NY Coastlines—New York Sea Grant (NYSG)'s flagship publication—and its news archive, Currents, highlight news, events and other activities from our coastal program's
various research, extension and education endeavors throughout New
York's marine and Great Lakes waters.
Spring 2018
NY Coastlines / Currents; Vol. 46, No. 1 & 2 / Vol. 6, No. 1
Feature: What Sea Grant Does For You
For nearly 50 years, New York Sea Grant—one of 33 university-based programs under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Sea Grant College Program (NSGCP)—has been producing impressive results through its funded research.
"Sea Grant is unique in how it then draws upon its Extension program to extend these studies, putting science-based into the hands of these and a wide variety of other coastal stakeholders," says NYSG Director William Wise.
"Sea Grant helps New Yorkers live, work and play more sustainably along the State's coast," he adds, whether that's via coping with flooding associated with record high water levels on Lake Ontario; making recreational sites along the Hudson River more accessible to all, including those with disabilities; or helping fishing businesses on Long Island navigate a continually-evolving welter of fishing regulations.
For more on Wise's impressions of Sea Grant and the U.S. Congressional support it receives, see his April 2018 Letter from the Director, "Looking Back and Looking Ahead." Read on >>
In Wise's letter, he cites the support of, among others, Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), recipient of a Sea Grant Association award. This acknowledgment was recently highlighted in Stony Brook University's Happenings newsletter. Read on >>
Also, for some background on what our coastal science program does, check out some fact sheets created by Sea Grant both nationally and here in New York:
How Sea Grant Benefits New Yorkers ...
What is NYSG? (pdf)
NYSG "By The Numbers" (pdf)
NYSG Research (pdf)
Zooming in on Water Quality, Climate Change, Ocean Acidification
NYSG Extension Read on >>
A spotlight on 17 impacts from projects in New York's marine and Great Lakes waters. Topics include: Green infrastructure retrofitting guidance, Community and school-based climate resiliency, Coastal restoration, Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture and Basin Bins for teachers.
How Sea Grant Benefits the Nation ...
A Smart Investment in our National Coastal Economy (pdf)
Fellowship Program: John A. Knauss Marine Policy (pdf)
Fellowship Program: National Marine Fisheries Service-Sea Grant (pdf)
Sustainable Aquaculture (pdf)
Advancing nationally through research and outreach
More on Sea Grant's impacts nationally at seagrant.noaa.gov
What's Trending: High Water Level Survey Results, Resources Available
Survey results, photos, public testimony, and resources related to the 2017 Lake Ontario record high water impact event are now available.
NYSG provided funding to Dr. Scott Steinschneider and Dr. Richard Stedman at Cornell University to develop and implement the 2017 high water level impact survey, a detailed account of the event's parcel-level impacts on waterfront properties.
Survey results help to identify areas most vulnerable to future flooding and verify existing flood-risk modeling. Read on >>
Also: Responding to Stakeholders' Request for Standardized Impact Data Reporting in New York's Lake Ontario Region | PDF
Upcoming Events & Deadlines
Help Protect New York's Waters: Participate in Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 28th
NYSG is encouraging the public to take expired, unused and unwanted pharmaceuticals to designated retail and law enforcement agency locations on National Take Back Day, which is April 28, 2018 from 10 am to 2 pm.
Our coastal science program offers "Return Unwanted Medicines" resources, which include information about the impact of keeping pharmaceuticals and personal care products out of New York's waterways. Read on >>
Other Upcoming NYSG Events and Deadlines ...
Funding Opportunity: NYSG / NYS Department of Environmental Conservation's 2018 New York's Great Lakes Basin Small Grants Program Read on >>
(Deadline: May 1, 2018)
Eligible projects --- each of which will receive up to $25,000 in support --- will enhance community and ecosystem resiliency and capitalize on New York water-based recreation and tourism.
"These small grants create opportunities for stakeholders to build upon the unique natural strengths of their communities to enhance environmental quality, resiliency, and the economic benefits intrinsically tied to New York's Great Lakes coastal resources," says NYSG Associate Director and Cornell University Cooperative Extension Assistant Director Katherine Bunting-Howarth.
Also: New York's Great Lakes Basin Small Grants: Advancing Ecosystem-Based Management | PDF
Climate Forum (May 3, 2018)
"Flooding and Flood Preparedness" is the topic for this fifth in a series from the Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay (SRIatJB), NYSG and their partners. The public event will be held from 6 to 8 pm at Millennium Development (Brooklyn, NY).
