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On August 5, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted unanimously to adopt the use of Ecological Reference Points for managing menhaden, locally known as bunker. These prey fish are food for a multitude of fish, marine mammals, and seabirds. Instead of simply setting quotas based on the status of the menhaden population alone, new harvest rules will now take into account other species whose diets depend on it. This is a big step forward for fisheries management, and IOCS is proud to have contributed to the science leading to this landmark decision. IOCS has worked on the science and management of forage fish since 2008, when the Lenfest Forage Fish Task Forceconvened. Dr. Ellen Pikitch chaired the Task Force, which involved several SoMAS students and staff, including Christine Santora, Project Director. The Task Force issued a groundbreaking report, "Little Fish, Big Impact," which outlined science-based recommendations for managing forage fish worldwide. Ellen spearheaded a scientist's letter in 2017, urging the ASMFC to adopt ecosystem-based options for menhaden at the time; however, the Commission deemed that the options were not species-specific enough. After three additional years of scientific work by an expert working group working within the ASMFC, the Commission voted to move ahead with using ecosystem-based harvest rules, a milestone and model for future fishery management decisions.

Broad coalition sends letter to Governor Cuomo, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, and Speaker Heastie, calling environmental programs critical to New York’s recovery and prosperity. Albany, NY (October 16, 2020) – Diverse organizations from across the state are urging Governor Andrew Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie to maintain funding for environmental programs to create jobs, fortify local economies, and address the climate crisis. In a letter sent to the leaders on Wednesday, 176 groups called environmental funding critical to the health, safety, and prosperity of all New Yorkers. “As the COVID pandemic has once again demonstrated, clear air, clean water and outdoor recreation are critical in protecting public health. When making difficult funding decisions, these resources and services must be recognized as essential.” The full text of the letter is below: Dear Governor Cuomo, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Heastie: Public funding to protect clean air and water, create and maintain local parks and enhance recreation, tackle climate change and its impacts, and conserve natural resources is critical to the health, safety and prosperity of all New Yorkers. With the $3 billion Environmental Bond Act removed from the November 2020 ballot, it is imperative that New York State maintain environmental funding. State environmental funding furthers the goals of the Bond Act while creating good-paying jobs, strengthening local economies, and advancing environmental justice in frontline communities. In the past, the environment has been treated like a luxury and all too often taken disproportionate funding cuts when the state faced financial crises. But environmental funding programs create jobs and economic opportunity, and, as the COVID pandemic has once again demonstrated, clear air, clean water and outdoor recreation are critical in protecting public health. When making difficult funding decisions, these resources and services must be recognized as essential. This funding also demonstrates a commitment by the state that can be used to leverage federal funds, specifically for future job-creating stimulus funding that could expand our ability to build resilience. Furthermore, the current impacts and dire threats we face from climate change remain during hard economic times and addressing them now will save money and lives, both now and in the long run. Hard economic times like these demand that we protect and enhance the environment we share, and in doing so, we can create solutions that will ensure we build a more prosperous future. Our organizations join with New York State, local governments, and many other stakeholders to call on Congress to ensure federal assistance to state and local governments to help cover public health costs and economic impacts through COVID relief legislation. Federal support for critical government services will continue to be a top priority. Additionally, as New York State leaders continue work to address the pandemic and state budget deficit, our organizations urge that the following state programs are at least maintained at currently appropriated levels, deployed effectively throughout the state, and that no further cuts to or sweeps from environmental programs be contemplated. These programs provide essential services with unique, cross-cutting benefits for New Yorkers in every county of the state, and this work must continue. Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) The $300 million EPF supports 350,000 jobs across the state, and EPF-supported industries generate approximately $40 billion in economic activity every year. EPF projects and programs directly address issues facing New York as we manage the pandemic and fiscal crisis. From improving water quality and community infrastructure, to providing resources for environmental justice organizations and conserving natural resources that reduce pollution and protect communities from storms, the EPF delivers programs New Yorkers need now, more than ever. Parks 2020 and DEC New York Works Programs Since its creation in 2010, Parks 2020 has funded $1 billion in upgrades to New York’s world-class state parks system. Every dollar invested in state parks generates $5 of economic activity. During the COVID crisis, state residents have relied on these parks to recreate, get exercise, and find solace during extremely difficult times. Local construction jobs associated with park development have been an economic lifeline for many communities. Opportunities to expand these benefits by creating new parks and improving existing parks in underserved areas exist throughout the state. Furthermore, for the last several fiscal years, NYSDEC has received approximately $40 million in New York Works funding annually for critical environmental capital projects, including approximately $55 million to support the “Adventure New York” Program, aimed at creating new recreational opportunities and infrastructure to support the record visitation our state lands are now experiencing. These projects protect natural resources, enhance visitor safety and experience, and create new access to the outdoors in all regions of the state. In addition to Adventure New York, capital funding for NYSDEC supports critical health and safety projects that protect the environment and the people of New York State. Clean Water Infrastructure Act To date, the State has provided $3.9 billion for water infrastructure programs, including the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act, and Governor Cuomo committed an additional $1.5 billion over the next three years as part of the SFY2019 budget for a total commitment of $5.4 billion. New York’s drinking water and wastewater systems need tens of billions of dollars in upgrades to ensure our communities have clean, safe water and our bays, harbors, lakes and rivers are not polluted. With county and local budgets stretched beyond their limits, funding for maintaining and upgrading our water infrastructure and addressing emerging contaminants threatening our safe drinking water is essential to protecting public health. In addition, this program is a strong job generator, with every $1 million in state investment resulting in 17 local jobs. Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Program Over the course of the program, $228 million of RGGI funds (that is 17% of total funding) have been transferred by NYSERDA to the state General Fund, depriving New Yorkers of funding that could have lowered energy bills and created good jobs. RGGI has received more than its fair share of cuts and it is more critical than ever that these funds be fully dedicated to implementing New York’s programs focused on addressing climate change, including the Green Jobs Green NY program, and meeting the state’s ambitious goals in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. A diversion of RGGI resources from NYSERDA will be economically and environmentally harmful to the state in the long run. Each of the above programs creates thousands of jobs, saves communities and taxpayers money, and supports several multi-billion dollar sectors of the economy, including but not limited to agriculture, outdoor recreation, construction, tourism and commercial fishing. These programs also leverage federal, local and private dollars to deliver important services to residents, which New York cannot afford to lose. With these many important benefits in