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The Sound School Inter-District Marine Education Program Newsletter

Habitat Information for Fishers and Fishery Area managers
Understanding Science through History

Historic Climate Impacts to Fisheries

Timothy Visel
The Sound School
January 2014

IMEP #11

After the IMEP Newsletters 9 and 10 (and in part the first Blue Crab Megalops Newsletter #2, 2014) many comments were received about the impacts of climate patterns upon Connecticut’s fisheries and the base of that impact is of course habitat quality. IMEP Newsletters 9 and 10 were posted as a large striped bass fish kill on the Black Hall River occurred and that appears to be a part of a long term habitat pattern. In time marine habitats also change in response to temperature and energy “they succeed” like those on land to others we may or may not like. Much of the emphasis of developing an historical review is to examine marine habitat succession processes.

In the marine environment we also have habitat succession much as that on land. Hurricanes are the habitat equivalent of forest fires and the science of forestry management is remarkable similar to that of shellfish management.

Climate patterns do have a tremendous influence upon our fisheries, the negative NAO pattern and the 1954-1955 hurricane seasons put most of the surviving “oyster houses” into bankruptcy – those that did survive did so by planting oysters in protected areas such as the Norwalk Islands (Hillard Bloom, personal communications 1980s) or switched to hard clams harvests after 1958 (Frank Dolan, George McNeil, Larry Malloy, personal communications 1980s).

While oyster beds were destroyed or buried the cultivation of marine soils in colder temperatures provided the improved habitat conditions after them known as the “great quahog sets.” Quahog clam sets after 1938 and 1954 hurricane seasons were some of the densest clam sets ever recorded. Inshore fish and shellfish species respond as well, I recall talking to some winter flounder fishers in Niantic decades ago who felt winter flounder fishing improved after strong storms – it did. Powerful waves and currents removed vast accumulations of acidic toxic sulfide rich Sapropel (commonly referred to as black mayonnaise) and estuarine soils rinsed of organic acids then had soft clam sets improve and soon after also winter flounder fishing. Sapropel is acidic and kills shellfish larval forms in just a few seconds. Putrefied organic matter has been linked to the first winter flounder fin rot specimens (1981). During cold climate patterns lobsters and bay scallop habitat quality improves but during periods of heat Black Sea Bass and Striped Bass fishing improves as winter flounder and tautog habitat quality declines – followed by poorer winter flounder and tautog fishing years later.

In the 1870s during a period of bitter cold an 8 pound Striped Bass was news worthy. During The Great Heat 1880-1920 Striped and Black Sea Bass grew to enormous sizes. This short paper was written for the Long Island Sound Study for the purpose of expanding the perception that climate patterns do influence shell and finfish populations and the tremendous need of a long term view of habitat quality and fisheries history for Long Island Sound. Climate patterns that contain temperature and energy cycles have an enormous influence upon habitat quality and govern species abundance that results from that change.

Below is the paper titled “Fish Habitat Changes After Irene & Sandy- Temperature and Energy Reverse Habitats and Regulate Resource Abundance“as distributed following the December 13, 2012, Citizens Action Committee, Long Island Sound Study Meeting.

It has been modified slightly to provide several research or habitat questions for secondary marine science educators.



EPA DEEP Long Island Sound Study
University of Connecticut at Stamford
Questions during the December 13 CAC
Long Island Sound Study Meeting
Fish Habitat Changes After Hurricanes Irene & Sandy
Temperature and Energy Reverse Habitats
and Regulate Resource Abundance
December 2012
Tim Visel
The Sound School
60 South Water Street, New Haven, CT 06519
Released to New England Shellfish Commissions
July 1, 2013

Irene & Sandy- questions- What is the impact of Irene and Sandy upon Long Island Sound’s habitats and fisheries? Is the law of habitat succession a marine process also? These were two of the questions asked during a recent CAC meeting which was largely devoted to shoreline changes after these two storms. Great questions! While we can observe and photograph habitat succession on land after a serious forest fire for example, habitat succession in the sub tidal marine environment is much harder to observe and usually longer to see complete habitat reversals. Three or four fifty year periods are needed to measure this longer duration- a long term “habitat history.” Any time period less than 50 years gives an improper prospective of fisheries resource abundance regarding habitat quality and quantity.

