Why You Should Care About Eelgrass: Great South Bay Word of The Week

BABYLON, NY — It may not be the grass you mow, but it's a grass we should take care of with as much importance.

Eelgrass, a type of seagrass with long ribbon-like leaves that grows in coastal waters and brackish inlets, is Save the Great South Bay's Word of the Week.

Not to be confused with algae or marsh or grass, eelgrass is a crucial part of aquatic ecosystems, especially in the Great South Bay.

Eelgrass is is home to many marine species, including seahorses, which are now rarely seen in the Great South Bay.

Unfortunately, eelgrass beds have been decimated across the Great South Bay over the past decades due to lack of light caused by harmful algae blooms and warming water temperatures, the non-profit said. This may be because at one point it was so prevalent it was considered a nuisance.

In 1996, the federal government designated eelgrass as Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) and a Habitat of Particular Concern under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The designation as EFH requires federal agencies to consult with NOAA Fisheries on ways to avoid or minimize the adverse effects of their actions on eelgrass. The consultation process does not apply to state or private projects.

On Long Island, harmful algal blooms, such as Brown or Red Tide, cover the surface of the Bay, cutting off essential light to this ecosystem powerhouse.

Local marine scientists are looking closely at the effect of quickly rising temperatures in the Bay on our remaining eelgrass beds.

So how can you help protect this essential part of the Great South Bay?

According to Washington State University, boaters can preserve eelgrass by:

1. Slowing down or stopping when cruising over eelgrass. Propellers can cut eelgrass and boat wakes can disturb the sediment that protects the root system.
2. Avoiding anchoring over eelgrass beds. Anchors hold poorly in eelgrass, tear out eelgrass when pulled up, and the chain acts like a slow moving weed trimmer as the boat rotates around the anchor below.
3. Avoiding dropping crab pots into eelgrass beds. Eelgrass will wrap around your crab pot rope and trap, tearing out eelgrass as you retrieve the trap and make a mess on the deck of your boat.
4. Installing mooring buoys correctly. Rotating mooring chains scour eelgrass habitat. DNR must approve mooring buoys and other agencies may also require authorization.

Save the Great South Bay is a non-profit organization dedicated to the revitalization of Long Island's Great South Bay.

In an effort to educate readers about the Bay, Patch has partnered with Save the Great South Bay to create a "Word of The Week Wednesday" series. Each week, Patch will share a "Great South Bay" word, to hopefully create discussions amongst readers, and to provide a larger understanding of our environment.

To learn more about eelgrass's role in the Great South Bay, click here.