The New England coastline has many faces, from the rocky slabs on Schoodic Point in Maine to the cascading sand dunes at the Cape Cod National Seashore. One of the coastal resources with which virtually all New Englanders are familiar, however, is salt marshes. Every coastal New England state is blessed with these resource areas. Some are high marshes that are flooded by salt water only infrequently at maximum high tides; others are low marshes that are flooded on every tidal cycle. These marshes are comprised of a variety of rugged marsh grasses and plants that are adapted to this complex environment, as well as mud flats that form below the lowest grasses and can only be seen at the lowest tides.

We say New England is “blessed” with these resources because marshes have been critical to human activities from the earliest days of human presence in New England. In pre-colonial days, Native Americans hunted on the marshes for birds, clams and fish, and the early European settlers harvested salt marsh grasses for hay and took advantage of tidal cycles to set up fishing traps that caught the then-abundant variety of coastal marine fish. Later settlers discovered that these marsh areas could be diked to create valuable upland farmland, a good thing for the struggling farmers but a significant ecological loss to New England.

A salt marsh in Sandwich, MA. Salt marshes perform a number of critical functions for our environment. (CLF photo)

These salt marshes, you see, perform a number of critical functions in our environment. They are essential habitat for a diverse number of resident and migratory birds and juvenile marine fish; they protect the uplands from ocean storms, reducing storm surges and mitigating the power of ocean waves; and they filter the water running off the land and remove sediments and pollution before that run-off reaches the sea. They are also a fundamental part of our New England landscape, as any review of New England art will reveal.

To make way for agriculture, housing, marine commerce, and major urban centers like Boston, Portsmouth, and Portland, thousands of acres of coastal wetlands were filled. Fairly reliable estimates are that the Gulf of Maine, for example, has lost roughly half of its original inventory of rich salt marshes. With sea level rise a certainty in the coming decades, increasing numbers of people will begin to understand the protective role that these marshes once played.

It is not too late to restore some of this lost natural heritage. CLF and other conservation groups around the country formed Restore America’s Estuaries (RAE) in 1996. RAE’s mission is to restore one million acres of wetlands, and we are well on our way. Each year, CLF places more than $100,000 with municipalities and citizen groups to pay for the costs of wetland restoration.  These projects remove dams and dikes and eliminate tidal restrictions, such as highway culverts, that choke many marsh systems of the salt water tidal flows that they need to survive. Through this work, we are making important strides.

On September 24^th, the nation is celebrating National Estuaries Day. We ask you to celebrate it with us: take a walk in an estuary (and pick up any trash that you see), go to your library and read Life and Death of the Salt Marsh—a natural history classic written by CLF Board member Dr. John Teal – join an Audubon Society in your state, visit CLF’s estuaries website page to learn about CLF’s restoration projects and support our work, teach your children about salt marshes, or just spend a sunrise looking out at the ocean over a marsh. New England is blessed by our salt marshes; take some time on September 24th to discover why.

To learn more about National Estuaries Day, visit the RAE National Estuaries Day website. To learn more about CLF’s work with RAE, click here.

On Wednesday, September 14, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary presented a groundbreaking proposal to establish a dedicated ecological research area within the Sanctuary’s boundaries to study the area’s diverse ecosystem. Although the Sanctuary’s multi-stakeholder Advisory Council voted strongly in favor of the proposal, NOAA officials decided not to send the proposal on to the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) for further review.

A NOAA diver studies anemones and other marine live covering a wreck in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (Photo credit: Matthew Lawrence, NOAA Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary).

Yesterday, Priscilla Brooks, Ph.D., director of CLF’s Ocean Conservation program, said, “The proposal by the Stellwagen Bank Sanctuary staff to establish a Sanctuary Ecological Research Area is a bold step forward in the Sanctuary’s stewardship of this national treasure. This incredibly rich ecosystem and the close location of the Sanctuary to New England’s world-renowned marine science research institutions and ports makes Stellwagen Bank Sanctuary an excellent choice for a dedicated research area where scientists can study and learn more about New England’s greatest natural resource – our ocean.

