Gobler, Doall et al

Rebuilding the Clam Population in Shinnecock Bay

Summary of Gobler, Doall et al (2022) paper in Frontiers in Marine Science

In August 2022, our team published a foundational paper outlining the success of our bivalve, seagrass, and water quality restoration efforts. The open access paper, co-led by Dr. Chris Gobler and Mike Doall, explains how using spawner sanctuaries led not only to a repopulation of hard clams in the bay, but vastly improved water quality and increased harvest landings.

At a press conference at the Stony Brook Southampton Marine Station, we were joined by the project’s primary donors, Laurie Landeau and Bob Maze, as well as Southampton Town Trustees and elected officials. As Jay Schneiderman put it, "I don’t get to go to a lot of press conferences where we can celebrate a reversal of environmental damage on an ecosystem level."

It was one our most exciting moments, to see ten years of work come to such fruition, and we look forward to continuing our efforts to restore Shinnecock Bay and address important questions related to human impacts and climate change.

3.2 Million clams planted over 7 years

From 2012- 2019, we planted 3.2 million adult clams in Shinnecock Bay. We pre-selected sites for the clams based on characteristics like sediment quality, seawater flow, and optimal larval retention. The goal was to kick start reproduction of planing these adults in high densities.

Monitoring was key...

In order to understand if the spawner sanctuary approach was working we continuously monitored:

1. The condition of the adult clams;

2. Evidence of spawning;

3. Evidence of new generations of clams

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Improved water quality

Introducing so many clams into the bay also replaced lost filtration capacity, resulting in:

Elimination of brown and red tides
Increased water clarity
Increased seagrass growth due to better light conditions

Broader Implications

The harvest free spawner sanctuaries produced a spillover effect that populated new clams into eastern Shinnecock Bay. Commercial landings in 2021 were 16-fold higher than in 2012 when restoration began - levels not seen since 1981! This trend has not been seen in other Long Island estuaries.

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Media Coverage

Newsday, 8/29/22

Clam restoration of Shinnecock Bay shows success

https://www.newsday.com/long-island/clams-shinnecock-bay-environment-hu1fe5kf

Stony Brook project helped restore Shinnecock Bay clam population, report says https://www.newsday.com/long-island/environment/stony-brook-university-shinnecock bay-clam-populations-nljjy99x

Newswise, 8/30/22

Scientists Recover Collapsed Clam Population and Water Quality in Shinnecock Bay https://www.newswise.com/articles/scientists-recover-collapsed-clam-population-and water-quality-in-shinnecock-bay

InnovateLI, 8/30/22

SoMAS enjoys victory lap after Shinnecock Bay revival

https://www.innovateli.com/somas-enjoys-victory-lap-after-shinnecock-bay-revival/

PhysOrg, Press Release Pickup, 8/30/22

Scientists recover collapsed clam population and water quality in Shinnecock Bay https://phys.org/news/2022-08-scientists-recover-collapsed-clam-population.html

NewsExplorer.net, 8/30/22

Scientists recover collapsed clam population and water quality in Shinnecock Bay https://newsexplorer.net/scientists-recover-collapsed-clam-population-and-water-quality in-shinnecock-bay-s3621353.html

Verve Times, 8/30/22

Scientists recover collapsed clam population and water quality in Shinnecock Bay https://vervetimes.com/scientists-recover-collapsed-clam-population-and-water-quality in-shinnecock-bay/

News12 Long Island, 8/30/22 (Television/Video)

Stony Brook University scientists see improvements for marine life in Shinnecock Bay https://longisland.news12.com/stony-brook-university-scientists-see-improvements-for marine-life-in-shinnecock-bay

Swift Telecast, 8/30/22

Scientists recover collapsed clam population and water quality in Shinnecock Bay https://swifttelecast.com/scientists-recover-collapsed-clam-population-and-water-quality in-shinnecock-bay/

CBS News, 8/30/22 (Television/Video)

Stony Brook scientists recognized for restoration of Shinnecock Bay

https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/video/stony-brook-scientists-recognized-for restoration-of-shinnecock-bay/

https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/shinnecock-bay-environmental-recovery/

Fox5 News, 8/30/22

Hard clam population rebounds in Long Island's Shinnecock Bay

https://www.fox5ny.com/news/shinnecock-bay-hard-clam-population

WNYW, 8/30/22 (counted separately from the above by media relations)

Hard clam population rebounds in Long Island's Shinnecock Bay

https://www.fox5ny.com/news/shinnecock-bay-hard-clam-population

Times News Express, 8/30/22

Shinnecock Bay’s environmental recovery lauded worldwide

https://timesnewsexpress.com/news/newsusa/new-york/shinnecock-bays-environmental recovery-lauded-worldwide/

WSHU-FM, 8/30/22

Once on the verge of collapse, Shinnecock Bay clams recover

https://www.wshu.org/long-island-news/2022-08-30/once-on-the-verge-of-collapse shinnecock-bay-clams-recover

Southampton Patch.com, 8/30/22

Scientists Save Clams, End Brown Tide In Shinnecock Bay: Study

https://patch.com/new-york/southampton/scientists-save-clams-end-brown-tide shinnecock-bay-study

27East.com, 8/31/22

Clam Restoration Has Spearheaded Ecological Reversal In Shinnecock Bay, Study Shows https://www.27east.com/southampton-press/clam-restoration-has-spearheaded ecological-reversal-in-shinnecock-bay-study-shows-2017031/

Sag Harbor Express (reposting of above 27East article via Sag Harbor Express portion of 27East)

Ipac. Revista de acuicultura (Spain), 9/1/22

Investigadores estadounidenses logran recuperar en solo diez años la almeja de Shinncock Bay después de varios intentos infructuosos durante 40 años

http://www.ipacuicultura.com/noticias/en_portada/81946/investigadores_estadounidenses

_logran_recuperar_en_solo_diez_anos_la_almeja_de_shinncock_bay_despues_de_varios _intentos_infructuosos_durante_40_anos.html

Seafood News, 9/2/22

Scientists Recover Collapsed Clam Population and Water Quality in Shinnecock Bay

https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1234000/Scientists-Recover-Collapsed-Clam Population-and-Water-Quality-in-Shinnecock-Bay

Dan’s Papers, 9/8/22

Shinnecock Bay Clams Up as Decade of Restoration Efforts Succeed

https://www.danspapers.com/2022/09/shinnecock-bay-clams-restoration/

Newsday, Editorial, 9/12/22