Things about climate and energy changes and habitat transitions for fisheries the Long Island Sound Study should monitor after storms- from my research to date.
1. Barrier beach and inlet breaks allow increased tidal energy to transition acidic marine soils into more alkaline ones; clam sets often increase in these areas. Colder temperatures favor the hard shell clam; warmer temperatures favor soft shell clams.
2. Winter flounder respond best to cold periods and increased energy (storm) levels. A clean shelly firm estuarine bottom is the best habitat for inshore winter flounder populations. Storms tend to increase and or maintain flounder habitat quality and lack of them (storms) causes habitat succession in high heat and with little energy winter flounder habitats “fail” preceding declining abundance.
3. Bay scallops increase after storms, both sets and adults as they have in the past – Hurricane Gloria and Hurricane Bob. After Irene, the set in Niantic Bay was significant and this season was a good one even after Sandy. Bay scallop production in CT was historically high in the 1950s during the colder and much stronger New England Oscillation (North Atlantic) (1950 to 1965). Rhode Island officials were often surprised that the best bay scallop seasons quickly followed brutally bitter winters in the middle 1920s.
4. After Irene, Blue Crab populations were heavy in the Mill, West and Quinnipiac Rivers, New Haven, CT. Western crabbing however fell sharply following a July 20th, 2011 blue crab die off. Central CT crabbing was strong this year as Essex (Connecticut River) catch rates (2012) surpassed 60 blue crabs per hour in the first week of September. Typically long periods of energy and cooler temps have been poor abundance periods for blue crabs (1950-1965). Blue crabs achieved tremendous populations at the end of the Great Heat 1880-1920 (1910-1915) but declined sharply in the 1950s (period of cold and energy). They generally reverse with lobsters. Lobsters perished in CT 1898 and Southern New England Lobster recruitment collapsed between 1898-1905 - New England states (even New York) built lobster hatcheries in the wake of their habitat failure for Stage 4 lobster survival. As blue crab abundance decreased, lobster populations increased in the 1950s after which most of the lobster hatcheries were then closed. (The Noank Lobster Hatchery was transferred to the University of Connecticut in 1958).
5. Lobster and kelp forests, thousands of acres of kelp/cobblestone were created after hurricanes 60 to 80 years ago and the lobster die-offs occurring between 1898-1905 was reversed. Increases in kelp/cobblestone habitat helped lobsters then as will colder temperatures. The storms in the 1940s greatly diminished eelgrass meadows that grew in to tremendous meadows during the Great Heat. When the cleared of eelgrass and silt exposed cobblestones that grew kelp and lobster populations soon increased.
What is vulnerable / hurt by storms/energy?

-Soft shell clams on exposed sub tidal areas may set heavy but this zone is too active for growth. They simply get washed away. In the 1950s soft shells often retreated in bays and coves in calmer deeper waters protected from freezing (ankle frosts) and more protected areas. It was just too rough in the open areas, and tidal flats would freeze solid – this period however favored hard clam sets. The Great Narragansett Bay hard clam sets occurred after the 1938 and 1950s hurricane seasons. Energy events and warm temperatures followed by a period of soil stability often had huge soft shell clam sets. Quahog fisheries in Narragansett Bay soared years after these soil cultivation events often upon the same areas once used for oyster culture.

-Blue crabs decline in cold/energy periods while lobsters increase greatly during transitions – hot to cold no energy to more energy during these; this is shown during the lobster landing statistics. Our recent blue crab “explosion” has occurred again as lobsters declined from a high heat/low energy habitat failure. This also happened 1898-1905 and again 1998-2003.

