Commercial scallop fishing has been an integral part of Long Islanders’ identity for generations and has supported the local economy for decades. Until the 1980s, commercial fishing contributed more than $10 million to the local economy, but over recent years, because of brown tides, increasing water temperatures, and dissolved oxygen in the ocean, the harvests have decreased 95% resulting in a $60 million loss to the regional economy. Since 2005, the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) has been leading the effort to restore Long Island’s Peconic Bay scallop populations with new research and hatchery programs. The Moore Charitable Foundation, focused on restoring coastal habitats and ensuring clean water, is proud to support this important work. Keep reading for part two of our series with Chris Pickerell, the Marine Program Director of CCE of Suffolk County, and his team. Click here for part one, on efforts to cultivate ribbed mussels as filters of water pollution around Long Island.

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