Conservation Action Plan.pdf

2023-2028 Conservation Action Plan for Long Island Sound

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

The Challenge

Our Vision

Our Plan

Our Geographic Scope

Ways of Working

FOCUS 1 8

Coastal and Benthic Habitats

FOCUS 2 10

Resident and Transient Species

FOCUS 4 14

Inspiring Stewardship and Community Action

FOCUS 5 16

Collection Connections

FOCUS 6 18

Operational Sustainability

The Maritime Aquarium’s Unique Position

Measures of Success

Acknowledgements

The Maritime Aquarium inspires people of all ages to appreciate and protect the

Long Island Sound ecosystem and the global environment through living exhibits, marine science and environmental education.

FOCUS 3 12

Novel Species Introduction

For 35 years, The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk has provided our community with meaningful opportunities to learn about the ocean and the role of people in shaping the natural world. Throughout our history, we have celebrated our region’s rich maritime heritage, shared the diversity of marine life with thousands of students, and given our visitors the opportunity to interact with over 7,000 animals.

With the release of this Conservation Action Plan for Long Island Sound, we are introducing an array of conservation activities to better protect the wildlife and natural habitats of the Sound. Increasing rates of sea-level rise, rising temperatures, and increasing storm severity present risks of such magnitude and urgency that climate change will form the foundation of The Maritime Aquarium’s conservation science and policy strategy going forward. Over the next five years, we will leverage our decades of scientific and field experience, as well as private and public partnerships, to improve the health of the Sound.

Our goal is to ensure that these local waters are protected for future generations.

We look forward to working with our dedicated network of fellow conservation organizations, volunteers, supporters, and resource managers to protect this special place at this critical time. We hope you will join us as we embark on this journey. We are eager to get to work!

Sincerely, Sarah C. Crosby, PhD Jason M. Patlis Director, Conservation and Policy President and CEO The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk

The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk’s Conservation Action Plan for Long Island Sound outlines our approach for the next 5 years (2023-2028). Centering the overarching threat of climate change as the greatest modern threat to the Sound, our work will span six focus areas to:

FOCUS 1: Restore coastal and benthic habitats.

FOCUS 2: Protect resident and transient species.

FOCUS 3: Mitigate the negative effects of species invasions and range expansions.

FOCUS 4: Inspiring Stewardship and Community Action.

FOCUS 5: Make connections between the Aquarium’s resident animals and those in the wild.

FOCUS 6: Adopt operational sustainability.

Our path forward will foster an internal culture and structure to support and integrate conservation goals throughout the institution. We will be collaborative, inclusive, and accountable partners in this work, and we will communicate effectively across multiple audiences.

We will prioritize future opportunities by evaluating their alignment with our focus areas, geography, and the potential for positive impact on the Sound, engaging with projects and opportunities that meet the word and intent of this plan.

Our progress will be measured annually against metrics within each focus area to ensure accountability, change course when called for, and celebrate successes. Through this plan, we will seek to broaden and deepen the reach of the Aquarium’s conservation impact for the benefit of the Sound and our community.

Executive Summary

The Challenge Long Island Sound is a highly urbanized estuary with a long history of impact by people. There are many local stressors on the health of the Long Island Sound ecosystem—from water pollution, to shoreline hardening and habitat loss, to loss of upland connectivity from dams. Each is being addressed through conservation and management with varying degrees of success.

While these stressors have already had considerable negative impacts on the Sound’s species and habitats, many of these stressors are further exacerbated by climate change. Beyond the magnification of existing threats, climate change itself will alter the conditions experienced by the Sound’s biota in profound ways, changing air and water temperatures, the pH of the water, and the frequency and severity of storms. Both the direct and indirect effects of climate change present an existential threat of such urgency that climate-related threats and impacts are at the heart of our strategy.

Without addressing the impacts of climate change in existing conservation efforts, and the root causes of climate change directly, the Long Island Sound ecosystem will be fundamentally changed and potentially irreparably harmed. With atmospheric CO2 continuing to rise more rapidly and global temperatures repeatedly reaching the warmest ever on record, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has sounded the alarm: widespread and rapid changes are occurring worldwide and coastal communities are disproportionately affected.

