In its efforts to protect public health, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has reclassified the waters in portions of Northwest Creek, Northwest Harbor, Gardiner’s Bay and Napeague Harbor. This is the result of changes to the water quality in these bodies of water. See the full description of the closures in the formal document below. NY State DEC Shellfish CLosures New Shellfish Closures in Northwest Creek. New Shellfish Closures in Napeague Harbor. New Shellfish Closures in Lake Montauk. New Shellfish closures in Gardiner’s Bay outside of Accabonac Harbor.
Bee on daisy pollinating Should Governor Kathy Hochul sign a bill that New York legislators have passed, it would be the nation’s first ban on certain uses of neonicotinoids, insecticides related to nicotine that has shown to be harmful to pollinators. Environmental organizations and the public have long urged the state to ban neonicotinoids to protect birds and bees and are hopeful the governor will sign the “Birds and Bees Protection Act.” The bill has been considered for several years, and supporters say it will reduce neonic exposure in the state by 80 to 90 percent. The bill would ban
In years past, young children frolicked in early summer’s evenings, running merrily with glass jars to capture the ephemeral firefly as it flew by. Over the years, with outdoor lighting installed on properties, the use of fertilizers by landscapers or homeowners to help make lawns greener, the loss of habitat, and the removal of fallen leaves that are home to insects and small wildlife animals, fireflies all but disappeared. Fireflies at Night Photo Star Tribune To find out more about why we’re seeing fewer or no fireflies during summer evenings, here is the full article by Christopher Gangemi of The
Portuguese Man O’War jellyfish Photo Carissa Katz John Ryan Jr., the head lifeguard of the East Hampton Town calls them “sea pests” but the sting by a Portuguese man-o-war jellyfish is more than just a “pest” as it packs a powerful and painful sting that needs immediate attention to help relieve discomfort. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), although the Portuguese man-o-war resembles the common jellyfish, it is actually a species of the “siphonophore, a group of animals similar to jellyfish. Last week this man-o-war was discovered on Indian Wells beach, seemingly deceased, however, even when dead,
Please slow down when driving on our roadways – over the July 4th holiday two were found killed as they crossed the road. If you stop to avoid the turtles and it is safe to do so, carefully pick the turtle up and carry it to the other side in the same direction it was headed. Turtles seek water and if found, they are mostly on their way to a body of water. Turtles are an endangered species, if you find a wounded or injured turtle, please contact Turtle Rescue of the Hamptons: (631) 779-3737 https://www.turtlerescueofthehamptons.org/ Box turtle in Northwest
Old Town House – circa 1731 Photo Susan McGraw-Keber This is the original meeting house of the East Hampton Town Trustees! The Trustees met at the Old Town House built in 1731 on Main Street in the village to commemorate the 375th anniversary of the Town of East Hampton. While several discussions took place regarding Trustee issues, a large portion of the meeting concerned the restoration of the inlet and the health of the circulation of the waters at Napeague Harbor and the webinar presentation meeting provided by Peconic Estuary Partnership (PEP). Napeague Harbor at Lazy Point Photo Carissa Katz
Dock on Three Mile Harbor. Photo zillowstatic.com. Initially, the Trustees voted to approve a one-year moratorium commencing in November 2021 on all new applications for docks, catwalks, floating docks, floating structures, and floating platforms in the Trustee owned waterways of which we own the bottomlands. They include Wainscott Pond, Georgica Pond, Three Mile Harbor, Hog Creek, Accabonac Creek and Harbor, Pussy’s Pond, Hand’s Creek, Alewife Brook, Northwest Creek, and Little Northwest Creek. Last year, in November, the Trustees voted to extend the moratorium. The inventory search is necessary to ensure the existing docks are in compliance with permits already granted.
Last year, non-residents without shellfishing permits, came by vans and cars at night to several our waterways including Georgica Pond, Napeague Harbor, and other bodies of water where shellfish are known to inhabitat. In particular, the blue-claw crabs are singled out. The poachers goal has been to disperse and fill their buckets before speeding away in their vehicles without being apprehended by the police or marine patrol. Those who have been caught poaching typically do so without the required town permits to harvest crabs. Crabs – Photo Durell Godfrey. The Trustees have jurisdiction over several of the town’s waterways including
Tim Garneau, an East Hampton Town trustee and volunteer for many civic-minded groups, was recognized by the town board last Thursday for his leadership in the relocation of Little League playing fields from Pantigo Place in East Hampton to the recreational facility on Stephen Hand’s Path in Wainscott. Article and photo by Christopher Walsh: East Hampton Star
The East Hampton Town Trustees participated in the second annual PRIDE parade on June 3, 2023. Thanks to the founder, Tom House, the South Fork communities, organizations, schools, businesses, and government bodies, came together again to support LGBTQIA – Hamptons PRIDE Parade poster for June 3, 2023 Hampton PRIDE Parade June 2023 Volunteer East Hampton Village EMT members Ocean Rescue Hampton PRIDE Parade 2023 Hampton PRIDE Parade June 2023 Ocean Rescue Hampton PRIDE Parade June 2023 Hampton PRIDE Parade Real Gay Dads Bay Street Theatre Hampton PRIDE Parade 2023 Hampton PRIDE Parade 2023 Hampton PRIDE Parade -swirling in colors! Hampton
The East Hampton Town Trustees Scholarship was awarded to graduating senior, Skye Tanzmann on June 1st, 2023. The nine member Trustee board was delighted to present Ms. Tanzmann with a $1,500 scholarship fund to assist with her college tuition as she enters Harvard University this coming Fall. Skye Tanzmann- EH Town Trustees Scholarship Fund Winner 2023 EHHS Awards night – Trustees Susan McGraw-Keber and David Cataletto – Harvard bound the winner! Skye was an intern at the East Hampton Shellfish Hatchery during last summer and presented to the Trustees her plan to construct an oyster reef in Accabonac Harbor. She
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.