Given the public release of this proposal and the support of Sanctuary Advisory Council, we are baffled that NOAA would then decide not to move the proposal forward to the New England Fishery Management Council for further public and stakeholder consideration and a final decision on the proposal. NOAA’s erratic decision is confusing and disappointing to citizens and scientists who have long supported the Sanctuary’s efforts and indicates an inexplicable willingness by NOAA to put the scientific management and stewardship of Stellwagen Bank Sanctuary on the back burner.

We applaud the very good effort by the staff at the Stellwagen Bank Sanctuary. NOAA now needs to move the proposal forward and submit it for review by the Fishery Management Council.”

To read the full statement, click here.

Catch up with the latest news from TalkingFish.org, a blog brought to you by CLF and other organizations and individuals who want to see a sustainable fishing industry in New England and abundant fish populations for generations to come. TalkingFish.org aims to increase people’s understanding of the scientific, financial and social aspects at work in New England’s fisheries. Here’s what went on this week:

• September 7: “What happens to river herring in 2012?” – Populations of river herring are in serious decline across the Atlantic coast; some states have seen their populations drop by 99 percent or more.  Next year, the Atlantic States Marine Fishery Commission (ASMFC), the body that manages river herring fishing within state waters, is requiring states to declare a moratorium on fishing for river herring. Talking Fish discusses the importance of this action and what it means for fishing in state waters.
• September 8: “Fish Talk in the News – Thursday, September 8″ – A weekly update of recent news stories that might interest TalkingFish.org readers.

Catch up with the latest news from TalkingFish.org, a blog brought to you by CLF and other organizations and individuals who want to see a sustainable fishing industry in New England and abundant fish populations for generations to come. TalkingFish.org aims to increase people’s understanding of the scientific, financial and social aspects at work in New England’s fisheries. Here’s what went on this week:

• August 31: “Fish Talk in the News – Wednesday, August 31″ – A weekly update of recent news stories that might interest TalkingFish.org readers.
• September 1: Overfishing 101: New England’s First Year of Fishing Under Sectors” – In the latest post in his Overfishing 101 series, Pew Environment Group’s Lee Crockett writes about the positive nature of the preliminary data from the New England groundfish fishery’s first year under sectors. He also discusses the importance of adding measures to the system that will make it even more successful and continue to provide opportunities for New England’s traditional small-scale fishermen to prosper.

Catch up with the latest news on Talking Fish, a blog brought to you by CLF and other organizations and individuals who want to see a sustainable fishing industry in New England and abundant fish populations for generations to come. Talking Fish aims to increase people’s understanding of the scientific, financial and social aspects at work in New England’s fisheries. Here’s what went on this week:

• August 23: “Breaking a System That Isn’t Broken?” – Ken Stump, Policy Director of the Marine Fish Conservation Network, writes about how those who demonize the New England fishery management system and call for it to be dismantled have ignored the significant progress the system has made towards ending overfishing and rebuilding fish stocks in the region.
• August 24: “Fishermen and Conservationists Forced to Federal Courts for River Herring Help” – Earthjustice attorney Roger Fleming updates readers on three federal lawsuits currently underway to force government officials to sustainably manage river herring.
• August 25: “Fish Talk in the News – Thursday, August 25″ – A weekly update of recent news stories that might interest Talking Fish readers.

Catch up with the latest news on Talking Fish, a blog brought to you by CLF and other organizations and individuals who want to see a sustainable fishing industry in New England and abundant fish populations for generations to come. Talking Fish aims to increase people’s understanding of the scientific, financial and social aspects at work in New England’s fisheries. Here’s what went on this week:

• August 16: “Consumer education is the key to better prices for New England fish” – Glen Libby, Maine fisherman, writes about educating consumers about the importance of buying fish that are caught locally and are sold at prices that allow fishermen to make a profit and continue to fish sustainably and responsibly.
• August 18: “Overfishing 101: Why rebuilding fish populations benefits everyone” – In the latest post in his “Overfishing 101″ series, Lee Crockett of the Pew Environment Group writes about how rebuilding fish populations provides long-term benefits for commercial fishermen, coastal communities, ecosystems, consumers, and recreational fishermen.
• August 18: “Fish Talk in the News – Thursday, August 18″ – A weekly update of recent news stories that might interest Talking Fish readers.

