[BlueChip]

The Sound School
The ISSP and Capstone Project
Building a Network of Citizen Monitors
- The Search for Megalops -
The Connecticut Blue Crab Population Habitat Study 2010-2015
Report #1 Jan. 2012
• Shoreline Sites Provide Stewardship Opportunities and Monitoring – Program Outline
• Let us know if you want to attend a spring workshop at The Sound School
• Update email distribution lists for additional reports
• More on soft shell clam habitats / Blue crab larval interactions

During the summer of 2011, The Sound School invited members of the public, blue crabbers, teachers, and students to become more involved in learning about the rapid population increase of blue crabs in our waters. The search for Megalops has become part of blue crab websites, blogs, and research projects. Key to the study is the identification of key blue cab recruitment sites – the post plankton laval stages called the “Megalops.” I thank over 100 crabbers, striped bass fishermen, and coastal beach combers/walkers who emailed me their reports.

Last year, blue crabbers across the coast identified two significant coastal migrations of blue crabs leaving the Housatonic River moving east and a much later and smaller movement from the Little Narragansett Bay Pawtucket River moving west – to the Mystic River. This second migration is also a large feature of the Mystic River fishery last year which was very strong into October before the blizzard. Bluefish fishermen at the mouth of the Connecticut River reported large blue crabs on the chunk bunker bait up to Thanksgiving.

We still don’t know the full impact of Irene, but just before the storm, adult blue crabs were observed moving up into the marshes. As for last years Megalops set, we just don’t know. The inshore waters certainly had a major bottom disturbance “re-cultivation” event. Clams including razors, soft shells, and hard shells were reported cast up on many shoreline beaches. These summer warm water hurricanes in the past have been followed by immense sets of soft shell clams (Clinton Cedar Island 1900 set after the 1898 Portland Gale). That habitat relationship in fact, has raised some regulatory concerns that the area that contains the blue crabs laval stages is also location of extensive soft shell clam beds. That apparently is true but with information about Connecticut’s NSSP – National Shellfish Sanitation Program those concerns lessened.

A series of program reports 1 to 4 are available from Susan Weber, adult education and outreach program coordinator, and 15 project catch reports from last year which include numerous blue crab fisher observations are available online at Connecticut Fish Talk, the Blue Crab forum, and a Savannah State University blog titled, “Blue Crab Blog” (http://bluecrabblog.blogspot.com). All 15 catch observation reports are also available from Susan Weber at Susan.Weber@new-haven.k12.ct.us

At present a list of possible sites has been developed from observations and reports during the summer of 2011. An opportunity exists to seek monitors or stewardship partners for each site which will consist of habitat surveys and examinations with microscopes for blue crab set – or small star stage blue crab juveniles.

This project also seeks to identify interested schools, civic organizations, municipal shellfish, harbor conservation commissions, environmental groups, etc. near each site who would like to learn more about blue crabs and possibly monitor them and email back reports. But the Sound School cannot do it all, so we welcome a group or an organization willing to become the lead organization for this effort.

A tremendous amount of email / letter, poster development is anticipated. Several Connecticut bait and tackle shops support this blue crab study and have offered to place posters detailing the scope and purpose of such a study in their businesses.

If sub tidal salt pond habitat is found to be the best sites for blue crab recruitment, perhaps we could build new areas replacing some salt ponds filled in along Connecticut’s coast. This habitat loss occurred during the several Malaria outbreaks of the 1900s which resulted in having the salt ponds ordered to be filled by the state and local health departments or reinstallation of tide gates to lower marsh water tables (mosquito control). It may be possible to restore them (tidal flow) or by building “replacement” salt ponds for increased habitat capacity.

We delayed Project Shellfish/Finfish last year because of two concerns:

1. Many areas in which people blue crab contain dense beds of steamer clams (Mya) also called soft shell clams. We have had tremendous soft shell clam sets also since 2005, and it was feared that people would discover clams doing the Megalops survey and consume them even though the area could be posted no shell fishing (If crabs are okay, the clams must be okay also, etc.) due to bacterial contamination. Much of Connecticut’s waters are closed to shell fishing because of insufficient water quality or the presence of bacteria. But the same device proposed to sample Megalops could be used to harvest clams, in fact in Rhode Island and on the Cape, the toilet plunger or plumbers’ helper is used quite a lot. On Cape Cod in the 1980s, a long handle plunger was used to catch daily several bushels of soft shell clams in salt ponds. The same area that may hold the Megalops set. Most marine organisms love bottom disturbance, to them it is like ringing the dinner bell for feeding opportunity this relationship predator/prey is not new. It is suggested that small blue crab predate upon soft shell clams. The plunging concept is several centuries’ old, back to the spear fisheries for winter flounder. At that time it was a metal disk mounted on a wood pole called a flounder pounder. Some describe it as attached to the free end of the spear itself. Thus, the concept net and plunger combined as one instrument is over a century old.