"Many communities throughout New York City are prone to flooding," says NYSG Jamaica Bay Coastal Resilience Specialist Helen Cheng, "and in recent years flooding has occurred more frequently, causing millions of dollars in property damage and even loss of life."
In addition to highlighting different types of flooding, their causes and risks, panelists will discuss how community members can prepare for such emergencies and how they can adapt for future floods.
You can Register for this free event.
Also: Learn more about the series via an article written after the last forum, held in September 2017. Read on >>
And: Raising Climate Awareness for New York City Coastal Communities | PDF
Suffolk County Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) Symposium (May 16, 2018)
A summary of the recent Suffolk County Harmful Algal Bloom Action Plan (PDF) as well as an update about mitigating actions being conducted in waters that affect the Suffolk County watershed will be presented at this meeting, which is being facilitated as a partnership between NYSG and Long Island's Suffolk County government.
The event will be held at Timber Point Country Club (Great River, NY).
You can Register for the the public portion of this event (7:30 am-12:30 pm), though seating is limited. A technical session for only researchers will be held in the afternoon.
For more related "State of the Bays" information see: Action Plan Released on Harmful Algal Blooms and Communities Respond to Colorful Tides that Could Signal Harm.
Contact Antoinette Clemtson for additional information: (631) 632-8730, aoc5@cornell.edu.
Watercraft Inspection Steward Trainings (May 21-25, 2018) Read on >>
Is your steward program interested in attending a standardized aquatic invasive species / watercraft inspection training? This spring there will be two opportunities, for which registration is limited:
(1) Western New York Regional Training from May 21st-23rd Register
(De Veaux Woods and Fort Niagara State Parks)
(2) Lower Hudson Regional Training from May 23rd-25th Register
(Norrie Point Environmental Center)
Local Government Training Workshops: Improving Community Resiliency (May 23-24, 2018)
These workshops will help communities plan for an uncertain future. Attendees will gain an understanding of potential extreme weather impacts, and other threats, in their region, and learn the tools necessary to help them identify risks as well as manage and plan for impacts.
This spring there will be two opportunities, for which registration is limited:
(1) Long Island Training on May 23rd
(Suffolk County H. Lee Dennison Building, Hauppauge, NY)
Agenda | Register
(2) Hudson Training on May 24th
(Orange County Community College - Newburgh Campus)
Agenda | Register
Registration --- $30 Members; $40 Non-Members --- includes continental breakfast and lunch and is first come, first served.
As detailed in the Long Island agenda, the May 23rd workshop will have two concurrent tracks: (1) Planning for Community Resiliency and (2) Code Enforcement for Resilience.
The first track will help communities plan for an uncertain future. Attendees will gain an understanding of potential extreme weather impacts, and other threats, in their region, understand the tools necessary to help them identify risks, and manage and plan for the future.
The second track will help Code Enforcement Officers better understand Elevation Certificates, Post-Disaster Floodplain Administrator Response, and the interaction between foundation and flood vents.
Resilient Schools Consortium (RiSC) Student Summit (June 1, 2018)
During this invite-only event, RiSC teams will showcase their work and brainstorm ideas with attendees to create more resilient schools and communities.
The RiSC project is funded by The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Education as part of their Environmental Literacy Grant program. The work is supported by Brooklyn College, the National Wildlife Federation, NYSG and the SRIatJB.
"We are empowering youth to have a voice and take action in building more resilient New York City communities," says NYSG Jamaica Bay Coastal Resilience Specialist Helen Cheng.
Those sent initial invites can Register for the event.
And for more on RiSC, see NYSG Aids in Launch of Storm-Resilient Schools Consortium.
Green Infrastructure Retrofit Manual Training Workshop (June 5, 2018)
This interactive half-day (8:30 am-12:30 pm) workshop --- to be held at the Rochester Museum & Science Center's Eleanor Eisenhart Morris Ballroom & Palm Court (Rochester, NY) --- will showcase the different sections of the newly developed City of Rochester/Monroe County Green Infrastructure Retrofit Manual, with an emphasis on the localized content. Attendees will learn how to apply the manual contents to their work. This training event will close with a tour of Green Infrastructure practices on the Rochester Museum & Science Center campus.
Registration is first come, first served. Seating is limited to 50.