We Must Rise to This Challenge The Maritime Aquarium is uniquely positioned to advocate and act on behalf of the Sound’s species and habitats. In addressing the short-term and long-term threats facing species and natural habitats within the Long Island Sound ecosystem, The Maritime Aquarium will prioritize those actions that address the threat of climate change on the ecosystem.

We will work in partnership with our donors and grant-makers to seek investments to succeed in the work outlined in this plan. See pages 20-21 to read more on the Aquarium’s position to lead.

Our Conservation Vision The Maritime Aquarium envisions a resilient Long Island Sound ecosystem where its species and habitats are protected, restored, and prioritized as invaluable parts of our ‘urban sea.’ The Aquarium’s staff, volunteers, investors, and the community will work in partnership to achieve this vision.

We aim for conservation to be a central component of the Aquarium’s ethos, activities, goals, and motivation. It is incorporated into our education programs, the priorities of our animal husbandry team, and our interpretation and exhibits. It is a key driver in our operations, as we seek to lead by example in reducing our carbon footprint and using resources efficiently. It is a core part of who we are as an organization.

Our Plan Through this plan, we seek to chart a course for our institution to grow the scope and integration of conservation across our institution over the next 5 years. We will seek to center climate change as the overarching threat to the ecosystem health of the Sound that drives our priorities. Specifically, we will use this plan to:

• Guide how we expand our conservation elements of our exhibit offerings, educational programs, and field research, aligning each to a shared focus of conservation in the face of climate change.

• Grow our presence as a leader in conservation policy and environmental advocacy in Connecticut and nationally.

• Expand our conservation research project portfolio to ensure that natural resource protection and advocacy efforts are backed by current and sound science.

• Maximize public awareness and engagement to advance local conservation issues.

• Educate and inspire our community to take action to protect the Long Island Sound ecosystem.

1 An ecosystem is a collection of interacting organisms and their environment in a given place.

2 The watershed is the area of land where precipitation that falls there ultimately drains into a body of water.

Our Geographic Scope The geographic scope for our field conservation work is the Long Island Sound ecosystem1 and, when appropriate, its watershed.2 We will consider activities outside of this geographic area on a case-by-case basis, where our research and practices have application to national and international environmental concerns and ecosystem management. However, all activities must have a specific link to improving the ecosystem health of the Sound. Our work in policy and environmental advocacy may range from local to national to international when appropriate, depending on the scale needed for a given issue.

Ways of Working

Inspiring and amplifying the voices of the local community are critical in the fight against climate change. We know that the negative impacts of climate change will not be evenly distributed across all people, locally or globally, and environmental harms have been disproportionately borne by people and communities of color. It is essential for conservation efforts to build climate resiliency in ways that advance environmental justice and equity for our most disenfranchised communities. To achieve this, we must focus on outreach and education to inspire the next generation and engage with members of the local community to work together to protect the species and habitats in their own neighborhoods.

We will also foster a culture and structure within the Aquarium to support and integrate conservation by:

• Growing capacity in Conservation and Policy department.

• Encouraging participation in research and conservation across all teams.

• Cross-training field staff in animal husbandry and behavior to increase collaborative potential.

• Maintaining an active and engaged Board of Trustees.

• Seeking investment in our focus areas through grants and donations.

• Communicating our strategy to multiple audiences, including policymakers and Aquarium guests, members, investors, and students.

Our Geographic Scope

FOCUS 1:

Coastal and Benthic Habitats

As declared by the U.S. Congress to be an “Estuary of National Significance,” Long Island Sound is one of the most critical estuaries in the nation providing valuable habitat in addition to its recreational and commercial uses. The Sound provides habitat for more than 170 species of finfish, birds, and other animals. Climate change, including sea-level-rise and increasing temperatures, is jeopardizing our local natural ecosystems and requires direct and immediate action. The threats presented by climate change exasperate other local impacts such as pollution, eutrophication, and direct physical damage to these habitats by people. Coastal and benthic3 habitats (e.g., salt marshes, seagrass beds, soft-sediment communities, and rocky shores) are particularly threatened, and they serve ecological roles of disproportionate importance relative to their size.

3 A “benthic” habitat is one at the bottom of a body of water.

Restore the Sound’s coastal and benthic habitats for a resilient future amidst climate change.

We will:

• Conduct ecological field research to understand and quantify the response of coastal and benthic habitats to climate change and other human impacts.

• Lead and partner with others in monitoring and restoration efforts in these habitats in Long Island Sound.