2. The catch and retention of the blue crab Megalops might be considered keeping and retaining a short (illegal), which may require all monitors being placed on a scientific collectors permit because blue crabs are regulated (legal issue), fishery size season, etc. We delayed Project Shellfish/Finfish last year because of these concerns. I will be contacting the state D.E.E.P. to see if we need a specific collectors permit for the study shortly.

So, I will send out the protocols and equipment list before the volunteer spring workshops, but ask that you keep the above in mind.

The shellfish issue I feel is more of a concern, along with the increase of blue crabs, we have seen several tremendous sets of soft shell steamers especially in areas that sand bars have moved or after a summer storm (One location is the flats off the Sound School in 2005; 100 clams/foot). Soft shells quickly colonize sub tidal marine soils (bottoms) when disturbed (re-cultivated) and the same areas that contain soft shells are believed to retain high concentrations of Megalops. In fact, several researchers from the Chesapeake Bay region have told me it’s a key habitat to study and monitor – “Look for Mya” It is very important that shellfish in closed areas are not retained in any way and always check with local shell fishing authorities state and municipal before shell fishing in any area.

Next Year?

The big unknown for us is the length of our winters. blue crabs hibernate and can store food for about 60 days. A mild, short winter, and the crabs survive as from 09-10 season and begin activity around 48 degrees. The “1950s” type cold winter last year 10-11 caused the water temperature to fall 2.5 degrees and lengthened the dormancy period to 105 days and the huge crop of Blue crabs in 09-10 starved to death before it was warm enough to eat. We saw that result in the Essex Connecticut River fishery at the town dock. On July 18, 2010 catch rates were 90 crabs/hour; July 18, 2011, 3 crabs/hour. Predator prey also relationships has influenced overwintering capacity in Connecticut. Starfish have been a frequent predator species, but now attention is being drawn to our surging conch population. Conch have been reported moving into soft bottom areas that have been reported to contain wintering crabs. Conch seem to prefer crab species, but in the 1900s, it was oysters, the 1950s clams (hard shells were abundant then), and now crabs. It could be just what’s around that drives this relationship - not certain.

At this point a possible list of Megalops Survey Sites has been proposed and follows. This preliminary list may change. If someone would like to suggest a site, please do so. These are the list of sites as of January 10, 2012:

Greenwich – Anderson Road – upper Indian Harbor salt pond
Darien – Gorhams Pond (no site at present)
Stamford – Mill River, Rippowam (no site at present)
Fairfield – Ash Creek* (see note below) sand spit
Milford – Gulf Pond – Huntington Avenue Bridge
Bridgeport – Arthur Street shore
New Haven – Howard Avenue beach / Long Wharf flats
Guilford – Rt. 146 Bridge – Lost Lake
Guilford – Grass Island DEP Boat Launch Ramp – Neck River / East River Junction
Madison – Tom’s Creek or Fence Creek (any established site)
Clinton – Lower Hammonasset River – Cedar Island Marina “mini park” (beach)
Westbrook –Kirtland Landing, Old Clinton Road / Menunketeseck River
Old Saybrook – North Cove Boat Ramp, North Cove Road
Old Saybrook - Rt. 1 Oyster River Bridge by Maynard’s Farm Market
Niantic (East Lyme) - Smith Cove (no site at present)
Waterford – Alewife Cove – Waterford Shore – Town Park
Waterford – Jordan Cove (no site at present)
Ledyard Poquetanuck Core – (new site)
Groton – Bakers Cove (DEP Boat launch ramp) end of Bayberry Lane
Stonington – Mystic River – (no site at present)
Stonington – Quanaduck Cove – (no site at present)

*Originally it was Perry Mill Pond, most likely the area that contains some of the densest Megalops sets but was advised by the Fairfield Conservation Commission that the area is undergoing an environmental cleanup of lead and a special advisory for harvesting blue crabs in the area has been issued.


