(L to R): Laurie Vetere and George Hoffman from Setauket Harbor Taskforce, Suffolk County Legislator Steve Englebright, Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay, and Jimena Perez-Viscasillas and Rebecca Shuford from New York Sea Grant. Credit: Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay

— by Chris Boyle, LongIsland.com

The Sound is a critical waterway, serving as a sanctuary for over 120 species of finfish and countless other marine and avian species.

Stony Brook, NY, May 29, 2025 - Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay hosted a press event last Friday at West Meadow Beach, celebrating Long Island Sound Day to highlight the ecological, economic, and cultural significance of the Long Island Sound. This annual observance, traditionally held on the Friday before Memorial Day, has been officially recognized through Assemblywoman Kassay’s resolution in the New York State Assembly, and is mirrored by the Long Island Sound’s sister state, Connecticut. Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay shared, “It is truly an honor to be carrying on the tradition of this resolution that was started by Former Assemblyman and current County Legislator Steve Englebright to make sure that not just here in New York and on Long Island, but also in the state of Connecticut that all the residents are aware of Long Island Sound Day highlighting the importance of this incredible body of water.”

The Sound is a critical waterway, serving as a sanctuary for over 120 species of finfish and countless other marine and avian species, including seals, humpback whales, ospreys, and piping plovers, making it an essential habitat for biodiversity and migratory wildlife. Its watershed encompasses parts of nine New York counties and six states in total, providing critical natural resources to a population of nearly nine million people, including four million New Yorkers.

Beyond its environmental importance, Long Island Sound is a significant economic engine for the surrounding regions. The Sound generates approximately $9 billion annually to the local economy, driving industries such as tourism, boating, fishing, and coastal real estate. It supports more than 50,000 jobs across these sectors, creating a ripple effect in local economies through businesses ranging from restaurants and hotels to marine supply shops and ecotourism. The Sound provides a platform for countless recreational activities, including boating, kayaking, bird watching, and beach recreation, attracting local residents and travelers alike.


In addition, Long Island Sound offers bountiful opportunities for scientific research and environmental education. Universities, research institutions, and environmental organizations regularly conduct studies and make efforts to monitor water quality, improve habitat restoration, and manage fisheries. These efforts contribute to preserving the health of the Sound for future generations and help educate the public on the importance of protecting this unique ecosystem.

Assemblywoman Kassay added, “For me growing up on the North Shore, my relationship with the Sound started coming to the beaches- enjoying them recreationally like so many do- but my relationship grew profoundly when I started a teen volunteer group here in Stony Brook and had the opportunity to take students out with incredible community partners like the Setauket Harbor Task Force, Long Island Sound Study and Sea Grant and helping our young people understand that this is not only a place to relax and recreate but also to explore the incredible ecosystem that’s in their backyard. As an environmentalist going into government, I learned pretty quickly that it's important to not only talk about the environment as far as its majesty and fragility, but also the economic driver that our environment is locally as well as nationally. Keeping these waters safe and clean is an investment into our economy, to keep people coming to enjoy them and helping local residents make a living in jobs that depend on the cleanliness of that water. It takes more than a Village, it takes more than a Town, a County or even a State: it takes everyone coming together to be sure that we are further restoring and protecting this incredible resource for everyone who loves to call it home, everyone who loves to visit it, and everyone who has a personal relationship with it– because this body of water is living, breathing. I am humbled to be standing here with these giants of conservation, and I am committed entirely to continuing to preserve and protect the  Long Island Sound.”

Fellow Resolution co-sponsor New York State Senator Anthony Palumbo said, “I am happy to join Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay in passing this year’s New York State Senate and Assembly Resolutions designating May 23rd as Long Island Sound Day.” He continued, “Long Island Sound is an integral part of our region’s tourist, fishing and aquaculture industries and greatly enjoyed by area residents.  While we have made important strides in protecting the Sound and strengthening local ecosystems, more needs to be done. We must stay vigilant in our continued efforts to ensure that the Sound remains a regional treasure for generations to come.” 

