stony Brook Southampton on the cover of its Western Edition. A press event in the morning was emceed by IOCS's Dr. Ellen Pikitch, the Shinnecock Bay Hope Spot Champion, and featured remarks by: Dr. Paul Shepson, Dean of SoMAS, Stony Brook University Richard Garriot, President of The Explorers Club (Co-Nominating organization for the Hope Spot) Dr. Sylvia Earle, President of Mission Blue and world renowned scientist and explorer Dr. Chris Gobler, of SoMAS and co-PI of the Shinnecock Bay Restoration Prorgram Erika Heine Montague, Chief Technologist with Schmidt Marine Technology Partners Dr. Kelsey Leonard, Professor at University of Waterloo and member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation Ed Warner, Southampton Town Trustee and longtime bayman Photo credits and Southampton Press story written by Kitty Merrill

IOCS is thrilled to welcome renowned marine scientist and "Her Deepness" Dr. Sylvia Earle to our Stony Brook University Southampton campus to headline an event celebrating the Shinnecock Bay Hope Spot. The event will also feature members of the Shinnecock Indian Nation, scientists from Stony Brook University, tech entrepreneurs, and Schmidt Marine Technology Partners who will moderate a panel discussion of how underwater robotics have advanced and can become more affordable. The event will run from 4-5:30 PM, with doors opening at 3PM to view technology and cultural displays and enjoy light refreshments. This is a ticketed event ($30), and tickets can be purchased on The Explorers Club website. .

IOCS scientists Dr. Karine Kleinhaus, Dr. Ellen Pikitch, and Dr. John Bohorquez discuss the importance of Egypt's coral reefs in a letter published in the journal Science this week, at the same time global leaders are meeting in Egypt at COP27 to discuss climate change. These corals are among the most heat tolerant in the world but are threatened by local human impacts. The letter in Science requires a subscription, but all relevant information is also contained in a Stony Brook News article: https://news.stonybrook.edu/newsroom/saving-egypts-coral-reefs-is-necessary-to-preserve-oceans-ecosystems/ Learn more about Red Sea corals at Red Sea Reef Foundation, an organization founded by Dr. Kleinhaus in 2020.

This Thursday, 10/27/22 at 4 pm EST, IOCS's Executive Director Dr. Ellen Pikitch will be participating in a panel discussion on Indigenous Art and Environmental Issues, in person at the Paul Zuccaire Gallery at Stony Brook University and streaming online here: https://youtu.be/lh7qaf0ZYlM. This panel is part of the series Connecting the Drops: The Power of Water. Connecting the Drops artists Courtney M. Leonard (Shinnecock) and Erin Genia (Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate) discuss their work as it relates to the environment and indigenous issues, in dialogue with Shavonne F. Smith, Environmental Director Shinnecock Nation and Dr. Ellen Pikitch, Endowed Professor of Ocean Conservation Science and Executive Director, Institute for Ocean Conservation Science at Stony Brook University. Moderated by Dr. Abena Ampofoa Asare, Associate Professor of Modern African Affairs & History at Stony Brook University. What are new ways we can connect science and art at Stony Brook University? Whose stories are being left out, and what topics should we be exploring? The Zuccaire Gallery’s upcoming panel focuses on the work of Indigenous Peoples in addressing issues of climate change, pollution, and environmental conservation. The panel will explore the connections between art and science, touching on the Shinnecock Hope Spot, climate activism through art, Indigenous Science, and the environmental work that scientists and activists are doing on Long Island. The panel features artists and environmental activists, Courtney M Leonard and Erin Genia in dialogue with environmental leader Shavonne F. Smith and renowned scientist Dr. Ellen Pikitch. Moderated by Dr. Abena Ampofoa Asare.

https://www.newsday.com/long-island/environment/shinnecock-bay-restoration-hope-spot-ocean-jtkktrjv

