Northeast Coastal Areas Study
Significant Coastal Habitats
Site 17 (NY)
I. SITE NAME: South Oyster Bay
II. LOCATION: Located between the Jones Beach section of the barrier island chain along the Atlantic Ocean and the south shore of Long Island, between Seaford and Nassau Shores.
TOWNS: Oyster Bay, Hempstead
COUNTY: Nassau
STATE: New York
USGS 7.5 MIN QUADS: West Gilgo Beach, NY
40073-54; Jones Inlet, NY 40073-55; Amityville, NY 40073-64;
Freeport, NY 40073-65
USGS 30x60 MIN QUAD: Long Island, West 40073-E1
III. GENERAL BOUNDARY: The entire 7,700 acre (3,119 ha) aquatic environment of South Oyster Bay constitutes this complex, the boundary of which is delineated on the accompanying map. The western boundary of South Oyster Bay is the Wantagh State Parkway, the eastern boundary is the Gilgo Cut Boat Channel and the southern boundary is a portion of the barrier island which includes Jones Beach State Park. Included within the boundary are specific saltmarsh, tidal flats and dredge spoil islands of significance to fish and wildlife species. These include Goose Island, the Line Islands, Black Banks Island and the 550 acre (223 ha) John F. Kennedy Bird Sanctuary and associated saltmarshes.
IV. OWNERSHIP/PROTECTED STATUS: The north shore of South Oyster Bay is primarily in private ownership with the shoreline intensely developed to private residences, marinas and marine-related industries. Within the bay, the extensive and undeveloped tidal wetlands (including saltmarsh and dredge spoil islands), and sand and mud flats are owned by the Towns of Oyster Bay and Hempstead. The bay and its wetlands are managed as a recreational fishery and wildlife conservation area by the Towns' respective Conservation and/or Environmental agencies. New York State owns a narrow right-of-way along Wantagh State Parkway and manages Jones Beach State Park as a recreational area.
V. GENERAL HABITAT DESCRIPTION: South Oyster Bay is one of the largest undeveloped coastal wetland ecosystems in New York State and in the study region. Approximately half of the bay acreage is in tidal saltmarsh dominated by cordgrasses (Spartina alterniflora and S. patens), and dredge spoil islands where varying amounts of shrubby and woody plants, including marsh elder (Iva frutescens), groundsel-bush (Baccharis halimifolia), black cherry (Prunus serotina), bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) and poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) are beginning to colonize. The remainder of the bay is open water. Extensive intertidal mudflats flank both saltmarsh and spoil islands. Habitat within the essentially undeveloped John F. Kennedy Sanctuary includes a 40 acre (16 ha) brackish pond, large expanses of tidal saltmarsh, high dunes and a coastal woodland dominated by black cherry. Shrubby thickets of black cherry, bayberry and poison ivy have developed on the stabilized dunes and backdune swale areas.
VI. SIGNIFICANCE/UNIQUENESS OF AREA: South Oyster Bay provides outstanding habitat for a diversity of valuable commercial and recreational fishes and supports other wildlife resources of regional and international significance. The rich, shallow bay waters are an essential habitat for yearling striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) which may spend a year or more here before commencing coastal migration. The bay is an important spawning ground for winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) and menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus), as well as forage fish species such as Atlantic silverside (Menidia menidia), bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli) and killifish (Fundulus spp.). Finfish harvested from South Oyster Bay include winter and summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus), weakfish (Cynoscion regalis)(probably spawner), blackfish (Tautoga onitis), snapper, and kingfish (Menticirrhus saxatilis), all species that are estuarine-dependent during at least one stage in their life histories.
South Oyster Bay is an important component of the Atlantic Flyway. The extensive mudflats and sandy areas of the Line Islands are a major staging area for migratory shorebirds, supporting thousands of sandpipers, dowitchers (Limnodromus spp.), sanderlings (Calidris alba), ruddy turnstones (Arenaria interpres), red knots (Calidris canutus), marbled godwits (Limosa fedoa) and plovers enroute to and from northern breeding grounds. The combination of open water and protective marshes provide cover and feeding areas for great numbers of wintering waterfowl and are especially important to American black duck (Anas rubripes), brant (Branta bernicla) and scaup (Aythya spp.). In summer, the Line Islands (including Goose Island and Black Banks Hassock) provide nesting and feeding habitat for a variety of colonial waterbirds including common tern (Sterna hirundo), American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), little blue heron (Egretta caerulea), tricolored heron (Egretta tricolor), black-crowned night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), snowy egret (Egretta thula) and great egret (Casmerodius albus).
The tidal marshes and flats of the John F. Kennedy Bird Sanctuary are also a significant feeding and resting area for migratory shorebirds and wintering waterfowl. Northern diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys t. terrapin) inhabit the marshes and adjacent waters, coming ashore to nest in the Sanctuary's sandy dunes. Several pairs of northern harriers (Circus cyaneus) nest within the Sanctuary's confines. The dense maritime shrublands and woodlands afford nesting, feeding and resting habitat for many species of migratory landbirds including warblers, vireos and thrushes. The large, brackish pond consistently supports one of the highest concentrations of wintering American black duck on Long Island (>4000 in 1989), with lesser numbers of blue- (Anas discors) and green-winged teal (A. crecca), northern shoveler (Anas clypeata), mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and American wigeon (Anas americana). In summer, the pond provides foraging habitat for least tern (Sterna antillarum) and a variety of herons and egrets.
VII. THREATS: Although the bay and its wetlands are already in public ownership, the area is vulnerable to effects from human activity because of proximity to centers of population and development. Fauna and flora would be impacted by water quality degradation caused by both point (e.g. sewage discharge) and non-point (e.g. road runoff) source runoff. Degradation of water quality from these and other sources has already resulted in the closing of most of South Oyster Bay to shellfishing. Elimination or alteration of saltmarsh or intertidal areas would have a major impact on breeding colonial waterbirds, migratory shorebirds and wintering waterfowl, as well as on estuarine-dependent marine species. Intense recreational use of the area subjects wildlife to varying degrees of human disturbance.
VIII. CONSERVATION CONSIDERATIONS: The marine and terrestrial environments of South Oyster Bay are of high regional, and possibly international, significance and should be protected and managed accordingly. There is a need for active habitat management to enhance conditions favorable to breeding bird colonies and to discourage the proliferation of gulls (and other human-associated species), especially on revegetating spoil islands. The impact of sewage and stormwater discharges into the bay on this ecosystem should be further investigated and appropriate action taken.
Both the Line Islands and the John F. Kennedy Bird Sanctuary would benefit from inclusion in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network, an international program working to protect critical shorebird staging habitats along migratory pathways. Designation of South Oyster Bay as part of a National Estuarine Research Reserve or Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention would serve to enhance management oversight and better protect habitats essential to the survival of migratory and breeding fish and other wildlife species.
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