New York Coastlines — February 2026 • Volume 54, No. 1

NY Coastlines—New York Sea Grant (NYSG)'s flagship publication—and its news archive, Currents, highlight news, events and other activities from our coastal program's various research, extension and education endeavors throughout New York's marine and Great Lakes waters.


Lake Ontario, winter 2023. Credit: Roy Widrig/NYSG

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Letter from the Director

Hello, New York Sea Grant (NYSG) friends! 

As the snowy days of winter wonderland start to ebb, and we flow towards the Ides of March and warmer days ahead we are excited to share with you NY Coastlines' annual edition of program highlights from the past year. In it you will find stories about NYSG partnerships, community-engagement, educational initiatives, and applied science, all driving impactful programming of benefit to those that live, work, and play in and along New York’s coastal waterways. 

This time of year also marks the kickoff of the annual Federal budget season. Before we turn to this year’s process, we are thrilled to let you know the fantastic news that last month Sea Grant was included for full level funding in the Federal Fiscal Year 2026 Commerce, Science, and Justice appropriations bill with strong bipartisan support in both the House and Senate. This result is in no small measure due to the amazing support you gave to Sea Grant.  It also means that NYSG is able to continue the great work we do to support New York’s coastal communities and economies, exemplified in the highlights that follow.

NYSG can’t thank you enough for the longstanding partnership and support you provide. As we embark on the Federal Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) we once again are asking that you please lend your voice and let your congressional representatives know what NYSG means to you, and ask them to please support Sea Grant with robust funding for FY27. For guidance on how to do so, please visit: www.nyseagrant.org/supportnyseagrant2027. 

As always, we thank you deeply for your partnership, your engagement, and your support. NYSG could not do the impactful work we do without you. Without further ado, please read on and enjoy!

Warm wishes,

Becky

Miradyn Feist spent last summer getting hands-on experience in workforce development and learning about Long Island’s oyster industry. Credit: Sumayyah Uddin/NYSG

In the Spotlight

Feature

Sea Grant: A Smart Investment in Our Coastal Economy

NYSG has managed a portfolio of $222.4M for research and extension since 1971; supports approximately $17M in funding for 2025-26; and has leveraged 5.5x of its core NOAA award.

Learn more about "What is New York Sea Grant" at www.nyseagrant.org/whatisnysg.


Participants use VR headsets to escape a virtual rip current during a July 2025 event at the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead, NY.? Credit: Jase E. Bernhardt

NYSG's 2025 highlights ...

Sea Grant in NY’s Coastal Communities

NYSG offers its  annual review of impactful NYSG coastal programming (extension and education) and funded research. Included are over 30 summaries of select work conducted by our program's extension specialists and supported investigators. These projects develop and provide stakeholder-driven, science-based information, tools, and other resources to support local communities, businesses, and individuals in achieving objectives related to coastal community, environment, and economic resilience and sustainability.

You can also access this information via an interactive Story Map at www.nyseagrant.org/highlights2025 or in a web-friendly format. 

 
NYSG's Seafood and Safety Guidance resource informs producers in the emerging seaweed industry. Cover art: Georg Pedersen 

Seaweed Food Safety National Guidance More info →
To support the growth of emerging seaweed businesses across the U.S., it is essential that producers and processors understand how to identify and control key food safety hazards. 


Summer stewards assist with native species plantings for a living shoreline in Western NY. Credit: Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper

Great Lakes Small Grants More info →
Local partners, residents, and youth are addressing priority environmental issues across the Great Lakes region of New York. 


Shorefront Park living shoreline, Patchogue, NY. Credit: Kathleen M. Fallon/NYSG

NY’s Natural/Nature-Based Features More info →
New York Sea Grant proposes ways to advance the use of natural and nature-based features to build resilient shoreline practices across New York State.


NYSG Currents

Save the Date

Read about upcoming events throughout the NY Sea Grant network ...

• 2026 Seafood HACCP Trainings: 2/10 (Division of Marine Resources, Kings Park, NY); 4/28 (Virtual); 8/11 (Stony Brook Innovation and Discovery Center, Stony Brook, NY); 12/8 (Virtual). Registration required. More info → 
 
• Oyster Shucking Workshop: Join NYSG at North Fork Brewery in Riverhead (2/27), where a NY oyster farmer will show you how to shuck your own oysters. More info →

• NYSG's 2026 Community Engaged (CEI) Fellowship Program: Applications are being accepted for three summer opportunities through 3/10: (1) Bronx Natural and Nature-Based Features Monitoring (Location: The Bronx/NYC); (2) East End Waterways Ambassador (Location: Stony Brook University, LI); Great Lakes Community Case Studies & Digital Outreach (Location: University at Buffalo) More info →