The Study Design
Proposed for October 1, 2011

Where Do All Our Blue Crabs Come From?

The initial start of the project will be the selection of various coastal sites in which to investigate the presence or absence of blue crab Megalops. The sites will represent areas known to contain adult or small crabs. The start of the project is to locate areas and determine if a habitat pattern/preference can be established. It is just a presence/absence study to find Megalops; a more precise survey sampling program is a future expansion dependent upon initial findings.

Thus the first step is to locate areas that might contain blue crab Megalops. The second step is to have students and volunteers survey some areas. A few years ago I attended the Project SEARCH volunteer winter training workshops held at Hammonasset State Park with Russ Miller in the Meigs Point Nature Center. I was very impressed with the volunteer training workshops and this spring a similar workshop is planned at the Sound School.



Where to Look

Much of the available life cycle habitat studies have been done for the Chesapeake Bay region and southern areas. From published articles evidence indicates that Megalops can find shelter in a wide range of habitats, the most important being estuarine bottoms that contain shell or live shellfish especially the soft shell clam (steamer) Mya between low tide depth of 1 to 2 feet..

A second habitat/environment type is areas with good tidal circulation and sufficient oxygen (shallow 1 foot or less, not stagnant) and perhaps edges of eelgrass also. It is the edge of vegetation or the transition from non-structure smooth areas to habitats that have relief such as estucrure bivalre shell may perhaps be the best areas to look. It is also suspected that the same areas will contain worms, small shrimp species and sets of shellfish. Reports in some southern research papers speculate that the best Megalops areas often contain small and newly set soft set (steamer) clams (Mya). It is also thought that acidic bottoms – those with low pH and low oxygen are hostile to the Megalops stage. This habitat preference is one of the study/monitoring objectives. Reports do include adult Blue crabs digging into deeper water eelgrass meadows. Reports mention Blue crabs in offshore eelgrass meadows off Stonington in the 1950s.

Proposed Sampling Methods

The type of gear proposed is a modified “D sampling net” with a very fine mesh net. The D net looks like a regular fish landing net with a flattened edge. It looks like someone pushed on it making the bottom edge flat, making it look like a letter D with a handle opposite the flat edge. The mesh is very fine because to the naked eye, a blue crab Megalops are very small, about the size of a flake of ground pepper.

In the PROJECT SEARCH DEEP study, the freshwater stream currents direct riffle dwelling organisms into the collection net (device). To loosen these fresh water organisms a series of foot pounding (called kick stops) are employed to dislodge organisms into the current flow and then into the net. In the marine environment we don’t have that flow all the time to concentrate specimens so a different sampling procedure might work. A modified clam harvesting device (clam pounder) a descendant of the century old flounder pounder used in Niantic Bay winter flounder species fishing in the 1880s may assist in collection. Rather than kicking the bottom a plumber’s helper is attached to D net handle and plunged three times. The small depression is then scooped with the D net. The rubber plumber’s helper can be purchased at hardware stores and attached with a metal screw operated pipe clamp. This device looks a little funny at first- a wood handle with a sampling net at one end and the plumber’s helper on the other. But, it is effective at suspending sub tidal organisms and while employed as a University of Massachusetts Cooperative Extension agent in the 1980s I found it to be quite successful.



Sampling Protocols / Operations

Areas would be surveyed every two months, two samples about 1 meter apart. All samples should be 12 inches deep at low tide (this may change after the first fall surveys). Because these organisms are small, soft bodied, they are fragile and could break down before they can be keyed out. To help preserve the samples, the salt water will be stabilized and frozen.

To collect the sample, the organisms are so small they will cling to the collecting net, so a bulb type turkey baster will draw up a portion of a reduced in the net sample and deliver it into a collection jar. Don’t be surprised if you’re soon surrounded by silversides and killifish, bottom disturbances to these species are like ringing the dinner bell. But ample time should be available before visitors arrive in large numbers.

At this point, the sample will be stabilized most likely with an over the counter calcium tablet to buffer the sea water. The fragile Megalops body tissue is very soft and an acid water sample could possibly dissolve it. Again, I need to talk to benthic researchers who do this all the time. There is evidence that some marine soils in oak leaf litter are quite acidic. Samples once neutralized can then be frozen and stored until keying out? Not certain, and if this storage is practicable, again not certain.

