Georgica Pond Oysters Photo Durell Godfrey Georgica Pond is home to a healthy group of oysters! During the East Hampton Town Trustees meeting a representative from Stony Brook University’s Gobler Lab reported that the oysters growing in Georgica Pond have exceeded what was expected as they are the highest in number the lab has ever seen in Long Island’s waters! This is an amazing and successful experiment which includes the planting of oyster spawns in various locations of Georgica Pond beginning several years past. The locations of the oyster spawning were in the north, central, and south of the pond.
The Trustees’ annual Kayak Lottery opens Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 at 9:30 a.m. EST. Your completed application will serve as your lottery entry. Detailed information including the link to complete your application can be found here: KAYAK LOTTERY INFORMATION.
Herrick Park – Holidays 2024 Photo Susan McGraw-Keber
Information from “Nature’s Voice” – Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Six months after the State of New York passed a law targeting neonic pesticides, Vermont followed to prohibit the use of seeds coated with deadly neurotoxic chemicals that have impacted the bee population at great loss. Just one neonic-coated corn seed has enough of the active ingredient to kill a quarter million bees. In most of the cases, 95% of the deadly pesticide coating eventually leaches into the soil, seeping into our water resources, native plantings, and wildlife. This is a tremendous victory for the environment and the bees! Insects
In the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) “Nature’s Voice newsletter this Fall, it reported that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) restricted six toxic PFAS chemicals found in drinking water. This is the first time that the agency was successful in the attempt to restrict what is called “forever chemicals” in water. The PFOAS are prevalent in drinking water that brought public scrutiny and support, advocacy by the NRDC and other environmental organizations. The effort to eliminate the six toxic PFAS chemicals has found strength from NRDC members and online activists. Long overdue, it will undoubtedly go to the courts as
Please be advised, the Emergency Shellfish Closures enacted by the New York State DEC on December 10-11, 2024 have been updated. The following areas remain closed to shellfishing: All that area lying within a 250-yard radius from the orange monument located on the southern shoreline at the entrance to Hands Creek. See the map below for reference. That area of Hog Creek south of a line extending easterly from the highest point of the center peak of the residence located Isle of Wight Rd to the northerly corner of the hexagon shaped residence located at 120 Waterhole Rd on the
Scallops Photo by Jon M. Diat EH Star For the sixth season in a row, scallops have been hard to come by to harvest on the East End. Nantucket has a different story though…with more adult scallops found in Nantucket Harbor since 2012- read on for more information by Jon M. Diat of the East Hampton Star and his suggestions for all who enjoy being out on the water with the anticipation of serving fresh fish and other seasonal shellfish of the season! Click on the link below to read the article! The East Hampton Star
Beyond Plastics has a few ideas for gift giving this holiday season and none of them include the purchase of plastic items – If there’s one time of the year that’s become synonymous with over-consumption and waste, it’s the holiday season. Fortunately, you can spread cheer with thoughtful gifts for your loved ones that don’t harm our environment. The holiday season is upon us! Every year we rush to find the perfect gift for family members and friends—and this year is no different. As we become more aware of the environment and the impact human behaviors have on our natural
Please be advised, due to the extremely heavy rainfall, stormwater runoff and localized street flooding associated with the rainfall event of December 10,2024 through December 11, 2204, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Shellfisheries Bureau has issued a temporary closures to the harvest of shellfish at the following locations: All the area of Sag Harbor lying within a 250-yard radius in all directions from the northernmost point of the peaked roof of the residence located at 1 Harding Terrace, Sag Harbor and Little Northwest Creek All the area of Northwest Harbor lying east of a line extending northerly
Spawning of horseshoe crabs Photo by Jenna Schwerzmann Cornell Cooperative Extension Before the year’s end, Governor Kathy Holchul has the opportunity to sign the bill that would protect the prehistoric horseshoe crab that has endured and survived five extinction periods, from harvesting for bait and biomedical purposes. Notably, the Group for the East End and the life-long defender of all wildlife, conservation biologist Dr. Jane Goodall, endorsed Citizens Campaign for the Environment’s effort to encourage the governor to sign the bill through their writing campaign. The Center for Biological Diversity is also petitioning the federal government to include the Horseshoe
Maintenance of Georgica Pond requires that the pond is opened to flow into the ocean waters – purifying the pond and cleansing it of the summer’s waters as it flows into the ocean. The Trustees open Georgica Pond twice a year to the ocean—in the Fall and Spring. The cut provides a balanced salinity, oxygen, and migration of fish and other living organisms inhabiting the pond that benefit each. Historically, the letting of the pond has been done since pre-colonial times. On November 14th, 2024, the East Hampton Town Trustees opened Georgica Pond to the ocean. The goal of the Fall letting
Eagles at Georgica Pond Fall 2024 Photo by FOGP Alfred Ross Eagles at Georgica Pond Fall 2024 Photo by FOGP Alfred Ross The first two bald eagle nest trees at Georgica Pond succumbed to the southern pine beetle. The FOGP report that they are searching for a new nest, but in the meantime, the eagles are still hunting at Georgica Pond. Enjoy these two spectacular photographs taken by FOGP member Alfred Ross at Georgica Cove a few days ago. Friends of Georgica Pond Foundation Board of Directors Jonathan M. Wainwright, Esq., PresidentAnnie Gilchrist Hall, Vice-PresidentSid Perkins, TreasurerDr. Anna Chapman, SecretaryPriscilla Rattazzi, Board MemberKatharine Rayner, Board MemberLarry Cantwell, Board
Statement from Orsted Regarding Mooring System in Use
“As part of the fish monitoring study outlined in the SFW Fisheries Study Work Plan, the Stony Brook University team is conducting a regular visit to the sensor array off Wainscott today to collect data from sensors, replace batteries, and deploy new retrievable moorings alongside the previous moorings. As the Stony Brook team is deploying new moorings alongside the existing moorings there’s no change to the mariners briefing, our standard method for updating mariners on the presence of equipment in navigational waters. Members of the fisheries outreach team, in collaboration with the research team, have worked with the fishing community to select an alternative mooring, one that is smaller, lightweight and retrievable, and is more compatible with commercial fishing in response to the feedback we’ve received from the community on original deployment of cement moorings.”
Images of the mooring system and a diagram are shown below.
