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Despite Challenges, The Nature Conservancy’s Hard Clam  Restoration Efforts in Great South Bay Beginning to Show Promising Results

Although many challenges lay ahead, a strong set of juvenile clams sparks hope for recovery

Cold Spring Harbor, NY — November 13, 2008 — The Nature Conservancy and Suffolk County today announced study results that show early signs of a recovery for the bay’s hard clam population.

Four years ago, The Nature Conservancy, backed by a wide range of public and private supporters, took a chance – embarking on one of the most ambitious shellfish restoration efforts in the nation to “make the Great South bay Great Again” by restoring its hard clam population.

Hard clams play a vital role in the bay, helping maintain water quality by filtering debris and plankton out of the water as they feed. At the start of this effort the Bay’s clam population was so low that in much of the bay they were no longer reproducing successfully. To help boost natural reproduction, the Conservancy-led partnership added over three million adult clams to the Bay in the last four years, creating a network of over 50 sites, or sanctuaries, where adult clams could grow and reproduce without disturbance.

Carl LoBue, senior marine scientist for The Nature Conservancy on Long Island said, “Our summer survey of the bay bottom revealed over 250 million juvenile clams which we believe to be offspring of the adult clams that we have been stocking in the Bay. That represents a 4000 percent increase in the clam population of the central part of the bay since 2006. This is a very positive sign that we are on track towards meeting our restoration objectives. However recurring episodes of brown tide and natural predators are a continued threat. We must continue working with our partners to do what we can to ensure the continued success of this exciting restoration project.” 

Hard clams once were so abundant that Great South Bay supplied over 50 percent of the entire nation’s hard clams. Today the reported commercial harvest is down by more than 99 percent. Not only does the decline of shellfish have economic impacts, but water quality is also affected. Chronic algal blooms (such as brown tide), which negatively impact marine life in the Great South Bay, have been linked to declining clam populations. Clams filter water and help keep the algae in control.

“Since we acquired more than 13,000 acres of bay bottom in central Great South Bay we have worked with a long list of partners on the Bluepoints Bottomlands Council to develop and implement strategies aimed at jumpstarting clam reproduction.” said Nancy Kelley, executive director of The Nature Conservancy on Long Island. “We have been watching closely to see if these new clams survived and reproduced – and we couldn’t be more excited to see all those baby clams this season.”

“Great South Bay is such an important part of Long Island’s past, present and future,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy. “Restoring the bay not only has important benefits to our economy and environment, but also to our quality of life. We are thrilled that the investments that we have made are paying off. But our work is far from finished and we must remain committed to assuring that conditions exist to protect the investments we are making so that future generations in Suffolk County inherit a healthy bay with an abundance of clams. Toward that end, I propose the creation of a Great South Bay Clam Restoration Working Group to protect these first positive signs and ensure that the return of clams to Great South Bay is a true success story.”

“Since Great South Bay spans three different townships, we all have a role to play in contributing to the health of this vast body of water,” said Steve Bellone, Babylon Town Supervisor. “We are pleased to be a part of this effort and we will continue to do everything we can to protect this resource for the future.”

“Great South Bay is not just a body of water – it is a place where Long Islanders work, play and live,” said Phil Nolan, Islip Town Supervisor. “It is part of our heritage and part of our future. The clam recovery in the Great South Bay is hopeful, but it is also tentative. We are proud of what our efforts have accomplished thus far, but in many ways, it’s just the beginning.”

"This effort of recovery is an outstanding example of a private conservation group partnering with government, where the best of resources of all entities are brought together to pioneer shellfish restoration on Long Island," said Brian X. Foley, Brookhaven Town Supervisor. "We are proud to be a part of this work that benefits all Long Islanders. Not withstanding this effort of recovery however, there is still a need for federal intervention to help fully restore the Great South Bay and its clam population.”

Inspired by its initial success, The Nature Conservancy will continue to work with partners on the Bluepoints Bottomlands Council on additional restoration activities, with the goal of eventually stepping back as nature takes over and the clams become self-sustaining.

The Nature Conservancy is thankful to its generous supporters from Suffolk County, New York State, NOAA Restoration Center, Brookhaven, Islip and Babylon Townships, Knapp/Swezey Foundation, Lowe's Companies, Inc., National Grid Foundation, Pall Corporation, Morris and Alma Schapiro Fund, the Joseph and Sylvia Slifka Foundation, and the Wildlife Forever Fund.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. On Long Island, The Nature Conservancy has helped to preserve more than 150,000 acres. Visit us on the web at nature.org/longisland.