mind, we urge the Legislature and Governor Cuomo to maintain funding for these important and successful programs, and pass legislation to reauthorize a $3 billion environmental Bond Act on a future ballot. Sincerely, + POOL, Kara Meyer, Managing Director Adirondack Council, Kevin Chlad, Director of Government Relations Adirondack Land Trust, Mike Carr, Executive Director Adirondack Mountain Club, Michael Barrett, Executive Director Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve, David Gibson, Managing Partner Agricultural Stewardship Association, Teri Ptacek, Executive Director Alley Pond Environmental Center, Inc, Irene V. Scheid, Executive Director Alliance for a Green Economy, Jessica Azulay, Executive Director Alliance for the Great Lakes, Crystal M.C. Davis, Vice President of Policy & Strategic Engagement American Farmland Trust, Samantha Levy, New York Policy Manager Appalachian Mountain Club, Kimberly Witt, Mid Atlantic Policy Manager Association for a Better New York, Steven Rubenstein, Chairman Atlantic States Legal Foundation, Lhakpa Tsering, Executive Director Audubon New York, Erin McGrath, Policy Manager Audubon Society of the Capital Region, Teresa Murphy, President Bedford Audubon, Suzanne Cahill, Executive Director Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, Jill Jedlicka, Executive Director Capital Roots, Amy Klein, Chief Executive Officer Catskill Center, Jeff Senterman, Executive Director Catskill Mountainkeeper, Katherine Nadeau, Deputy Director Central Westchester Audubon Society, Lisa Curtis, President Champlain Area Trails, Chris Maron, Executive Director Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy, John Jablonski III, Executive Director Chemung Valley Audubon Society Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director City Parks Foundation Clean and Healthy New York, Kathleen A. Curtis, Executive Director Climate XChange, Michael Green, Executive Director, Coalition of Living Museums Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor, Carol DiPaolo, Programs Director, Water-Monitoring Coordinator Columbia Land Conservancy, Peter R. Paden, Executive Director Concerned Citizens of Montauk, Laura Tooman, President Defend H2O, Kevin McAllister, President Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society, Susan O’Handley, Co-President Earthjustice, Courtney Bowie, Managing Attorney, Northeast Office Eastern Long Island Audubon Society, Byron Young, President Edmund Niles Huyck Preserve, Inc., Anne Rhoads, Executive Director Empire State Forest Products Association, John K. Bartow, Jr., Executive Director Environmental Advocates of NY, Kate Kurera, Deputy Director Environmental Defense Fund, Mark Rupp, Director, State-Federal Policy & Affairs, Ecosystems Finger Lakes - Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance, Kristy LaManche, Program Coordinator Finger Lakes Land Trust, Andrew Zepp, Executive Director Food & Water Action, Eric Weltman, Senior Organizer Four Harbors Audubon Society, Joyann Cirigliano, President/ Strategic Planning Chair Friends of Georgica Pond Foundation Friends of the Bay, Heather Johnson, Executive Director Friends of the Upper Delaware River, Jeff Skelding, Executive Director Friends of Tillson Lake, Inc., Morey Gottesman, President Friends of Times Beach Nature Preserve, Jay Burney, Chair Genesee Land Trust, Gay Mills, Executive Director Genesee Valley Audubon Society, June Summers, President Genesee Valley Conservancy, Inc., Benjamin Gajewski, Executive Director Grassroots Gardens WNY, Jeanette Koncikowski, Executive Director Great Neck Breast Cancer Coalition, Laura Weinberg, President Great South Bay Audubon Society, Annette Brownell, Treasurer Green Ossining, Suzie Ross, Chairperson Greene Land Trust, Robert Knighton, President Groundwork Hudson Valley, Brigitte Griswold, Executive Director Group for the East End, Robert S. DeLuca, President HabitatMap, Michael Heimbinder, Executive Director Hampton Bays Civic Association, Maria N. Hults, President Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association, Lisa DeLeeuw, Executive Director HEALTHY SCHOOLS NETWORK, Claire L. Barnett, MBA, Executive Director Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee, Eric Swenson, Executive Director Hudson Highlands Land Trust, Michelle Smith, Executive Director Hudson River Audubon Society of Westchester, Frances Greenberg, President Hudson Valley Fishermen’s Association Huntington Breast Cancer Action