• Long Island Funding Workshop: Deadline is 3/11 to register for this 3rd Annual event, scheduled for 3/18 at Hyatt Regency Long Island in Hauppauge, NY. The Long Island Sound Partnership and NYSG Sustainable and Resilient Communities team welcomes municipal officials and staff, nonprofits, community organizations, and other interested parties to engage in discussions with funders to explore project ideas and ways to improve funding applications. Attendees will also hear from a panel of successful awardees about their experiences and strategies. More info →

• Long Island Sound Partnership Research Program: Deadline is 3/19 to submit proposals for the latest cycle of projects, which are slated to run from January 1, 2027, to December 31, 2028. More info →

• NY’s Great Lakes Basin Small Grants Program: Deadline is 3/27 to submit proposals for the latest cycle of projects, which are slated to run from July 1, 2026 – December 31, 2027. More info →

• Seafood Summit: Register for downstate (3/27), mid-state (4/8), and upstate (4/9) events. More info →

• Office Hours Series: NYSG's 2026 seafood and aquaculture-focused webinars continues, with the next virtual event scheduled for 4/2. More info →

• Aquatic Foods Conference: Registration will open in the New Year for this NYSG-hosted conference (5/19-20) in Long Beach, NY. More info →

• 2026 Long Island Sound Research Conference: 6/4-5 in Mystic, CT. Abstract submissions open 2/16 with a 4/3 deadline. Registration, agenda, and further information to be announced. More info →

What's Trending

• 2026 Knauss Finalists More info →
Three NYSG finalists will join their peers this spring to work in either executive branch agencies or Congressional offices, advancing federal initiatives in coastal and marine science and policy issues.

• 2025 Knauss Fellows More info →
NYSG catches up with its 2025 fellows who have just completed their year-long John A. Knauss Fellowship experience.

• Sustainable Dune Management More info →
NYSG applied technical expertise and meaningful community engagement to advance shoreline resilience in a Lake Ontario community

• Navigating Marine Aquaculture Permitting: Workshop and Guide More info →
NYSG helps participants with the process of acquiring marine aquaculture permits and learning how to submit a well-developed application.

• Enhancing Land Use Decision-Making With AdaptTable More info →
NYSG has created a hands-on learning experience that helps local leaders and stakeholders to better communicate with one another, build consensus, and solve complex problems through land-use decisions.

• NYSG Bay Scallop Mortality Research Sustains New York Fishery More info →
NYSG co-funded research is used to identify drivers that cause bay scallop mass die-off and to provide a solution to build long-term resiliency in the fishery.


Program Highlights

Note: Read more NYSG research, extension, and education highlights via NYSG’s news archive→ 

Research


SUNY ESF graduate student Ben Spitz holds an adult northern pike captured in annual netting surveys by the Thousand Islands Biological Station in NY. Credit: Emily Arsenault

Since 1971, NYSG has been supporting university-based research related to a variety of marine, Hudson estuary, and Great Lakes topics and issues. 

Ongoing Research Projects More info →

Completed Research Projects More info →

 

Extension


Participants in the 2025 Community Flood Forum shared their experiences and ideas in small groups. Credit: Paola Garcia

Flood Readiness Training for Local Officials More info →

NYC Community Flood Forum More info →

Building Resilience in Long Island Sound Communities More info →

Education
  

NYSG engaged local and visiting boaters about boating safety and equipment at Paddles Up Niagara in summer 2025. Credit: Megan Cochran/NYSG

NYSG Expands Safe Boating Outreach More info →

Celebrating 40 Years of Long Island Sound Partnership More info →

Building Awareness of Microplastic Pollution from Textiles More info →


Vol. 14, No. 1

Keep tabs on NYSG's news in between issues of NY Coastlines / Currents via our Web site (www.nyseagrant.org).

The items below represent a sampling of other stories that have made waves recently in the media, on our social media platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn, X, BlueSky, Instagram, YouTube) and via our site's News (www.nyseagrant.org/currents) and topic-based News Archives (www.nyseagrant.org/currentsarchive) sections ...
 
NYSG Research > Statewide

Coming Soon

 NYSG Extension and Education > Marine Waters

Coming Soon

NYSG Extension and Education > Great Lakes Waters

Coming Soon

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Sea Grant is a national network of 34 university-based programs whose research, extension and outreach programs promote better understanding, conservation and use of America's coastal resources. New York Sea Grant (NYSG) has been "Bringing Science to the Shore" since 1971 as a joint program of the State University of New York (SUNY) and Cornell University.

New York Coastlines is a product of NYSG project C/PC-15 funded under award NA24OARX417C0158-T1-01 granted to the Research Foundation for SUNY on behalf of NYSG from the National Sea Grant College Program of the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.