-Black Sea Bass and Tautog abundance reverse – in times of extended high temperature, Black Sea Bass do very well and reach large sizes. During cold periods Black Sea Bass are scarce and smaller; Tautog does well in the colder periods – they reverse yet share similar habitat preference profiles.

-Oyster beds in near shore areas often are destroyed by periods of energy and cold temperatures; they are often buried while others uncover previously buried, historic relic oyster producing areas are often exposed by storms. Natural near shore natural oyster beds occurred in New Haven and West Haven offshore historically but declined after the New Haven outer harbor breakwaters were built (energy loss) and natural oyster bed sets declined. The 1950-55 period ruined the Rhode Island oyster industry; it would never recover from those hurricanes. As storms are destructive they can expose buried shell for sets – the 1898 Portland Gale is such an example, (in a hot cycle) the 1899 set the year after was the best Connecticut oyster set of the century.

- Quahogs – (Hard Shell Clam) respond well to strong storms in colder weather and clam species benefit from both natural and manmade soil cultivation processes. This is also known as the island or ripple effect from waves, tides or currents. Early dry clam dredges New Bedford style (1940s) and hydraulic (wet) clam operation (1950s) Martha’s Vineyard had clam dredge operators soon notice the benefits of marine soil cultivation and the return of shell hash (pH) for the increased density of hard clam sets. Under the weight of water marine soils could over time become compacted and even hard. Quahogs sets (Hard clam species) association to oyster shell is also well known. In Narragansett Bay after the collapse of the Rhode Island oyster industry Quahog clammers (sometimes known as Bullrakers or Quahoggers) noticed huge Quahog sets in abandoned oyster beds once marine soils were redistributed (cultivated) after severe storms, post 1938. The island effect is also from waves and currents cultivating (moving) marine soils and clam sets around such structures, wood stone, walls, “riffles,” etc have been identified in many research reports. Key to the soil cultivation process is intense bottom disturbance (storms, hurricanes) then allowing the soil then to “rest,” and stabilize. Constant soil cultivation will ruin good clam set and clam farmers have long thinned out intense sets on aquaculture leases for proper growth. Clam sets will occur after Irene and Sandy if the soils remain stable and slightly alkaline for several years.
Some of the best examples of soil structure and pH can be in Dr. Belding’s research on Cape Cod a century ago. He mentioned the negative impacts of high organic acid containing soils upon soft shell clams and increased Quahog growths in marine soils with larger pore space and grain sizes (see the Commonwealth of Massachusetts – A report upon the Quahog and Oyster Fisheries of Massachusetts – 1909 DL Belding).

-Whelks -In cold periods, channel whelks (conch) decline – knobbed sub surface whelks’ conch increase. In times of heat and relatively quiet periods (until recently) channel whelk dominates in colder stormy periods knobbed whelks do better; they reverse. Channel whelks surface feed while knobbed burrow deep into bay bottoms in search of mollusks. This was well documented from the 1870s, cold and energy period to the Great Heat 1880-1920 a period of high heat and very little storm activity. In the 1950s knobbed whelk became a serious hard clam predator. It had ample prey to feed upon as Long Island Sound as hard clam sets now extended out to depths of 50 feet and more. These huge hard shell clam sets occurred after hurricanes which naturally cultivated stagnant marine soils.

-Eelgrass reached tremendous densities during the 1880-1920 period but succumbed to disease (worldwide) and storm activity in the 1930s as temperatures fell and energy levels increased. This disease is thought to periodically devastate thick growths of eelgrass as it was not resistant in any great way; a worldwide pandemic for Zostera appears to be cyclic. Increased eel grass often reverses with kelp/cobblestone and colder/more energy tolerant reds, especially Argardhiella subulata which has a habitat association with bay scallops. Corraline red algae in general have a worldwide habitat association to scallops as in colder waters and more alkaline conditions they can produce maerl. Maerl contains scallop setting and spawning stimulants, warmer periods tend to produce acidic soils therefore maerl production occurs here (CT) only in the coldest of periods.