Coalition, Inc., Karen Joy Miller, Founder and President Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society, Simone DaRos, Board Member Indian River Lakes Conservancy, Elliott D. Hillback Jr, Board Chairperson Institute for Ocean Conservation Science at Stony Brook University, Christine Santora, Assistant Director Keuka Outlet Trail, Tom McGuigan, Board Member - Keuka Outlet Trail Kingston Land Trust, Julia Farr, Executive Director Lake Agawam Conservancy, Meghan Nadosy Magyar, Board Member Lake George Land Conservancy, Jamie Brown, Executive Director Lake Placid Land Conservancy, Kerry Crowningshield, Executive Director Land Trust Alliance, Meme Hanley, Senior New York Program Manager Lewisboro Land Trust, Bobbe Stultz, Co-Chair Long Island Contractors’ Association, Inc., Marc Herbst, Executive Director Long Island Pine Barrens Society, Richard Amper, Executive Director Manhasset Bay Protection Committee, Sarah Deonarine, Executive Committee Mianus River Gorge, Roderick G Christie, Executive Director Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy, Mark King, Executive Director Mohonk Preserve, Kevin Case, President & CEO Moms for a Non Toxic New York, Alexandra Zissu, Ulster County Chapter Head Nassau County Soil and Water Conservation District, David Ganim, District Manager Nassau Hiking & Outdoor Club, Guy Jacob, Conservation Chair Natural Areas Conservancy, Sarah Charlop-Powers, Executive Director Natural Resources Defense Council, Richard Schrader, Policy and Legislative Director New Rochelle, Noam Bramson, Mayor of New Rochelle New York Botanical Garden New York Building Congress, Carlo A. Scissura, Esq., President & CEO New York City Audubon, Kathryn Heintz, Executive Director New York League of Conservation Voters, Julie Tighe, President New York State Assc. of Reduction, Reuse and Recycling (NYSAR3), Kelli Timbrook, President New York State Laborers’ Union New York State Pollution Prevention Institute, Charles J. Ruffing, Director New York State Urban Forestry Council, Karen H. Emmerich, President New Yorkers for Parks, Adam Ganser, Executive Director New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, Joshua Howard, Executive Director Newtown Creek Alliance, Lisa Bloodgood, Director of Advocacy and Education North Fork Audubon Society, Debra O’Kane, President North Fork Environmental Council, Susan MacKenzie, President North Salem Open Land Foundation, Jocko McKean, Executive Director North Shore Audubon Society, Peggy Maslow, President Northern Catskills Audubon Society, Inc., Larry Federman, President Northern New York Audubon, Joan Collins, Conservation Chair NY Climate Reality Chapters Coalition, Tim Guinee, Legislative Action Coordinator NY Product Stewardship Council, Andrew Radin, Board Chair NY Water Environment Association, William J. Nylic, III, President NYC Audubon, Kathryn Heintz, Executive Director NYPIRG, Elizabeth Moran, Environmental Policy Director Onondaga Audubon, Maryanne Adams, Conservation Chair Ontario Bays Initiative, Inc. (OBI Land Trust), Jim LaPlante, Board Chairperson Open Space Institute, Christopher “Kim” J. Elliman, President & CEO Orange County Audubon Society, Melissa Peterson, Administrator Orange County Land Trust, James Delaune, Executive Director Otsego Land Trust, Patricia Szarpa, Executive Director Our Outer Harbor Coalition, Buffalo, Margaret Wooster Parks & Trails New York, Robin Dropkin, Executive Director Peconic Baykeeper, Peter Topping, Baykeeper Peconic Estuary Protection Committee Peconic Land Trust, John v.H. Halsey, President Pollinator Conservation Association, Inc, Jay Burney, Special Projects Director Preservation League of New York State, Jay DiLorenzo, President Protect the Adirondac­­­ks!, Peter Bauer, Executive Director Putnam County Land Trust, Judith Terlizzi, Board President Rebuild by Design, Amy Chester, Managing Director Renewable Energy Long Island (reLI), Gordian Raacke, Executive Director Rensselaeer Plateau Alliance, Jim Bonesteel, Executive Director RETI Center, Gita Nandan, Chair of the Board RETI Center, Tim Gilman-Sevcik, Executive Director RETI Center, Isil Akgul, Director of Operations Riverkeeper, Jeremy Cherson, Legislative Advocacy Manager Riverside Park Conservancy Rochester Museum and Science Center, Hillary Olson, President & CEO Sag Harbor Village Harbor Committee Saratoga PLAN, Maria Ttabka, Executive Director Save The Great South Bay, Robyn Silvestri, Executive Director Save the Sound, Tracy Brown, Regional Director, Water