Long Island Sound, NY

Long Island Sound (colloquially referred to as the Sound) is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean and numerous rivers located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded to the north by Westchester County, New York and the Bronx, and connects to the East River. On its eastern end it opens to Block Island Sound.

The Sound is inhabited by both marine fish and anadromous fish (oceanic or estuarine species that spawn in freshwater streams and rivers, see fish migration).

Marine fish in the Sound include Scup, Porgies, Butterfish, Winter Flounder, Blackfish, Bluefish, and Sand Sharks. Anadromous fishes include Striped Bass, Atlantic Salmon, and Shad, all of which radiate a wide spectrum of colors to the reflective, murky water.

Long Island Sound has historically had rich recreational and commercial fishing, including oysters, lobsters, scallops, blue crabs, flounder, striped bass, and bluefish. However, in recent years the western part of the sound has become increasingly deficient of marine life. The fishing and lobster industries have encouraged efforts to identify the cause of the dead water and rectify the problem.

Lobsters the color of copper rust have suffered diseases of unknown cause, but recreational fishing improved dramatically in the last 10 years due, in large part, to restoring a key component in the food chain, Menhaden (a.k.a. "Bunker") fish which are a mainstay of Striped Bass and other pelagic fish. The ban of netting of bunker - which were over-fished in the late 90's - has significantly improved the quality and volume of the Striped Bass population in Long Island Sound.