-Striped Bass during periods of high heat grow to enormous sizes, as in the previous hot period 1880-1920. In the colder energy prone 1870s stripers of 8 to 10 pound size was noteworthy. As our heat and low energy period now exceeds that of the 1880-1920 The Great Heat, stripers have grown to record sizes. (Last year record fish caught in CT).

These are just a few of the areas we should look at for habitat conditions. Since 1860 Connecticut has seen four complete habitat reversals and changes in species abundance. One of the best sources of species transition is The US Fish Commission Reports of the late 1880s and three State of Rhode Island Publications titled: Report of Shellfish Commissioners and Recorded Temperature Based Shift In Ranges Of Fish in Narragansett Bay: State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation, “Fisheries Known to Inhabit The Waters of Rhode Island,” by Henry C. Tracy, Wickford, 1909.

What fishers have noticed after previous strong storms

One of the quickest organisms to respond to increased energy levels from my research to date will be winter flounder. Many fishermen have reported seeing for the first time this summer, small juvenile winter flounder along beach fronts, shallow bays and coves (Hammonasset Beach). Some calls this spring were in response to a publication titled, “Where Have All The Winter Flounder Gone?” distributed by several bait and tackle stores (Thanks to the Connecticut Fund for the Environment, Leah Schmaltz and Kierran Broatch). Comments from Hillyer's Bait and Tackle Shop were most helpful, old time winter flounder fishermen came forward to say winter flounder habitat was best after cooler temps and frequent storms, coves and creeks that accumulated vast amount of black jelly like material (Sapropel) tend to be cleaned by such weather, these deposits occur during high heat and low energy periods. A sandy shell litter and firm bottom, not acidic, is the preferred habitat type for winter flounder.

After Hurricane Irene, Connecticut obtained a coast wide bay scallop set which was very light in the west. This is not that unusual after storms often scallop sets were found following periodic storms. The coldest weather seems to favor scallop sets, but also yields much historical evidence of seed scallop stranding; the set being washed ashore by strong storms. It appears that strong storms reverses marine soil acidity to alkaline rinsing the first few soil inches of organic acids.

The 1870s had huge deep water bay scallop fisheries in Southern New England states including New York but the 1880-1920s periods these soils would reverse thanks in part to dense eelgrass meadows which tend to increase sulfide soil levels in high heat. Such soils do not favor coralline red algae which have shown a worldwide habitat preference for scallop species. In the 1870s and 1950s when cooler and more frequent storm activity bay scallop production would increase as eelgrass populations declined and bay scallop productivity actually shows a negative habitat relationship, when eelgrass populations are scarce, minimal (cold and stormy periods) bay scallop production actually soars. When it get hot and quiet (few storms) eelgrass increases and bay scallop productivity declines. This is evident when one looks at long term weather climate and landing statistics (US Fish & Wildlife Service Records). Fishers noticed the tendency (and again) for eelgrass meadows to displace previous habitat types in the 1950s and 1960s.

What about the future?

If the storm levels remain high and temperatures cool, Connecticut and Rhode Island should see a habitat reversal evidenced by red macro algae and a return system wide of the bay scallop. Although many current studies assign or have determined a water quality link to eelgrass and the bay scallop under historical review this theory does not hold up under a long term environmental habitat history for either species. Many researchers have linked water quality (pollution) to the largest factors in coastal marine resource abundance. That viewpoint needs to be reexamined. A change in climate conditions one that resembles the 1870s and 1950s would see several species reverse after habitat transitions / succession processes. Climate and energy are the largest factors that govern species abundance, not always us.