Protection Saw Mill River Audubon, Anne Swaim, Executive Director Scenic Hudson, Ned Sullivan, President Seatuck Environmental Association, Enrico Nardone, Executive Director Serpentine Art and Nature Center, Inc., George Y. Bramwell, Esq., Past President Setauket Harbor Task Force, George Hoffman, Trustee Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, Roger Downs, Conservation Director Somers Land Trust, Michael Barnhart, President South Shore Audubon Society, Brien Weiner, President Southampton Town Civic Coalition, Andrea Spilka, President Southern Madison Heritage Trust, Harvey L Kliman, Ph.D., President St. Lawrence Land Trust, Jessica Rogers, President of the Board Surfrider Foundation, Matt Gove, Mid-Atlantic Policy Manager Sustainable Westchester, Steven Rosenthal, Interim Executive Director SWANA New York Chapter, Luann Meyer, President Syracuse Cultural Workers, Andy Mager, Sales Manager and Social Movements Liaison Teatown Lake Reservation, Kevin Carter, Executive Director The Conservation Fund, Thomas R. Duffus, Vice President, Northeast The Nature Conservancy, Jessica Ottney Mahar, NY Policy & Strategy Director The North Shore Land Alliance, Inc., Lisa W. ott, President The Town of New Castle, Supervisor Ivy A. Pool, Deputy Supervisor Jeremy Saland, Council Member Lisa Katz, Council Member Lauren Levin, Council Member Jason Lichtenthal, New Castle Town Board The Trust for Public Land, Carter Strickland, New York State Director Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Christy Plumer, Chief Conservation Officer Town of Ossining, Dana Levenberg, Town Supervisor Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust, Linda M. Garrett, Executive Director Urban Green Council, Danielle Manley, Associate Manager, Policy Van Cortlandt Park Alliance, Stephanie Ehrlich, Executive Director Vision Long Island, Eric Alexander, Director Wallkill Valley Land Trust, Christie DeBoer, Executive Director Waterfront Alliance, Cortney Worrall, President and CEO WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Cecil Corbin-Mark, Deputy Director & Director of Policy Initiatives Westchester Land Trust, Lori Ensinger, President Western New York Environmental Alliance, Lynda Schneekloth, Chair Western New York Land Conservancy, Nancy Smith, Executive Director Wildlife Conservation Society, John F. Calvelli, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs Winnakee Land Trust, Robert S. Davis, Executive Director Woodstock Land Conservancy, Maxanne Resnick, Executive Director Read the original here.

John Bohorquez, in collaboration with researchers at NOAA, published a paper in Environmental Science & Technology: "Quantification and Valuation of Nitrogen Removal Services by Commercial Shellfish Aquaculture at the Sub-watershed Scale."

A new analysis of marine protected areas (MPAs) reveals that many important ocean regions off mainland U.S. are significantly unprotected.

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!

Connecting with Communities through COVID-19 - Assistant Director, Christine Santora, gave Mepham High School's Senior Experience students a lesson on the ecosystem of Shinnecock Bay and how science-based restoration can contribute to pollution solutions.

John Bohorquez, Ph.D. candidate, co-authored a whitepaper report with the Conservation Finance Alliance entitled, "Conservation Finance: A Framework." The CFA is pleased to announce the release of “Conservation Finance: A Framework”. In this white paper, we seek to clarify the definition and role of conservation finance to show how important its mechanisms and strategies are for addressing the underlying causes of nature loss as well as contributing to increasing sustainable funding flows to nature conservation. This white paper is intended to improve understanding of the opportunities and challenges posed by the field of conservation finance. The paper emphasizes a holistic approach to conservation finance and seeks to support a more harmonized comprehension going forward. Secondly, the white paper provides several conceptual frameworks to facilitate an understanding of the various concepts associated with conservation finance. Finally, the white paper presents a taxonomy of conservation finance strategies and mechanisms. The white paper defines conservation finance as “mechanisms and strategies that generate, manage, and deploy financial resources and align incentives to achieve nature conservation outcomes.” Read the paper here.