Sound School Site – Control / Protocols Development

The Search for Megalops will involve Connecticut teachers statewide, but we also plan to establish a sampling station at the Sound School as a Capstone Project. Taking a sample should only take a few minutes. A photo/narrative outline will be available April 15 and key protocols by June 15. A genetic study will be started with Chesapeake Bay researchers to see if the genetic differences or similarities can be established and interest in hatching/spawning some sponge crabs as part of an Aquaculture Biology class. A senior class aquaculture life teacher has planned to offer his senior students to look a blue crab habitat in terms of climate change.

We will also coordinate student projects (junior year) with interested Guilford, Madison and Old Saybrook marine science classes with survey sites and sampling techniques; the Bridgeport Aquaculture School and the new Groton Marine Science Magnet School has expressed interest also. All of our information will be online and available by interested public, research or volunteers.

The student projects will commence in early June and sampling should start July 1st. A public workshop forum is now being discussed in which student projects/papers and PowerPoint’s™ will be presented to staff, researchers and members of the environmental community that would be scheduled sometime in the spring the following year on a senior Capstone project.



Equipment

Net- http://www.bioquip.com/search/DispProduct.asp?pid=7410R

The sampling net we are considering is the BioQuip™ heavy duty aquatic net (no trade or product endorsement implied). They are the “D” shaped nets that allow greater bottom sampling area/contact. BioQuip™ makes a net from heavy cotton and polyester canvas, stitched with non rotting screen. They feature a white mesh (Nytex) screen placed about 8 inches below the canvas rim. Since the Megalops are very small, a bag with 150 micron screen is thought to be the best 7412-DN model.

Since the organisms are very small drying the net will have organisms clinging to the canvas and screen. It might be easier to do a water to water transfer by partially drying a corner of the net, but not completely. A suction device (it looks like an old fashioned turkey baster could be an option) could draw up a liquid sample and direct it into a sample jar or bag. Sea water is alkaline about 8.1 to 8.4 but samples after a heavy rain (fresh water tends to float over salt water) might be acidic so the addition of an over the counter calcium table could stabilize the sample until it is frozen. This is just one possible stabilization method at this point.

The Pounder-
This device dates back to the cold period or climate shortly after the Civil War when Connecticut was in a very cold decade in the 1870s. The coves would freeze up in eastern Connecticut including Niantic Bay. Winter flounder spear fishermen would cut holes in the ice in two basic areas: soft sediment or eelgrass for overwintering eels and clam beds for winter flounder. A large pole and wood rack or basket at the end would be pummeled into the bottom through the ice, dislodging worms, clams (breaking some no doubt) but attracting winter flounder (chumming). Some retired bay scallopers from Niantic Bay told me about their fathers using such a device- a precursor to the modern chum pot. After a few minutes, the flounder spear would be sent down the hole (you can still see these spear’s today for sale along the shore in antique stores). The basket soon found its way to a simple flat metal plate disk and the blacksmith shop. It too was fitted to a long pole and looked like a long plumbers helper – plunger. Some reports the pounder was attached to the same shaft as the spear. In the 1960s, this device was modified to catch sub tidal soft shells “steamer” clams and plunging for clams was frequent on Cape Cod and Rhode Island in the 1980s.

According to Phil Schwind, in a brief Chatham meeting (1982), populations of soft shells retreated to sub tidal areas on the Cape in the 1950s and 1960s along with the Blue crabs. A period of cold and storms 1951-1965 saw Blue crab populations plummet on the Cape. Fishermen started seeking out deeper soft shell clam beds that survived the cold. It was thought that severe freezes then reduced the exposed tidal soft shell populations beginning in the 1940s, the washing of clams in the sub tidal areas began and the pounder soon became the plunger. It soon followed by trial and error that salt ponds contained significant soft shell clam populations. [This is not unlike some of the historical accounts from the Great Island soft shell clam flats off Old Lyme (1930s) of sub tidal harvest with a special offset shovel and an old Colonial garden screen, back then called a “riddle”. CT soft shell production would soar during the Great Heat (1890-1920) but drop considerably in the colder period of 1960s.] In a 1970 booklet titled the Clam Shack Clammer (May 1, 1970 Printer Charles Thompson) Phil Schwind lists the plunger on page 35 as shellfish harvest equipment. He is generally credited with keeping this old method of sub tidal soft shell clam harvest current from the past century.

