Publication Date:
2022-05-26
Description:
Originally issued as Reference No. 52-26, series later renamed WHOI-.
Description:
During the summer of 1950, The Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution conducted a study of the waters of Great South
Bay for the Town of Islip, New York, with a view to seeking
the cause of the decline of the oyster industry, which
has deteriorated steadily during the past twenty years.
The report of these studies was submitted in January 1951.
The survey revealed two conditions which in combination
appeared to be unfavorable to the oyster industry.
One unfavorable condition was the local change in circulation
occasioned by the opening of Moriches Inlet in
1931, which had increased the salinity of Bellport Bay,
creating a condition which might well be detrimental to the
production of seed oysters. Aside from this, it was concluded
that little change had taken place in the salinity
and tidal exchange of the central and western part of the
bay during the past twenty years.
The second unfavorable condition was the pollution of
Great South Bay by wastes from the duck farms located
along the Carmans River and the tributaries of Moriches
Bay. Chemical studies indicated that the bay water is
unusually rich in the products of decomposing organic
matter. These materials appeared to arise from the mouth
of the Carmans River and the tributaries of Moriches Bay,
from which they are carried westward across Great South
Bay. They provide nutriment for the growth of an unusually
dense population of microscopic plants. Evidence existed
that oysters do not feed properly on water containing such
large concentrations of plant cells, and available statistics
showed a clear correlation over a period of years
between the condition of bay oysters and the numbers of
plant cells in the water. Finally, the decline in oyster
production has been closely paralleled by the growth of
the duck industry, which increased fourfold during the period.
In the report on the survey of 1950, it was pointed
out that a number of questions had been revealed which
were not anticipated when the field work was in progress
and that these questions merited additional study. One
of these related to the behavior of uric acid, the peculiar
form in which birds secrete nitrogenous wastes, which promised
to provide unambiguous evidence on whether the duck
farms are the source of pollution. Another was the more
detailed study of the circulation of Moriches Bay and its
connection with Great South Bay through Narrow Bay, since
this appeared to be the principal avenue of the pollution
of Great South Bay. Finally, more detailed information
was desired concerning the actual quantities of pollutants
arising from the duck farms and of the alterations
of its components by biological and other action upon
introduction into the bay water.
Before these additional studies could be undertaken,
the problem acquired a new aspect be cause of the spontaneous
closure of Moriches Inlet which occurred on
May 15, 1951. While this terminated any possibility of
increasing knowledge of the circulation between the bays
as it previously existed, it afforded an opportunity to
observe the effect of the opening on the condition of
the bay waters. This information was of prime importance
in view of the proposal to reopen and stabilize Moriches
Inlet.
Field parties visited the region on three occasions
during the sumer. On July 12-14, 1951, a survey was
made of the entire system of bays lying between the
western extremity of Great South Bay and the Shintecock
Canal. Between July 27 and August 5, studies were made
of the chemical conditions in Moriches Bay and its
approaches, and a detailed examination was carried out on
the immediate conditions associated with the duck farms
along the Terrell River. On September 24-29, an attempt
was made to measure the exchange of water and associated
pollutants between Moriches Bay and Great South Bay, and
through the Quantuck Canal. On this occasion continuous
observations were made at Smith Point and Beach Lane
Bridge for a period of fifty hours, including four complete
tidal cycles.
Description:
The work conducted in 1951 was supported jointly by
the appropriations made by the Towns of Brookhaven and
Islip at the initiative of the Long Island Fishermen's
Association.
Keywords:
Oceanography
;
Marine pollution
Repository Name:
Woods Hole Open Access Server
Type:
Technical Report
Format:
application/pdf
Permalink
