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 2022
NY Coastlines / Currents; Vol. 50, No. 3 & 4 / Vol. 10, No.3
In mid-August 2022, a New York Sea Grant extension specialist and Cornell Cooperative Extension Marine Program staff member assisted a rescue of a young osprey entangled by a kite string in Cedar Beach Creek (Southold, NY). Their swift actions reaching the exhausted and stressed osprey and cutting the string allowed this feathery beauty a rest atop a floating oyster cage before soaring away. Credit: Emma Forbes/NYSG
NYSG Director's Letter: Becky Shuford
In this late fall edition of NYSG’s NY Coastlines, exciting opportunities abound to wrap up this year and ring in the next.
If you are a seafood producer in NY, currently there is a series of free Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) trainings available this month. Also, if you are NY seafood retailer (or consumer!) you might be interested in participating in the Seafood Incentives Program that NYSG and CCE-Suffolk County have developed to support NY’s local seafood economy.
Also on offer are a number of grant opportunities that have just been released. The first is NYSG’s biennial request for proposals released on December 5th. Please see the announcement for details and research priorities supporting NY coastal community objectives. Of interest to municipalities and community organizations within the Long Island Sound watershed there is a rolling application process for the new Long Island Sound Resilience Grant Writing Assistance Program.
Several fellowships have also been opened. These include the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship (though if you are in the Great Lakes, Hudson, or have an applicable graduate field of study and an interest, don’t let “marine” turn you away) – links are provided below for how to apply (and feel free to reach out to us with questions). Also just announced are the NOAA Coastal Management and Digital Coast fellowships and NOAA Fisheries-Sea Grant fellowship. In the Fellows and Interns section of the newsletter we also welcome, and congratulate NYSG’s most recent cohort of amazing fellows – this is a great way for you to learn more!
MyCoastNY, an exciting new website and app-based platform for reporting local shoreline changes, water levels, and flooding events was launched this fall. All are invited to join, and contribute to, this public community science monitoring network – designed to improve place-based knowledge and informed decisions.
As always, many more news and stories about NYSG’s impactful research, extension and education are also included. Please do read on, and don’t forget the ongoing opportunity to share your thoughts and ideas through the “What Does NYSG Mean To You?” webform!
Finally, from all of us here at NYSG we wish you and yours a happy holiday season and look forward to connecting in 2023 for another exciting year of programming and partnerships.
— Becky Shuford, NYSG's Director
What’s Trending
Input Needed: What Does NYSG Mean To You?
We'd love to hear from you on your thoughts on past and/or present experiences as well as any ideas on vision for the future: www.nyseagrant.org/WhatDoesNYSGMeanToYou
- Maybe you’d like to recount some favorite moments or experiences with NYSG?
- Perhaps a program or training that you participated in that made a lasting impact?
- Or was there a staff member that made a positive impression?
- It could be a partnership effort we've done together or research that you conducted through NYSG's funding opportunities?
- Were you a NYSG Scholar or Fellow that furthered your career goals or a teacher who gained new insights to share with the next generation of coastal stewards?
Whatever the experience, we want to know!
As we capture these testimonials we may want to share them with others. So be sure you are comfortable with that prior to submission.
Apply: Requests for Proposals
NYSG’s Biennial Research Call for 2024-2025
The main goal of NYSG's research program is to generate and provide valid scientific information and tools that will further the sustainable development, use, protection, conservation, and management of our coastal resources. Pre-proposals are due via NYSG's online portal only by 4:30 PM on Tuesday, January 17, 2023.
Long Island Sound Resilience Grant Writing Assistance Program
Applications will be accepted for the Long Island Sound Resilience Grant Writing Assistance Program on a rolling basis until all available funding is allocated, which may be no later than September 30th, 2023.
The intent of the program is to reduce staffing and capacity barriers that municipalities and community organizations may face when applying for competitive funding opportunities, help communities develop successful sustainable and resilience focused project grant applications, and for municipalities and community organizations to develop capacity for navigating the funding landscape. Learn More >>
Download: MyCoast NY App
The MyCoast New York portal is used to collect and analyze photos of changing water levels, shorelines, and hazardous weather impacts across New York’s varied coasts and water bodies.
Photos are linked to real-time environmental conditions to create reports that help stakeholders like government agencies, business owners, and residents understand our changing environment and make informed decisions.
Anyone may contribute a photo of local flooding and storm damage. Photo reports can be submitted through the app or the website. Both the website and app require registration.
Visit the Website or download the app: iPhone / Android.