One key indicator could be eelgrass, an aggressive habitat succession plant with a duel reproductive pathway. Eelgrass loves newly disturbed marine soils and dredge projects might be an area of further research. Dredging tends to reverse soil acidity and newly dredged areas may be the first to show healthy the “clean and green” eelgrass. Such eelgrass in the successional process has temporary structure habitat benefits. Dredging often improves water quality by increasing flushing and tidal capacities. To link all declines of coastal fisheries to our impacts entirely is inaccurate if not misleading. Fishers often report fisheries increases in the areas of dredging projects, such as winter flounder. Eelgrass which likes disturbed soils should appear in or near dredge projects; this area deserves attention (habitat succession). The truth of the matter is eelgrass needs energy to keep it healthy, similar to lawn care removing the energy (cutting thinning and soil cultivation even crab “grazing”) for long periods results in the habitat type transition into other types – most often those containing Sapropel.

As grasslands follow forest fires, one would not see a return to forest habitat conditions for decades. This habitat succession is an important aspect of estuarine habitat quality for finfish and shellfish as well.

Climate and energy inputs long term as they relate to shellfish and finfish abundance needs to be addressed. The questions raised at the CAC meeting were good ones- they need good responses.

For more information about habitat reversals see CAC Meeting September 13, 2012, “The Truth about Eelgrass and The Profound Habitat Reversals For Long Island Sound Fisheries,” distributed at the CAC meeting or email Tim.Visel@new-haven.k12.ct.us

Always welcome an exchange of ideas and information.

Tim Visel

Attachment 1
Species Abundance Changes After Habitat Reversals – The Green Crabs Case History – Work In Progress – Tim Visel

The green crab and eelgrass habitat association – some observations regarding eelgrass research presents problems as the more recent research tends to ignore climate and energy levels impacts upon it. Cooler temperatures and increased storm levels does offer an opportunity to measure its impact upon the pH of sub tidal marine soils. A further complication is the green crab / eelgrass habitat associations of the Thames River estuary of England. At least one retired oyster grower, John Hammond on Cape Cod felt that both eelgrass and green crabs arrived together as invasive species hundreds of years ago by ships.* He followed the renewed growth of eelgrass spreading north from Long Island Sound in the 1960s and proposed that eelgrass provides a critical habitat cover to green crab populations allowing it to also extend its range and increase population dynamics due to the presence of eelgrass. This area certainly deserves more attention as referenced in the paper, “Do We Have The Correct Scallop Grass?” NOAA Milford Aquaculture Seminar March 2012. I observed some fishers keeping and retaining huge green crabs as an edible fishery in Niantic Bay in 2011. Fishers commented that the large green crabs live over eelgrass beds, and only trap well in the early morning hours just before dawn. They said the best place to catch edible size (4” point to point carapace width or more) was in eelgrass beds; commonly that is where they hide. John Hammond was working with United States in the Department of the Interior Fish & Wildlife Service oyster biologists, Paul Galtsoff and Victor Loosanoff, while they monitored the northern movement of green crabs north into Maine and Canada. Mr. Hammond noted that such movements followed the establishment of dense eelgrass meadows; the movement north of green crabs in the 1950s and 1960s caught the attention of the soft shell clam industry (Maine), and eelgrass also proved to be devastating to the hard shell and bay scallop habitats on Cape Cod.

Eelgrass also may reverse in small coves and rivers historically with a red Agardhiella species which historically Niantic Bay, CT bay scallops called red weed. Red weed was called the true scallop grass by local bay scallopers, Nelson Marshall 1960 – Visel 2010). Agardhiella seems more prevalent after colder and more energy containing periods.

Extended high heat / low energy periods tends to accumulate nitrogen compounds in deep layers of marine compost, mostly low pH terrestrial leaves, such composts (Sapropel) yields organic compounds that favor brown phyto plankton species (sulfur reduced) while colder periods tend to favor greens – oxygen reduced- The changes in climate, nitrogen loading and organic deposits might help explain the slimy brown / furry eelgrass which frequently succumbs to disease, root failure (high sulfide) while differing greatly from eelgrass first growths in sand, the clean and green eelgrass which has habitat services – as most structure provides predator/prey/feed or reproductive (shedding) services. As eelgrass beds mature in heat they die off, leaving unconsolidated Sapropel sediments susceptible to cold/storm periods and the natural law of habitat succession commences. These events are locked away as a habitat history in core samples in Connecticut’s coastal coves.
The habitat history of such coastal cores deserves immediate attention/review to better understand such long term habitat reversals.
Attachment #2
Clam sets, Soil Circulation and pH