STONY BROOK, NY, October 25, 2019 — The largest synthesis of important marine areas conducted to date reveals that a large portion of earth's oceans are considered important and are good candidates for protection. A first of its kind, the study was conducted by a multidisciplinary team of researchers including Ellen Pikitch, PhD, and Christine Santora of Stony Brook University and Dr. Natasha Gownaris, a PhD graduate of Stony Brook University. The team examined 10 diverse and internationally recognized maps depicting global marine priority areas. The findings, published in Frontiers in Marine Science, may serve as a roadmap for the goal set by the United Nations to create 10 percent of the ocean as marine protected areas (MPAs) by 2020. There are numerous ongoing United Nations and nongovernmental initiatives to map globally important marine areas. Such areas may be identified because of their high biodiversity, threatened or vulnerable species, or relatively natural state. Criteria used for mapping vary by initiative, resulting in differences in areas identified as important. This paper is the first to overlay mapping initiatives, quantify consensus, and conduct gap analyses at the global scale. This map depicts areas of the ocean globally deemed important by 1 (lightest green) and 7 (darkest green). The analysis found that 55% of the ocean has been identified as important by at least one of the mapping initiatives (58% of this area is within national jurisdiction and 42% is in the high seas). More than 14% of the ocean was identified as important by between two and four maps, and a gap analysis showed that nearly 90% of this area is currently unprotected. The largest of these important but unprotected areas were located in the Caribbean Sea, Madagascar and the southern tip of Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Coral Triangle region. Nearly all area identified by five or more maps is already protected as reported by the World Database on Protected Areas. Most (three quarters) nations protect less than 10 percent of the identified priority areas within their exclusive economic zones (EEZs). "An enormous area of the ocean has already been identified as important by scientists and conservationists but remains unprotected," said Pikitch, Endowed Professor of Ocean Conservation Science in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) at Stony Brook University. "Opportunities for further ocean conservation are widespread and include areas within the national jurisdictions of most coastal states as well as the high seas." This map depicts areas of the ocean globally deemed important by 1 (lightest green) and 7 (darkest green). Based on the team's analysis of the 10 maps, Pikitch explained that the goal to protect 10 percent of the oceans by 2020 could be met solely through the actions of coastal states. If all the unprotected ocean area identified as important by two or more initiatives were to be protected by 2020, an additional 9.34 percent of the ocean would be added to the global MPA network. In addition, more than 76 million km2 of areas beyond national jurisdictions were identified as important and unprotected. This finding, she added, may therefore inform ongoing discussions about protection of the high seas. The investigators also used biogeographic classification to determine whether current protection of important areas was ecologically representative. They found it was not, as only half of all 99 ocean provinces protect at least 10 percent of their identified area. This, they point out, suggests the need for improvement in creating an ecologically representative global MPA network. "This study can help guide placement of future MPAs to meet agreed objectives for the quantity, quality and representativeness of the global network of marine protected areas," Pikitch emphasized. "Local studies and expertise will also be necessary to implement this process."

2019 Nuria Protopopescu Memorial Teaching Award ($1000) This award is presented annually to a SoMAS graduate student based on demonstrated excellence in teaching, innovation and creativity in instructional plans and materials, and engagement with and dedication to their students. Congratulations, Sara!

This merit scholarship is offered annually to a single recipient who has demonstrated excellence and outstanding dedication to environmental conservation through their studies. Maria will use this scholarship to assist her studies, and after graduation, consider employment that furthers the cause of environmental protection and riparian habitat conservation for the benefit of all. To learn more, click here.

-by John Bohorquez, July 15, 2019 In a thought-provoking Medium article, Johnny walks us through the implications of the recent spike in right whale deaths, revealing that this is just "a preview" of the climate consequences that our oceans may face over the next century. Read the full article here.