You can also check out an October 2022 recorded webinar on MyCoast New York.
This two-year pilot project is funded by the National Sea Grant Office and the New York State Water Resources Institute at Cornell University.
Publication: The Great Lakes and Climate-Induced Human Migration
The eight-page document prompts consideration of how such factors as rising temperatures and precipitation, extreme weather events, sea level rise, and flooding that influence human migration, displacement, and planned relocation may impact the Great Lakes region of the U.S. Read on >>
Fellows and Interns
Apply For Fellowships
2023 NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service-Sea Grant Joint Fellowship
The NMFS-Sea Grant Joint Fellowship Program in Population and Ecosystem Dynamics and Marine Resource Economics places Ph.D. students in research-based fellowships that provide support for up to three years. The program is designed to fulfill workforce development needs identified by NMFS and since 1999, has provided opportunities for 159 Ph.D. students. Applications are due to Sea Grant programs on January 25, 2023.
2023 NOAA Coastal Management Fellowship Program
This program's mission is to provide on-the-job education and training opportunities in coastal resource management and policy for postgraduate students and to provide project assistance to state coastal zone management agencies. The five fellowship positions start in August 2023 and are available with the coastal programs in Connecticut, Maine, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington, and with the Coastal States Organization. Application packages must be submitted to the Sea Grant office in the state where you received your degree by Friday, January 27, 2023.
2024 National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship
This fellowship provides a one-year, paid experience for highly qualified early career professionals to work on issues related to coastal, marine and Great Lakes science and policy in offices within the executive or legislative branch of government in Washington, D.C. Eligible students with an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources can apply for this fellowship through Thursday, February 16, 2023. Learn more>>
Current & Recent Fellows
New York Sea Grant Celebrates Five 2023 Finalists in 44th Knauss Fellowship Class
The 2023 finalists for the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship program — including five from New York (two each from Stony Brook University and Cornell University and one from Columbia University) — will become the 44th class of one of the most prestigious marine policy fellowships in the U.S. The 86 finalists represent 29 of the 34 Sea Grant programs and 62 universities. Read on >>
2022 Knauss Fellows: How Are They Faring?
NYSG catches up with Giselle Schmitz (Fordham University), Liang Wu (City University of New York), and Celeste Naoko Zumwalt (Columbia University), all three of whom are NYSG’s current Knauss Fellows. Read on >>
NYSG Congratulates 2022 NMFS–Sea Grant Joint Fellowship Recipient
Sarah Weisberg, who hails from Stony Brook University and will be supported by NYSG, has earned one of the eight fellowships awarded this year through a national partnership between NOAA Fisheries Service and the National Sea Grant College Program. Read on >>
Jade Wu: My Experience as a Sea Grant Community Engaged Fellow
This past summer, Stony Brook University student Jade Wu took part in Sea Grant’s Community Engaged Internship program as the communications fellow on the Hard Clam Selective Breeding project. Read on >>
Fisheries / Seafood / Aquaculture
NY Sea Grant Great Lakes Specialist Recognized by Women of Fisheries
Sea Grant specialist Stacy Furgal has been recognized as one of six co-authors of an article published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research on lake trout stocking into Lake Ontario. Read on >>
Seaweed Farms May Ease Ocean Acidity, Improve Water Quality
Scientists are growing multiple types of seaweed in Long Island Sound, in near-shore locations in Connecticut and New York. Their goal: improve water quality while expanding the industry for cultivated seaweed, oysters, and mussels in the region. Read on >>
Participate: New York Seafood Incentives Program
New York Sea Grant in collaboration with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County has developed a New York Seafood Incentives program aimed at increasing transparency and access to New York Farmed and Fished seafood products. Participating retailers (selling NY farmed and fished seafoods) have been provided with promotional materials including insulated totes with educational resources that can be used to bag any consumer purchase of NY farmed or fished products. www.nyseagrant.org/nyseafoodincentives
More story maps at www.nyseagrant.org/storymaps
Participate: Seafood Marketing
New York Sea Grant in collaboration with the National Aquaculture Association developed free customizable seafood marketing resources to assist in branding and marketing your seafood products and dishes. Also on the site: Recipes, a series of "Nutrition Cards" as well as "Seafood Cards," the latter set for easy reference on a number of seafood topics. www.nyseagrant.org/seafoodmarketing
Save the Date: 2023 Seafood Summit
Join us March 7-10, 2023 for the 7th Annual New York Seafood Summit, where a group of seafood professionals with vested interest in New York’s seafood industry will meet to foster active communications and build productive relationships and collaboration throughout the state. This year’s summit will focus on "Innovations in NY Seafood". Learn more>>
On YouTube: State of the Bays — 2022: Science Shows Promise
“All of Long Island is a watershed,” says Stony Brook University investigator Chris Gobler. “All activities on land affect the quality of the groundwater.” Over the past few decades, he notes, things have been changing on the Island. With an increase in population has come an increase of nitrogen—its primary source being nitrates in wastewater. Read on >>
Spotlight: How Sea Grant Benefits You
This fall, we close the chapter on 50 years of New York Sea Grant working with coastal residents, communities, businesses and teachers, among others, along New York's marine, Great Lakes and Hudson River coasts … and we embark on a new one.