Shinnecock Bay is being named a new “Hope Spot” by Mission Blue, an international organization that supports the protection of oceans worldwide. The distinction is the result of a decade of restorative and scientific work co-led by Ellen Pikitch, Christopher Gobler and Bradley Peterson in Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS). Photo credit: Christopher Paparo/Fish Guy Photos SoMAS Fieldwork Leads to Global “Hope Spot” Designation for Shinnecock Bay June 7, 2022. 4 min read Shinnecock Bay has been named a global Hope Spot after successful restoration efforts over the past decade. Shinnecock Bay is being named a new “Hope Spot” by Mission Blue, an international organization that supports the protection of oceans worldwide. The distinction is the result of a decade of restorative and scientific work co-led by Ellen Pikitch, Christopher Gobler and Bradley Peterson in Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS). Hope Spots are iconic ocean regions that stand out as some of the most pristine on the globe. This places Shinnecock Bay, located on the East End of Long Island, in a league with internationally recognized locations such as the Galapagos Islands, the Sargasso Sea and the Ross Sea in Antarctica. The bay is the first Hope Spot in New York State, the only one near a major metropolitan region and one of only three others on the U.S. Eastern Seaboard. Sylvia Earle, founder of Mission Blue, said, “What a concept, in the shadow of one of the most densely populated parts of the planet — New York City! While New York conjures up visions of skyscrapers and crowded streets, it is a great ocean state with a significant coastline, a rich maritime heritage and growing opportunities to view ocean wildlife from the shores and in the water.” Mission Blue and its founder, the internationally renowned marine biologist Sylvia Earle, officially named Shinnecock Bay as a Hope Spot on June 6 in an event at The Explorers Club in New York City. Pikitch, on behalf of the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science, nominated the bay for this global recognition, and Ted Janulis, on behalf of The Explorers Club, served as second nominator. The Explorers Club acknowledged the work of Pikitch and her colleagues at SoMAS, where a team of scientists, educators and students have worked together to revive the health, biodiversity and aquaculture potential of Shinnecock Bay. “The Hope Spot distinction for this unique bay on Long Island is the result of meticulous work and proof that the Shinnecock Bay Restoration Program has succeeded in bringing the bay back to the healthier state it was in many decades ago,” said Pikitch, endowed professor of ocean conservation science and director of the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science. “Shinnecock Bay is arguably the healthiest bay in New York State, and our work demonstrates that people can reverse the damage done through nature-based, scientifically guided restoration,” Pikitch continued. “We hope and expect that designation of Shinnecock Bay as a Hope Spot will inspire others to take action to restore other places to their original beauty, biodiversity and health.” Shinnecock Bay is a highly productive estuary that is approximately 122 kilometers from New York City. The bay is a hidden gem of biodiversity that covers an area of 40 square kilometers and consists of 9,000 acres of open water, salt marshes, intertidal flats and seagrass beds. These habitats serve as important nursery, feeding and breeding grounds for many species. Additionally, the Shinnecock Bay area and surrounding lands has a long history to the Shinnecock Nation, whose reservation is located on the far eastern part of the bay. Leaders of the Shinnecock Nation have endorsed the designation of Shinnecock Bay as a Hope Spot. The creation of “hard clam sanctuaries” in western Shinnecock Bay is a pivotal part of the restoration effort of the SoMAS Stony Brook University team. As a result of this work, the dangerous brown and red tides that had been occurring annually have not been observed for several years. Landings of hard clams outside the sanctuaries have increased dramatically and are at a level not seen since the mid-1980s. And, numbers of fish in the bay, most notably forage fishes such as bay anchovy and menhaden, have escalated.

IOCS, along with The Explorer's Club, nominated Shinnecock Bay to receive this prestigious designation! Learn more in our new video: Read more in the Stony Brook University press release here: https://news.stonybrook.edu/university/shinnecock-bay-recognized-as-a-new-global-hope-spot/

On February 11 Ellen Pikitch, Endowed Professor of Ocean Conservation Science in the Stony Brook University School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) spoke at the United Nations’ sixth annual International Day of Women and Girls in Science assembly, “Beyond the Borders: Equality in Science for Society.” The event, held virtually, focused on the value of the social aspects and cultural dimensions in science, technology and innovation to enhance sustainable development programs. Pikitch, who is also executive director of SoMAS’ Institute for Ocean Conservation Science, shared her expertise and work as co-principal investigator of the Shinnecock Bay Restoration Project on a panel of key stakeholders that addressed Clean Water and Sanitation, which is one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The panel discussed achieving the three pillars of sustainable development — economic prosperity, social justice and environmental integrity — with a special focus on: Re-shaping water economics for inclusive green growth Investing in water science-based solutions for innovative economies Water culture The role of the media Since women and girls have been historically excluded and discouraged from pursuing scientific fields, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science was created as a way to achieve full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls, as well as to further advance gender equality and empowerment of women and girls throughout the world.

SoMAS scientists who created the Shinnecock Bay Restoration Program explain how their efforts over the past ten years resulted in repopulation of hard clams and improved water quality. Watch the webinar on YouTube!