Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County

History

In 2005 Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy singed off on a 2 million dollar grant giving the go ahead for Cornell Cooperative Extension's Marine Program and Long Island University to start the "Peconic Bay Scallop Restoration Project".

The idea was to put together a large spawner sanctuary, so that by sheer numbers and a designated spawn area, the Peconic Bay scallop could make an effective come back to the Peconic Estuary system. Up to this point, Cornell Marine had been growing out scallops and giving mature "ready to spawn" 1st year scallops to local townships to place in areas where scallops had been in great abundance. This method had some success but as the data indicated over the years, it was not enough.

Steve Levy Suffolk County Executive on scallop project from Cornell Marine Program on Vimeo.

The new project team was made up of Suffolk County (funding) and Cornell Cooperative Extension Marine Program to administer the grant and supply the hatchery, expertise and a base of operations in the heart of the estuary. Long Island University would supply more expertise on scientific based research and monitoring of how the scallops are doing.

Chris Smith of Cornell Marine and
Steve Levy Suffolk County Executive decuss the scallop project.

Chris Smith talks on the Scallop program from Cornell Marine Program on Vimeo.	Steve Tettelbach discusses the beginnings of the scallop program. from Cornell Marine Program on Vimeo.
	Steve Levy signs the contract between Cornell Marine and LIU.