#Research
Over $1.1M for New York Sea Grant Research in 2018-2019
Scientists from five new two-year NYSG-funded coastal research projects are seeking solutions for harmful algal blooms and better aquatic invasive species detection, as well as ocean acidification, flood risk, and a pervasive microbic food-borne pathogen. Read on >>
More NYSG #Research news ...
When Hurricane Nears, Memory and Responsibility Play Role in Decisions to Evacuate (April 2018)
In a recent paper published in Risk Analysis, NOAA Sea Grant Coastal Storm Awareness Program researcher Laura Rickard and her colleagues are thinking about risk judgment and risk communication in connection to natural hazards like hurricanes. Read on >>
Also: Recent research led by Rickard published in Weather, Climate, and Society suggests that certain visuals, such as infographics, can make messages related to environmental issues more compelling, such as bolstering or depressing feelings of confidence in adapting behaviors to climate change. For more, see "Photographs Influence Perceptions of Hurricane Risk" Read on >>
And: You can help NOAA's National Weather Service spread the word about Hurricane Preparedness Week, which begins on May 6th. Read on >>
Scientists Use Innovative Genetic Methods to Locate Sources of Pollution, Contamination (April 2018) Read on >>
Investigators at Buffalo State College and Queens College have used DNA to trace sources of bacterial pollution in New York's waters, including the Hudson River and near Buffalo's Gallagher Pier.
On the Fifth Anniversary of Superstorm/Hurricane Sandy, a Big Question Remains (October 2017) Read on >>
As discussed in a scientific article published in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, Sea Grant investigators show that the late-October 2012 severe storm was not a worst-case catastrophe.
State of the Bays: Action Plan Release on Harmful Algal Blooms (October 2017) Read on >>
Sea Grant has an integral role in developing this first-of-its-kind comprehensive and integrated strategy to guide the work of multiple levels of government, scientists and academia to address increasingly frequent algae blooms that have plagued marine waters, threatening both Long Island/Suffolk County's environment and economy.
NOAA Awards $9.3 Million to Support Sea Grant Aquaculture Research Nationwide (October 2017) Read on >>
32 research projects are helping to further develop the nation's marine and coastal aquaculture industry. In New York, a $100,000+ grant supports "Securing the Future of Seafood through Industry and Education," a Fish-to-Dish collaborative internship program that will introduce students to an industry with exceptional growth potential and empower students to pursue careers in seafood science and aquaculture.
Also: Sea Grant By The Numbers - Sustainable Aquaculture | PDF
(February 2018)
Residents Use Software to Envision Resilient Coastal Communities (November 2017) Read on >>
Experts are using a new online tool focusing on "resiliency," the ability of a community to bounce back from a shock --- such as a hurricane or coastal flooding --- that New York's coastal regions may expect with climate change. The process is described in a recently-published Urban Ecosystems journal article.
#Extension
Inflatable Watercraft, Boat that Folds: NYSG Clean and Safe Educational Vessels for 2018
A 12-foot boat that folds. A paddleboard in a backpack. A kayak that blows up like a balloon. These folding and inflatable vessels are attracting attention as the Inflate-A-Fleet that is the centerpiece of the 2018 NYSG "Discover Clean and Safe Boating" campaign. Read on >>
Also: National Safe Boating Week begins May 19th. NOAA's National Weather Service has partnered with the National Safe Boating Council, a NOAA Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador™, to help promote safe boating practices. Read on >>
More NYSG #Extension news ...
On YouTube, On Air: How Technology is Helping Sea Grant to Better Understand A Key Lake Ontario Fish (November 2017) Read on >>
Late last fall, NYSG's Great Lakes Fisheries Specialist Jesse Lepak (pictured above, at left) discussed a recent study on king salmon, a key fish species in Lake Ontario's ecosystem, with TV and radio outlets throughout New York's North Country.
Also: NYSG King Salmon Video Highlights Value, High-Tech Fish Tracking
Check out the video that highlights the value of king salmon to the Lake Ontario ecosystem and local economies and how Cornell University researchers and Sea Grant personnel are using pop-off satellite archival tags developed to work in freshwater to collect unprecedented data about salmon movement and behavior. Read on >>
And: Tracking King Salmon in Lake Ontario with Pop-Off Satellite Tags | PDF
Publication: Kathleen Fallon Shares Coastal Erosion Information with Long Islanders (March 2018) Read on >>
NYSG's Coastal Processes & Hazards Specialist has created a four page fact sheet about coastal erosion on Long Island. Erosion affects coastal communities all across Long Island, from the Hamptons on the South Fork to North Shore communities along the Long Island Sound.