• Visit www.nyseagrant.org/NYSGat50
• Learn more about #NYSGat50 events
• Check out “NYSG at 50 — Through the Years” (Versions: PDF, Flipbook; Web)
• Pursue recently expanded NY Coastlines archive www.nyseagrant.org/nycoastlines
In the New York Coastlines spotlight feature below, we are pleased to share with you our annual review of impactful NYSG programming and research.
Included are three dozen summaries of select work conducted by our program's extension specialists and funded researchers to develop and provide stakeholder-driven, science-based information, tools, and other resources to support local communities, businesses, and individuals achieve objectives related to coastal community, environmental, and economic resilience and sustainability. Read on >>
Also, check out our visually-driven story map version of this past year’s successes … www.nyseagrant.org/successstories2022. Individual summaries are also provided in the #Research, #Extension and #Education sections below.
On the national front, check out the by-the-numbers one-pager "Sea Grant: A Smart Investment in Our Economy" or search impacts of Sea Grant's work, browse current projects, and explore any of the Sea Grant Colleges at seagrant.noaa.gov/Our-Work.
Research
Successes and Current Projects: 2021-2022
For 50 years, New York Sea Grant (NYSG) has been supporting university-based research related to a variety of marine, Hudson estuary, and Great Lakes topics and issues.
Some recently-completed investigations address topics including harmful algal blooms, pharmaceuticals in wastewater, impacts of plastic pollution on coastal environments, fish stocking in NY’s Great Lakes, and improving public understanding of rip currents. Read on >>
A sampling of ongoing research is focusing on: how efficient sugar kelp is at soaking up nitrogen and phosphorus from the water; potential impacts of microplastics; oyster aquaculture; and coastal resiliency concerns in several parts of the State. Read on >>
Extension
Coastal Ecosystems, Fisheries
Advancing A Hard Clam Selective Breeding Program
Establishing a selective breeding program for hard clams will help to maximize the economic potential of the shellfish industry. Read on >>
Meet Your Oyster Farmer: NYSG Hosts Summer Science Series 2021
NYSG programming is actively engaging communities in support of New York’s aquaculture industry and its oyster farming small businesses. Read on >>
Science Priority Planning for Lake Ontario: 2023 Cooperative Science & Monitoring Initiative
NYSG facilitates the prioritized planning of CSMI research on the Great Lakes to add to the critical understanding of the world’s most complex freshwater system. Read on >>
Coastal Communities, Climate Resilience
Assessing Climate-Driven Migration in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic U.S.