Catch the latest news from Talking Fish, the blog brought to you by CLF and others that is focused on the scientific, financial and social aspects at work in New England’s fisheries.

August 11: “New research on the Atlantic wolffish, a depleted species that needs our help,” by Talking Fish

August 10: “Growing concern for the status of river herring,” by Roger Fleming

August 9: “Fish Talk in the News – Tuesday, August 9,” by Talking Fish

With the record setting temperatures this past July, thousands of New Englanders decided to make their escape to the beach. Unfortunately, these relief-seekers were met with an unpleasant surprise: many found that their favorite spot was closed due to high pollution levels.

A place to escape is one of the numerous ways that New England’s ocean improves our quality of life: From fresh local seafood to over $60 billion a year of economic benefit in fishing and tourism to the promise of clean energy from offshore wind, our oceans provide us with ample bounty. However, this summer’s pollution problems are a stark reminder that we can’t take a healthy ocean for granted.

Today, we’re asking you to stand up for our oceans by standing up for the National Ocean Policy.

Thousands of miles away from New England, a freshman congressman from Texas is mounting a sneak attack on our ocean’s health. This congressman is threatening to cut funding for the National Ocean Policy – a policy designed to clean up our beaches and coastal waters, protect habitat for marine life, restore our fisheries and fishing industry, and promote responsible development of clean, renewable ocean energy.

Click here to urge your Representative in Congress to stop this sneak attack on our ocean.

Thankfully, Congress adjourned for the summer, but a vote could take place as soon as they return! So make sure your concerns are at the top of their list. Urge your reps to stand up for clean, healthy oceans and thriving coastal communities by supporting the National Ocean Policy today!

This is the fifth and last post in our Shark Week Series. Happy Shark Week, everyone!

Many rational people are very afraid of sharks. We can tell ourselves that the odds of attack are extremely low, especially in New England, but the primal image of the gaping maw and jagged teeth is hard to drive away with logic. As David Ropeik points out in his thought-provoking book, How Risky Is It, Really?, a risk feels bigger if you think it can happen to you, regardless of the odds. Sharks attacks are easy to imagine. However, if you look at the numbers, you should be way more worried about the drive to the beach, or lightning. The odds of death by shark each year in the U.S. are 1 in 3,748,067. You are way more likely to die from a dog attack. Here are some other things that are deadlier than a shark:

• Car accident – you have a 1 in 84 chance of dying in a car crash each year
• Death by sun/heat exposure – 1 in 13,729 per year
• Death by fireworks – 1 in 340,733 per year

I do worry about sharks. Almost anyone who spends time in the ocean thinks about them. But I worry a lot more about getting sick from polluted water.

Potentially harmful bacterial pollution enters our coastal environment in partially or untreated wastewater and stormwater, in septic and cesspool waste, and from animal waste on or near beaches. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, illnesses caused by recreational use of contaminated water are on the increase. For the fifth year in a row, beach closure or advisory days in 2010 topped 24,000 nationally, the majority which are due to bacterial contamination. Swimming in pathogen-contaminated water can result in respiratory infections, pink eye, stomach flu and many other health problems.

Many popular beaches have water-testing programs to help keep swimmers safe, but the testing is generally not daily, and the results are not “real time.” It’s a good idea to avoid the water during or after a storm, when bacteria levels are likely to be higher, since some of our stormwater is untreated. Worse still, many towns and cities in New England have antiquated Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) systems that are designed to release untreated sewage and stormwater into our rivers and oceans during storms. Some beaches close down as a result of storms, without even being tested, if it is known that CSOs will be flowing into the water. Fortunately, some CSOs are being upgraded and eliminated. But for now, there is still a very real risk of illness from swimming in contaminated water.

There is risk in everything we do. I’m willing to risk an encounter with one of the “Men in Gray Suits” if it means I get to keep surfing. But I’m going to be very careful about swimming in polluted water.

My point is not that we should be too afraid to enjoy our amazing beaches and ocean life. But, that we should work to protect them. Join CLF in advocating for our National Ocean Policy, in protecting the Clean Water Act, and in ensuring we leave a legacy of protecting these special places.