The modern day plumber’s helper can still be purchased at most hardware stores and together with a screw fitted metal pipe clamp, it can be reinstalled at the end of the D net. So, the “pounder” and collection net is one device (as with catching clams years ago). You don’t’ need to plunge more than two or three times creating a slight depression (not a hole) – the organisms should settle in the depression and then collected with the D net end.

Cost equipment list –
o One 7412 DNM Aquatic net 12” D shape 150 micro mesh
Nylon Bag ($68.20) BioQuip™
(No product or trade endorsement implied). $68.20
o One metal screw fitted pipe clam (hardware store) $1.49
o One flexible plumber’s helper plunger (hardware store) (the existing wood handle is not used) $7.95
o One bottle of calcium supplement (drug store) $4.95
(Sample stabilization)
o Collection bottles/bags (various) (for freezing until collection) $10.00-$15.00
o The total cost (excluding microscopes and bioscopes to examine samples) is about $100.00.
o It is suggested that monitors wear “knee high” boots.
o You will need a microscope to examine samples.

If you are interested in becoming a Megalops monitor, please email me at the Sound School (tim.visel@new-haven.k12.ct.us). Although several educators have expressed interest and looking for Megalops now and can do so. (I’m surprised at how many people already have microscopes at home.) That is fine – please be certain to call the state D.E.E.P. about a scientific collection permit. I suggest workshops for interested monitors this spring. That way in the spring we may be able to assess surveyed Megalops. As a group, there is also a possibility that all Megalops monitors will need to be listed on a Scientific Collector Permit and one organization or environmental group might be willing to spearhead this monitoring effort. That would be great!

The Search for Megalops is part of a Project Shellfish/Finfish Student/Citizen Monitoring Effort Supported by a 2005 grant to The Sound School from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant #2005-0191-001.

All Blue crabs and Megalops observations are valuable; please email them to me at tim.visel@new-haven.k12.ct.us.

Program reports are available upon request. 1-4 catch/observation reports 1-15 are also available.
For more information about New Haven Environmental Monitoring Initiative or for reports please contact Susan Weber, Sound School Adult Education and Outreach Program Coordinator – email to: susan.weber@new-haven.k12.ct.us

If you do not wish to receive these reports, please let us know.

Looking forward to hearing about any Blue crab research.

Tim Visel

Supervised Research Projects / State Graduation Capstone Projects, ISSP’s

For over a century high school students attending Agriculture Science and Technology Centers (formerly known as Vocational Agriculture Centers) have had a statutory obligation for having a planned supervised agriculture work experience program. (SAE) For Agriculture Education students, the senior year contained a special topics/portfolio project that is designed with consultation with the scope & sequence teacher. The addition of directed laboratories in the 1990s research projects can satisfy both the (SAE) and now the supervised Capstone graduation project. The Capstone Project description is as follows and also found on the State Department website:

“The Capstone Experience is a culminating activity that provides a way for students to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they acquired during their secondary school years of education. It engages students in a project/experience that focuses on an interest, career path or academic pursuit that synthesizes classroom study and real world perspective. High school students are asked to demonstrate their ability to apply key knowledge and skills by planning, completing and presenting a culminating project linked to one or more are of personal interest and the individual’s Student Success Plan.

The Capstone experience may include an in-depth project, reflective portfolio, community service and/or internship. As part of the experience, the student will demonstrate research, communication and technology skills including additional relevant 21st century skills.

Work on the Capstone Project may begin as early as 9th grade. Successful completion of a Capstone Project will earn the student one credit toward high school graduation.”



For more information about the Capstone Project, please contact:

Ann Gaulin, Consultant
CT State Department of Education
(860)713-6544
Ann.gaulin@ct.gov
-Or-
Scott Shuler, Consultant
CT State Department of Education
(860) 713-6746
Scott.shuler@ct.gov

For more information about the Capstone Projects in CT, please go to:
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2702&Q=322264

We look to the possibility of some for credit ISSP proposals from any interested Sound School students.


Independent Study and
Seminar Program
New Haven Public Schools

The contact person for the Sound School is Barbara Mente; other schools could also have ISSP programs. A quick call to your high school guidance director should be able to assist students from other school systems.


ISSP is one of Connecticut’s oldest and most established high school programs for talented and gifted students, having been in continuous existence since 1967. It is a program not only for gifted, but potentially gifted high school students as well. It may include a seminar, an independent study project, a college course, a special Yale-affiliated program, or working with a mentor.