LIS Eelgrass Collaborative Workshop

June 12, 2024
10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Location: UConn Avery Point Campus

The Long Island Sound (LIS) Eelgrass Collaborative June 2024 workshop advanced elements of the LIS Eelgrass Management and Restoration Strategy. Dr. Bradley Peterson from Stony Brook University started the day with a keynote address on eelgrass and shellfish interactions, followed by two breakout sessions with three tracks: 1) restoration, 2) water quality, and 3) management (see agenda below). After hearing from speakers and having group discussion, the goal of these breakouts was to identify two priorities that will advance eelgrass management and restoration in the Sound.

9:30 am	Registration and Check-In
10:00 am	Welcome and Workshop Overview – Katie Lund, CT NERR
10:10 am	Keynote Speaker Focus: Eelgrass and Shellfish Interactions Bradley Peterson - Professor, Stony Brook University Seagrass - Shellfish Interactions: Focusing on the Role of Positive Impacts on Community Development, Stability and Restoration
10:55 am	Keynote Questions & Discussion
11:10 am	EPA - LISS Eelgrass Project Updates – Cayla Sullivan, U.S. EPA Region 2-LIS Office LIS Eelgrass Management and Restoration Strategy: Project Updates
11:25 am	Breakout Session Overview and Directions – Breakout Facilitators
11:45 am	Lunch
12:30 – 1:40 pm	Breakout Session A Track 1 – Restoration: research & projects for seed (or plant) movement Randall Hughes, Professor of Marine and Environmental Sciences - Northeastern University Eelgrass Restoration: Source and Genetic Considerations Holly Plaisted, Biologist and Seagrass Monitoring Project Lead - U.S. National Park Service Building Eelgrass Resilience in National Parks from ME to NC Track 2 – Water Quality: LIS monitoring at different scales and next steps for eelgrass Jon Morrison, Chief of Applied Hydrology Branch - USGS Coastal Water Quality Monitoring Being Done by USGS Peter Linderoth, Director of Water Quality - Save the Sound Unified Water Study: Sound-Wide Embayment Monitoring Athena Ryan, Biologist, Millstone Environmental Laboratory - Dominion Energy Eelgrass Monitoring Outside of Millstone Power Station Track 3 – Management: bi-state updates, regulatory & nonregulatory assessment Emily Watling, Graduate Student and Research Assistant - UConn and CT NERR LIS Eelgrass Management Assessment Update Bill Lucey, Long Island Soundkeeper - Save the Sound Connecticut Eelgrass Working Group Update Della Campbell, NY Seagrass Coordinator - NYDEC New York State Seagrass Management Strategy
1:40 pm	Break
1:50 – 3:00 pm	Breakout Session B Track 1 – Restoration: seed based restoration – what do we need to know? Steve Schott, Marine Botany and Habitat Restoration Specialist - Cornell Cooperative Extension Eelgrass Seed Collection Processing and Storage Stephen Heck, Ph.D. - Stony Brook University Restoration in Shinnecock Bay, NY and Considerations for Assisted Gene Flow Research Track 2 – Water Quality: bi-state nitrogen reduction strategies Michele Golden, Environmental Program Specialist - NYDEC Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan Traci Iott, Supervising Environmental Analyst - CT DEEP Kelly Streich, TMDL and Technical Support Lead - CT DEEP CT DEEP Nutrient Management and Eelgrass Targets Track 3 – Management: eelgrass & aquaculture interactions Tessa Getchis, Aquaculture Extension Educator - CT Sea Grant Perspectives from the CT Aquaculture Permitting Workgroup Christopher Schillaci, Marine Ecologist - NOAA Overview of SAV and Aquaculture Interactions, Northeast Craig Tobias, Professor of Marine Sciences and CT NERR Director - UConn Oyster Aquaculture Associated with Eelgrass Habitat - maybe we can get along after all
3:00 pm	Break
3:10 pm	Breakout Summary (20 mins) + Impact/Effort Grid (20 mins) + Next Steps (10 mins) Adjourn at 4:00 pm
4:15 – 5:15 pm	Optional skiff trip (participation based on pre-registration)

Facilitator: Torrie Hanley, Sacred Heart University

Topics
• Seed genetics as related to thermal tolerance, transport, and choosing source populations.
• Common garden experiments in National Parks from ME to NC and how this project can inform broader coordination and advance restoration in LIS. Topics include choosing appropriate seed locations and donor beds for restoration.

Speakers
• Randall Hughes, Professor of Marine and Environmental Sciences - Northeastern University
• Holly Plaisted, Biologist and NCBN Estuarine Water Quality and Seagrass Monitoring Project Lead – National Park Service

Facilitator: Jamie Vaudrey, UConn & CT NERR

Topics
• Water quality monitoring at different scales (USGS, Unified Water Study multi-station, and Millstone local monitoring).
• Presentations, followed by panel Q&A, and feedback on next steps.

Speakers
• Jon Morrison, Chief of Applied Hydrology Branch/New England Water Science Center – USGS
• Peter Linderoth, Director of Water Quality - Save The Sound
• Athena Ryan, Biologist, Millstone Environmental Laboratory – Dominion Energy

Facilitator: Katie Lund, CT NERR

Topics
• LIS Eelgrass Collaborative assessment to-date; regulatory and non-regulatory case studies.
• CGA Eelgrass Working Group update and outcomes of CT legislation.
• NY Seagrass Task Force update and next steps.

Speakers
• Emily Watling, Master’s Student and Research Assistant – UConn & CT NERR
• Bill Lucey, Long Island Soundkeeper – Save the Sound
• Della Campbell, NY Seagrass Coordinator – NYDEC

Facilitator: Katie Lund, CT NERR

Topics

Regional/national overview of industry and regulatory concerns & perspective on the federal regulatory framework.
Brief overview of aquaculture-eelgrass activities in CT.
Research project overview: interactions between oyster aquaculture and eelgrass in Beebe Cove – how can research inform policy?

Speakers

Tessa Getchis – Aquaculture Extension Educator – CT Sea Grant
Christopher Schillaci, Marine Ecologist – NOAA
Craig Tobias, Professor of Marine Sciences and CT NERR Director – UConn

Connecticut National Estuarine Research Reserve