A Sea Grant-led effort is identifying the research needed to address climate-induced human migration in the Northeast, Great Lakes, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S. Read on >>
Citizen Scientists in New York City Apply Technology to Track Coastal Flooding
Flood sensors are providing accurate and precise information about coastal flooding to support resilience building across all five boroughs of New York City. Read on >>
Cornell Climate Stewards Program: Building Capacity for Local Action by New York Communities
NYSG expertise is helping to increase the climate action capacity of communities across New York State through a new Climate Stewards training program. Read on >>
Lake Ontario Water Levels: NYSG Connects Local Stakeholders and Regulators to Strengthen Decision Making
NYSG is helping decision-makers respond to climate change impacts that are creating water level extremes in Lake Ontario, threatening the sustainability of waterfront communities. Read on >>
Law and Policy Fellows: New York Coastal Resilience Class of 2021
NYSG’s New York Coastal Resilience Law and Policy Fellowship students develop information resources to support community resilience building while enhancing the students’ educational experience. Read on >>
Environmental Justice Mapping Tools: 2021 Webinar Series
NYSG is raising awareness of publicly-available mapping tools that help visualize environmental disparities and can aid in more equitable community planning efforts. Read on >>
Long Island Sound: Building a Sustainable & Resilient LIS Watershed
NYSG has added new extension specialists to the collaborative regional framework that is strengthening the environmental, social, and economic well-being of Long Island Sound communities. Read on >>
New York’s Dynamic Shorelines: Long Island and Hudson — Telling the Stories of NY’s Dynamic Shorelines and Floodplains
NYSG and FEMA developed ArcGIS story map collections as tools to provide techniques to increase flood and erosion resilience in NY’s Hudson and Long Island regions. Read on >>
New York’s Great Lakes Basin Small Grants: A Projects Dashboard for the Program
NYSG’s new interactive, online dashboard provides information on Great Lakes Basin Small Grant projects’ accomplishments and inspires future applications. Read on >>
New York’s Great Lakes Basin Small Grants: 2021 Grants Underwrite Outreach to Engage Youth Audiences
NYSG administers a small grants program in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to advance New York’s Great Lakes Basin Action Agenda priorities. Read on >>
Renewable Energy, Climate Impact & Blue Economy: New Coastal Climate Specialist
NYSG’s Coastal Climate Specialist engages stakeholders with extension programming focused on renewable energy, local climate change impacts, and NY’s blue economy. Read on >>
Coastal Processes, Recreation
Beach and Boating Weather Hazards Bilingual Rack Cards: Creating Awareness, Increasing Safety
NYSG developed bilingual resources to alert the beach-going and boating public to weather hazards that impact water-based recreation. Read on >>
Boating Education: From Broadcast to Broadband — Pivoting Messaging
NYSG partners with NY’s boating industry to deliver award-winning boating education messaging in diverse, user-friendly formats. Read on >>
Surf Hazards Awareness and Research: Development of the Coordination
NYSG and MARACOOS have developed a network of professionals who collaborate to improve the forecasting, understanding, and prevention of surf-related hazards. Read on >>
Working with Nature: A NYSG Guide to Native Plants for New York’s Great Lakes Shorelines
NYSG responded to the strong need for educational materials on native plants in New York State with a new guide to more than 40 species and their ideal coastal locations. Read on >>
Sustainable Seafood
New York Seafood Summit: NYSG Hosts 5th Annual Event Facilitating Cross-Sector Networking & Collaboration
NYSG fosters active communication and synergistic collaboration to enhance the resilience and growth of the State’s seafood industry. Read on >>
New York Seaweed Marketing and Processing: NYSG Coordinates Task Force
NYSG is responding to increasing interest in nutritious blue foods and the emergence of a seaweed industry in New York. Read on >>
Education
Advancing Lake Sturgeon Conservation: New Curriculum, Workshops and Virtual Field Trip
NYSG is advancing education about a Threatened fish species with a new curriculum, supplemental teaching resources, workshops, and a virtual field trip opportunity. Read on >>
Engaging New York State Educators for Interactive Online Curriculum Review
NYSG engaged educators and teachers from New York’s Great Lakes and Long Island regions in an interactive review of a new marine debris and plastic pollution curriculum. Read on >>
Long Island Sound: Outreach Coordinator for NYC and Westchester County
New York City and Westchester County communities are now assisted by New York Sea Grant’s new Long Island Sound Study Outreach Coordinator. Read on >>
Long Island Sound: Sea Grant Interns Bring LIS Habitats to Virtual Classroom
A NYSG-developed educational tool virtually connects teachers and students from classrooms to New York’s coastal habitats. Read on >>
Long Island Sound: Showcasing Local Stewardship Opportunities
The Community Science Long Island 2021 webinar series developed by NYSG and Seatuck, with local scientists and researchers, highlighted the value of getting involved in local resource monitoring. Read on >>
National News
National Weather Service: Winter Safety Campaign Ramps Up as Hurricane Preparedness Winds Down
Underway now is NOAA U.S. National Weather Service's #WinterReady campaign, which features a variety of tips to help you better be prepared for seasonal weather hazards. This includes a content refresh on winter storms and fog. Learn more: English; Spanish.
Last month, the Fall Safety campaign and the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane season both wound down.
For late-breaking weather watches and warnings this season:
• Bookmark www.hurricanes.gov and www.weather.gov
• Follow NOAA’s National Hurricane Center on Twitter at @NHC_Atlantic and NOAA's U.S. National Weather Service at @NWS
• Visit Ready.gov (or Listo.gov) for tips on how to prepare for hurricane season
Regional News
Northeast Sea Grant: Regional Website
The new regional site pulls together information about current and past regional projects and initiatives – serving as an online hub to access details about efforts in one place for Northeast Sea Grant programs in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York.