Many retired shellfishermen have described the positive impacts of “working” or cultivating the bottom with shellfish harvesting equipment. Many of the soil cultivation attributes to terrestrial soil cultivation also carry forward into the marine environment. Shellfishers have recognized this impact and for over a century and described similar soil structure and pH concerns. One of the best examples in the more recent literature can be found in the State of Rhode Island – Thirty-Sixth Annual Report of the Commissioners of Inland Fisheries (Henry T. Root President) 1905. A report to the General Assembly Providence RI) following two powerful “summer gales” the 1904 soft shell clam (steamer) set was immense in Narragansett Bay- densities reaching in excess of 4,000 clam set to the square foot (page 105) although report writers had not linked the 1898 or 1902 – 1903 gales to a natural soil cultivation events, eventually the Narragansett Bay clam fishers did and on page 105 is found this quote,

“It is common opinion of the clammers that digging over the clams stimulates growth, the idea which they seem to have is that the loosening of the earth about the clams is a good for them as it is for a hill of corn or potatoes.”

This report predates the work of Dr. Belding published five years later but regarding soft shell clams is repeated in his study in Massachusetts in 1910 on page 21 of his report.

“Clams are usually absent from soils containing an abundance of organic material. Even the slimy surface does not prevent a set, the clams that take lodgment soon perish”….. “Also digging over a flat is of assistance in catching the set” page 38.

Coastal Energy Rejuvenates Stagnant Soils

Belding did report on the best soft shell clam sets occurred surprisingly in areas that accepted dredge spoils (now called “material”) in reference to the soft clam. Dr. Belding was one of the first modern shellfish researchers to identify pH as a growth constraint and mentions this impact nearly a century ago.

“Organic acids corrode their shells {Mya soft shell clam} and interfere with the shell forming function of the mantle. Such a soil indicates a lack of water circulation within the soil itself (pore space capacity) as indicated by the foul odor of the lower layers of soil, the presence of hydrogen sulfide, decaying matter, dead eelgrass, shells and worms. If such a soil could be opened up by deep ploughing or resurfaced with fresh soil to sufficient depth, it would probably favor the growth of the clam” pg 21.


And also, “Flats which are being dug over by the clammers tend to seed better than untouched flats” pg 42.

But most likely the best example of cleaned or “washed soils” and the setting of clams Dr. Belding mentions on page 42 related to large clam sets on barren flats when covered with dredged material. I feel it is safe to assume the in dredging process tides and currents washed organics fines and organic acids from soil in a similar process.

In this case on Cape Cod which is now nearly a century old is noteworthy today in regards to natural forces (hurricanes) recultivating marine soils.
This is the example of large clam {soft shell} sets occurring on barren flats on Cape Cod (pg 42).

“In 1920 the dredgings from Yarmouth Cold Storage Company were placed on certain flats in Yarmouth. These operations were followed by a heavy set over some fifty acres which yielded about 40,000 bushels of clams. Experiments of this department have obtained similar results by resurfacing and building up flats, particularly gravel.”

For more information about natural energy pathway and clam sets see paper submitted to the DEP/EPA Habitat Committee on April 28th 2008*

It is important to note that Beldings observations of dredged material was during the great heat – 1880-1920 then strong coastal storms that cultivated marine soils resulted in heavy sets of Mya the soft shell clam. (It was hot.) This did not occur during the research period of Paul Galtsoff which occurred at the time of the North Atlantic Oscillation a period of cold and storms favoring the Quahog. After the end of the Great Heat marine soils that stagnated and became filled with organic matter were washed and cultivated by the storms of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. As soft shell clam populations declined Quahog sets greatly improved especially when sea water temperatures became cooler. The Great Rhode Island sets occurred in the upper Narragansett Bay (and would then create huge increases in Quahog landings in the 1950s and 1960s) did so “upon the bones of the now dead oyster industry” (Personal communication Albert Hufferton 1981) the areas that did pick up the best Quahog sets where those upon abandoned oyster grow out grounds amidst old relic oyster shells.