Suffolk County Legislator Steve Englebright added, “The Long Island Sound is something to respect and honor. It is vulnerable, it is fragile, and it needs to be cared for. That it [the Sound] is coming back from the days when we used to have fish kills and masses of dead fish washing up on the shores is evident because the ospreys are back. There are two pairs of them here [West Meadow Beach] and if the waters weren’t healthy, productive and recovering from what they once, just a few decades ago, were trending toward, we wouldn't have these visitors. They honor us every year if we keep the environment clean. This is a special place that is not only good for recreation but also for education.”

George Hoffman, speaking on behalf of the Setauket Harbor Task Force, remarked, “This is the fourth year we have celebrated Long Island Sound Day in conjunction with Connecticut. It’s celebrated on the Friday before Memorial Day, which marks the start of the boating season. One of the things that the Long Island Sound is just such a great place for is for people to recreate and it provides for 9 million people that live on both shores of the 110 miles of the Long Island Sound. It’s really one of the most important estuaries in our area. I am so proud that Assemblywoman Kassay carried this legislation and I would like to thank her for being a partner to us and helping us do what we do.”

Laurie Vetre, also speaking on behalf of the Setauket Harbor Task Force added, “The Sound is very important for Long Island economically - if we don’t have clean water, our property values go down and we can’t celebrate our natural or cultural history. It was important that we started the Setauket Harbor Task Force to try and bring an emphasis about the water quality in our local harbors. We are happy to celebrate Long Island Sound and will continue to be stewards as long as we can.”

Rebecca Shuford, Director of New York Sea Grant, spoke on the importance of collaboration, saying, "New York Sea Grant is proud to collaborate with many federal, state and local partners to help protect and improve Long Island Sound. Through research, extension, and education New York Sea Grant is helping to inform the sustainable management of Long Island Sound, enhance community resilience to extreme weather events, and improve public access for everyone. Long Island Sound Day is a great way to celebrate this extraordinary resource that we all share, and a reminder to get out and enjoy the Sound and do our part to take care of it."

To conclude the event, Assemblywoman Kassay presented a proclamation to the Setauket Harbor Task Force to thank them for the environmental initiatives that they have coordinated to protect the Sound, such as water quality monitoring, habitat restoration efforts, and collaborative research projects all of which contribute to the Sound’s long-term sustainability. 

Assemblywoman Kassay looks forward to continuing her work alongside the Sound’s stewards, and helping to connect residents from throughout her district to the wonders and opportunities found along the Long Island Sound. For more information about this and any other program or concern, please call Assemblywoman Kassay’s office at 631-751-3094.


More Info: New York Sea Grant

Established in 1966, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s National Sea Grant College Program promotes the informed stewardship of coastal resources in 34 joint federal/state university-based programs in every U.S. coastal state (marine and Great Lakes) and Puerto Rico. The Sea Grant model has also inspired similar projects in the Pacific region, Korea and Indonesia.

Since 1971, New York Sea Grant (NYSG) has represented a statewide network of integrated research, education and extension services promoting coastal community economic vitality, environmental sustainability and citizen awareness and understanding about the State’s marine and Great Lakes resources.

NYSG historically leverages on average a 3 to 6-fold return on each invested federal dollar, annually. We benefit from this, as these resources are invested in Sea Grant staff and their work in communities right here in New York.

Through NYSG’s efforts, the combined talents of university scientists and extension specialists help develop and transfer science-based information to many coastal user groups—businesses and industries, federal, state and local government decision-makers and agency managers, educators, the media and the interested public.

New York Sea Grant, one of the largest of the state Sea Grant programs, is a cooperative program of the State University of New York (SUNY) and Cornell University. The program maintains Great Lakes offices at Cornell University, SUNY Buffalo, Rochester Institute of Technology, SUNY Oswego, the Wayne County Cooperative Extension office in Newark, and in Watertown. In the State's marine waters, NYSG has offices at Stony Brook University and with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County on Long Island, in Queens, at Brooklyn College, with Cornell Cooperative Extension in NYC, in Bronx, with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County in Kingston, and with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Westchester County in Elmsford.

For updates on Sea Grant activities: www.nyseagrant.org, follow us on social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and YouTube). NYSG offers a free e-list sign