The new site is not intended to replace or duplicate the wealth of information and resources available on individual state/program pages, but rather to link to program pages and news. Learn more >>
NYSG's Currents News Archives (Vol. 10, No. 3)
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).
Here's a sampling of other stories that have made waves these past few months on our social media platforms (www.facebook.com/nyseagrant, www.twitter.com/nyseagrant, www.instagram.com/newyorkseagrant, www.youtube.com/nyseagrant) and via our site's News (www.nyseagrant.org/currents) and topic-based News Archives (www.nyseagrant.org/currentsarchive) sections ...
NYSG Research
On Air: Communicating Rip Current Risk in English and Spanish (December 2022) Read on >>
Post-Event News: Omnibus 2020-21 Research Project Discussions: Erosion and Recession of Coastal Bluffs (Updated November 2022) Read on >>
On YouTube: 'Perfect Storm' of Conditions Leads to Record Fish Kills in LI Waters (October 2022) Read on >>
NYSG Extension and Education > Statewide > Plastic Pollution
On YouTube: Plastic Pollution — WPBS Weekly Inside the Stories (September 2022) Read on >>
On YouTube: Plastic Pollution and You, Teaching Kids About Plastics (September 2022) Read on >>
On YouTube: Plastic Pollution and You — NY Sea Grant Ways to Reduce Impact (August 2022) Read on >>
NYSG Extension and Education > Statewide > Climate
On YouTube: Will Climate Change Have an Effect on Human Migration in New York? (October 2022) Read on >>
NYSG Extension and Education > Marine Waters
Post-Event News: 1st Annual Long Island Sound Sustainable & Resilient Communities Workshop (December 2022) Read on>>
Note: Featured within "Long Island Sound Resilience Grant Writing Assistance Program" announcement, which was first made at the workshop
On YouTube: Climate Change Impacts on NYC's City Island (September 2022) Read on >>
On YouTube: City Island's Concerns Over Rising Sea Levels (September 2022) Read on >>
Post-Event News: Mapping Trees and Heat Using Web-based Tools (June 2022) Read on >>
NYSG Extension and Education > Great Lakes Waters > Coastal Community Development
Post-Event News: NYSDEC and NYSG’s Fall Local Government Training Workshops for Healthy Watersheds and Resilient Communities (November 2022) Read on >>
On Air: Healthy Watersheds Workshop Held in Dunkirk (October 2022) Read on >>
NYSG Extension and Education > Great Lakes Waters > Tourism Economics
In Media: Seeing off a ‘Sea’-soned educator: Dave White retiring after 38 years at Sea Grant (November 2022) Read on >>
On YouTube: Retiree in Training — New York Sea Grant’s Dave White (October 2022) Read on >>
On YouTube: Celebrating the Work of NY Sea Grant’s Dave White (October 2022) Read on >>
On Air: NYSG's Dave White Retires After 38 years of Educating the Public on NY’s Waterways (October 2022) Read on >>
On YouTube: NYSG and Others Share Thoughts on Proposed Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary (August 2022) Read on >>
On YouTube: Be Safe Out There — Safety Tips for Towing Inflatable Boating Toys (July 2022) Read on >>
On YouTube: Boating Safety — WPBS Weekly Inside the Stories (July 2022) Read on >>
On Air: Get Out On The Water, It's Worth Every Penny (July 2022) Read on >>
On Air: Celebrating the First Day of Summer With Sea Grant (June 2022) Read on >>
On Air: What Should Boaters Keep in Mind When Dealing With Gas Prices? (June 2022) Read on >>
On YouTube: Summer Boating Season and Risk of E-15 Gas (June 2022) Read on >>
On YouTube: Boating Safety Tips for the Summer Season (June 2022) Read on >>
NYSG Extension and Education > Great Lakes Waters > Coastal Processes
Press Release: Lyme Free Library Hosts Working with Nature Workshop and Tour (September 2022) Read on >>
Press Release: Working with Nature to Protect the St. Lawrence River Shoreline (July 2022) Read on >>
NYSG Extension and Education > Great Lakes Waters > Education
On YouTube: Sea Grant Offers ‘Teach the Teacher’ Workshops (July 2022) Read on >>
On Air: Great Lakes Summer Workshops for Teachers (July 2022) Read on >>
NYSG Extension and Education > Great Lakes Waters > Partnerships
On YouTube: Much Research Surrounds the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River (September 2022) Read on >>
On Air: Spotlight on Great Lakes Research Consortium's Small Grants (September 2022) Read on >>
On Air: Small Grant Programs of Both GLRC, NYSG (September 2022) Read on >>