NYSG's Seafood Summit Guides Action Points (March 2018) Read on >>
In mid-February, Sea Grant hosted its second free, public, New York City-based Seafood Summit in collaboration with industry, academic and other professional seafood stakeholders. The aim is to host these events on an annual basis to encourage collaboration, interaction, and to generate awareness about challenges facing the industry.
Also: The summit's goals were outlined in "NYSG Hosts Second Seafood Summit in New York City" (January 2018) Read on >>
NYSG Offers Free Regional Training Watercraft Inspection Steward Trainings in May (March 2018) Read on >>
Watercraft inspection engages boaters in learning how they can help slow and stop the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) by checking their boats and trailers for debris that may contain AIS.
Also: Watercraft Inspection Webinar Series Empowers Statewide Efficiency | PDF
And: Stream full video from each of the watercraft inspection seminars in the Fall 2017 webinar series, which offers watercraft inspection program leaders and those interested in developing a program the opportunity to learn about exciting, recent advances in aquatic invasive science. More at www.nyseagrant.org/watercraftinspection.
Publication: Facilitating Green Infrastructure for New York Coastal Communities (February 2018) Read on >>
NYSG, with the City of Rochester, Monroe County and NOAA, has developed a Green Infrastructure (GI) Retrofit Manual designed to provide guidance to planners, municipal staff, design engineers, and maintenance personnel to successfully incorporate GI practices in retrofits and redevelopment projects within the City of Rochester and Monroe County.
Also: Check out our fact sheet that summarizes this effort | PDF
Podcast: Jamaica Bay (October 2017)
The latest in this series, which highlights the people that work, live, and play in and around NYC's Jamaica Bay, focuses on horseshoe crabs. To listen to the discussion about these living fossils that crawl into the shallow waters of the beach, check out the "Podcasts" page at www.nyseagrant.org/jamaicabay. This is a collaborative effort of NYSG and the Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay,
Also: Did you know there is a book about Jamaica Bay? Make sure to also to check out "Prospects for Resilience: Insights from New York City's Jamaica Bay" Read on >>
Publication: New York Experts Contribute to Great Lakes Sea Grant Network Comprehensive Report on Asian Carp (October 2017) Read on >>
NYSG coastal education and fisheries specialists contributed to development of this "Education and Outreach on Asian Carp" report, which includes information on carp life history, movement and behavior, monitoring, control, ecosystem impacts and gaps in current knowledge that need to be addressed further.
#Education
NYSG Aids in Launch of Storm-Resilient Schools Consortium, Plans for Springtime NYC Summit
The Resilient Schools Consortium (RiSC) program is currently in seven schools --- four middle and three high schools --- in South Brooklyn. Program partners engage with up to 300 students and over a dozen teachers, all of whom are from schools that were significantly impacted by Sandy. Project teams will have an opportunity to share the first year of their work with each other during the first RiSC program summit on June 1st Read on >>
More NYSG #Education news ...
In Photos: Two from New York Named 2018 Knauss Fellowship Finalists (Updated: November 2017) Read on >>
NYSG Director Bill Wise (pictured above, middle) met with our program's two 2018 John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship recipients while at an early March reception in Washington, D.C.
Both of NYSG's representatives are Executive Fellows, as they are working in non-legislative offices in the D.C. metro area. Ashley Stilson (far left) is Special Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Director at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Ecological Services office in Falls Church, VA. Emily Markowitz (far right) works in the Protected Species Science Branch at NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service's Office of Science and Technology office in Silver Spring, MD.
Also:
Sea Grant By The Numbers - Four Decades of Knauss Fellows Read on >>
(Updated: April 2018)
Sea Grant By The Numbers - Knauss Fellowship | PDF
(February 2018)
Sea Grant By The Numbers - NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship | PDF
(February 2018)
Preview: Lake Guardian teacher training on Lake Ontario (Summer 2018)
Though the teachers working with 4th-10th grade students for this week-long professional development workshop have been notified, get a preview via NYSG's blog of what it's like to work side-by-side with scientists on the 180-foot U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) research vessel Lake Guardian.