Fishers and fishery managers in the 1960s did recognize the problems of pH and would resort to the direct application of agricultural lime with mixed results (hard to spread, did not last long). The best recorded results have been the thin application of oyster and clam shell to “sweeten” marine soils. The oyster shell would help buffer acidic soils and add structures of the ripple effect mentioned above. One of the best examples of soils rinsed of acid and mixed with oyster shell resulting in a good set of Quahogs is found in Paul Galtsoff’s 1964 bulletin The American Oyster (US Fish & Wildlife Service). On page 398 a man made “habitat reversal” created by dredging near the Buzzards Bay entrance to the Cape Cod Canal Massachusetts is recorded.” Between 1935 to 1938 here an oyster bed was buried by 8 to 12 inches of dredged material that settled on the oyster grounds. Three to four years later the area was repopulated by quahogs and continues to remain highly productive, although the species composition has been completely changed.” It can be assumed that Dr. Galtsoff’s term “highly productive” signifies active digging or dredging for hard clams – mixing in old oyster shells into these soils – extending the habitat successional clock for Quahogs for decades. Oyster growers always reported finding Quahogs under thin oyster shell layers. Rhode Island Bullrakers also noticed areas of heavy sets and faster growth “sharps” were on bay bottoms that contained shell fragments.

* Soft Shell Clam Habitat Creation and Associated Population
Expansion Following Significant Marine Soil Cultivation/Disturbances
LIS – EPA HRI Sub- Committee on Shellfish - T. Visel April 21, 2008
A Review of Three Case Histories Following The Gale of 1898

New York bays give somewhat similar accounts often the last productive quahog beds were on grounds once planted for oyster bottom culture, but in the end even the habitat clocks for these habitats failed with the now increasing heat into the 1980s and 1990s as they had a century before. These marine soils became organic matter filled, acidic and gave off at times the infamous rotten egg smells. Only a return to colder temps, cooler water and increased energy (soil cultivation) could help reset this habitat clock.

It will be interesting to record the pH of marine soils, the presence of estuarine shell and soil pore sizes to the growth of quahogs. After Sandy and Irene some relic oyster beds have been again “recultivated” if seawaters remain cool watch these areas for the first widespread sets of quahogs.

One of the New York areas to watch would be Great South Bay and the location of oyster grow out for nearly a century. Cultivating acidic marine soils and then placing oyster shell may by one of the few ways we can increase Quahog sets.

Always welcome suggestion or comments.
tim.visel@new-haven.k12.ct.us

Anyone interested in a short review of the Climate Pattern (NAO) North Atlantic Oscillation that directly affects habitat and therefore Connecticut’s shell and fin fisheries, see The Search for Megalops – The Rise of Blue Crabs Special Report #1, January 2014, available from Sue Weber at susan.weber@new-haven.k12.ct.us

The HIFFM IMEP Newsletter is possible by an Inter-District Cooperative Grant (Public Act 94 -1) and regional marine education bulletins can be obtained or accessed on the Adult Education and Outreach directory by accessing the Sound School website:
www.soundschool.com/publications%201.html

For information about The Sound School website, publications, and / or alumni contacts, please contact Taylor Samuels at taylor.samuels@new-haven.k12.ct.us

The Sound School is a Regional High School Agriculture Science and Technology Center enrolling students from 23 participating Connecticut communities.
Program reports are available upon request. For more information about New Haven Environmental Monitoring Initiative for IMEP reports, please contact Susan Weber, The Sound School Adult Education and Outreach Program Coordinator, at susan.weber@new-haven.k12.ct.us.