Participants in this cycle, which rotates back to Lake Ontario every five years, board the ship in Buffalo, NY on July 9th and disembark at Youngstown, NY on July 15th. The event is sponsored by The Center for Great Lakes Literacy, Great Lakes Sea Grant Network and U.S. EPA.
Sea Grant Partners Up for 2018 State of Lake Erie Meeting (April 2018) Read on >>
The free public meeting, led by NYSG's Coastal Education Specialist Helen Domske, was held in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and in cooperation with Assemblyman Sean M. Ryan and the Southtowns fishing club.
Informational Cards Inform Seafood Marketgoers about Nutrition, Preparation, and Health (April 2018) Read on >>
NYSG Seafood Safety Specialist Michael Ciaramella, who recently earned the Mid-Atlantic Sea Grant Network's Early Career Achievement Award, has developed a series of seafood information cards designed to educate consumers on selecting, handling and preparing seafood appropriately and safely. The card series encompasses seafood consumption from dock to dish and is designed to be distributed anywhere fish are sold in New York.
Long Island Sound Stewards: Student Education Encourages Coastal Conservation | PDF
Since 2008, more than 4,000 students have been involved in Long Island Sound Study projects. Their efforts have included collecting significant data of use to partner agencies. More than 10 years of data now exists from projects conducted at Sunken Meadow State Park, in the Nissequogue River Stewardship Area.
Great Lakes, Great Discoveries (March 2018) Read on >>
2018 marked the 32nd Science Exploration Day, an event that NYSG has sponsored for 25 of those years. This year, some 1,200 students and teachers from 50 schools throughout Western NY came to the University at Buffalo to learn about science and research. Sea Grant has also presented on topics such as the Great Lakes, Invasive Species and Coral Reefs as part of the program.
Also: Preparing Teachers to Engage Students in Great Lakes Education | PDF
New York Fish to Dish Education and Internship Program (January 2018) Read on >>
This summer, NYSG will support a Fish to Dish Internship Program on Long Island and in NYC and the Hudson Valley to aid in the development of a skilled student workforce capable of advancing and working in the industry in the future.
Publication: Adopt a Habitattitude™ (February 2018) Read on >>
This series of classroom-tested, electronically-available activities are designed to be used by teachers and informal educators in grades 6-12. These innovative and engaging activities can help students learn about and prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS).
A benefit of using these materials is that educators can see how each activity is matched with Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core State Standards, Great Lakes Literacy Principles, New York State Science Standards and Minnesota State Science Standards.
Spring 2018
NYSG's Currents News Archives (Vol. 6, No. 1)
Keep tabs on NYSG's news in between issues of NY Coastlines / Currents via our Web site (www.nyseagrant.org) and blog (www.nyseagrant.org/blog), on the latter of which you'll find, among other posts, "Sea Grant's Social Media Review," our quarterly collection of trending stories from NYSG, other Sea Grant programs and some key NOAA line offices.
Here's a sampling of other stories that have made waves this past year in on our social media platforms and via our site's News (www.nyseagrant.org/currents) and topic-based News Archives (www.nyseagrant.org/currentsarchive) sections ...
Sea Grant's Bill Wise Speaks to Congress about Disaster Preparedness (November 2017) Read on >>
NYSG's Director Bill Wise participated in a Washington D.C. legislative briefing, "Using Science and Outreach to Assist State and Local Decision Makers in Disaster Preparedness and Public Safety," which was sponsored by Congressmen Lee Zeldin (NY) and Joe Courtney (CT).
On Air: Community Matters - Water Politics: Saving the Great Lakes (March 2018) Read on >>
On YouTube: NYSG Brings "Inflate-A-Fleet" and Young Boater Safety to the Central New York Boat Show (February 2018) Read on >>
Inflate-A-Fleet Comes to 2018 CNY Boat Show (February 2018) Read on >>
Young Boater Safety Certification at 2018 CNY Boat Show (January 2018) Read on >>
Wick Award Received by former NYSG Great Lakes Fisheries Specialist Dave MacNeill (October 2017) Read on >>
On You Tube: NYSG Has Cool-Weather Boating Tips (November 2017) Read on >>
On Air: Sea lamprey on rise in Lakes Erie and Superior (October 2017) Read on >>
On YouTube: NYSG's Helen Domske, a veteran diver, reflects on experiences in Niagara River (October 2017) Read on >>