• Support adaptive management of these habitats for a resilient future through data analysis, synthesis, and sharing.

• Promote the prioritization of these habitats in regional management.

Resident and Transient Species

FOCUS 2:

Protect the Sound’s resident and transient species, especially those that are endangered or at particular risk of local extinction.

Many of Long Island Sound’s resident and transient species are currently labeled as threatened or endangered or face numerous challenges, such as loss of available habitat, reduction in quality of existing habitat, declines in food sources, and overharvesting. Most of these problems are anthropogenic and partly climate-driven. Protecting these threatened species is paramount to preserving our local biodiversity as well as the ecosystems beyond the Sound that connect many of these species through migration and life history dynamics.

We will:

• Support the health of local animal populations by protecting and restoring their habitats (see Focus 1).

• Lead and support monitoring, rescue, and rehabilitation efforts for local species.

• Support adaptive management of at-risk species through data collection, analysis, synthesis, and sharing.

• Promote the prioritization of at-risk species in regional management.

Novel Species Introduction

FOCUS 3:

Invasive species from human-mediated introductions (e.g., ballast water, pet trade, and food) have significant impacts on ecosystems. With climate change, we expect the ecological balance of the Sound will be further upset by climate-mediated range shifts. Invasive species in Long Island Sound, which include sea squirts, algae, and crabs, compete with native species for food and habitat. Invasions accelerate the loss of climate-stressed native populations, which play key roles in their respective food webs and provide critical ecosystem services. We must work to reduce human-mediated species invasions in the Sound and develop more robust monitoring networks to mitigate the effects of these invasions. The multitude of direct and indirect ways that humans drive the establishment of harmful invasive species makes it imperative that we work to understand and stop introductions when possible.

Reduce the rate of human-induced species invasions and mitigate the negative effects of species invasions and climate-driven range expansions on the Sound’s native populations.

We will:

• Conduct field research on the impact of species introductions in the Sound.

• Use existing long-term datasets to analyze trends in native and non-native species, and formulate research questions on potential drivers and mitigation opportunities.

• Support management of non-native species through data collection, analysis, synthesis, and sharing.

• Support policies that will protect native species from the consequences of species invasions and climate-driven range expansions.

We must work to reduce human-mediated species invasions in the Sound and develop more robust monitoring networks to mitigate the effects of these invasions.

4 From The Maritime Aquarium Interpretive Plan, 2022. Please see this document for additional information on the integration of conservation into institutional interpretation (e.g., exhibits, education).

FOCUS 4:

Inspiring Stewardship and Community Action

Educate and inspire the public to become strong stewards of the ocean, including the Sound, through community science, educational programs, interpretation and experiences within our facilities, public outreach, and advocacy relating to public policies and personal choices.

Engaging the public through community science initiatives, hands-on learning, and volunteer opportunities is essential to developing vibrant, resilient communities.

We will:

• Seek to connect our audience with opportunities to use their voice to advocate for local, state, and national legislation that will protect the Sound ecosystem, recognizing and centering environmental justice and vulnerable communities in our approach.

• Inspire our visitors to leave the Aquarium as better stewards than when they arrived in order to make informed choices and take individual action to protect the environment.

• Provide opportunities for the public to directly assist with research projects being conducted in their local communities.

• Develop education programs and exhibit content aligned with our goals, values, and current research, thereby increasing climate and environmental literacy among our audience of over 450,000 visitors and 50,000 students annually.

• Draw our audiences into our mission by creating appreciation and empathy for Long Island Sound and the global ocean, and by inspiring participation in stewardship.4

• Conduct educational presentations at schools and other institutions, providing engaging and interactive lessons to students, with a focus on serving populations historically excluded or underrepresented in science and conservation.

• Offer paid internships that provide professional experience working in conservation.

• Utilize marketing and outreach to create awareness and ultimately promote action to be taken, incorporating visualization of data from our conservation projects where relevant to engage the public.

• Partner with environmental justice leaders to bolster local on-the-ground efforts to protect vulnerable communities and provide equitable access to the Sound and its natural habitats.

4 From The Maritime Aquarium Interpretive Plan, 2022. Please see this document for additional information on the integration of conservation into institutional interpretation (e.g., exhibits, education).

Collection Connections

FOCUS 5:

Our animal collections are central to our educational and engagement efforts. When exhibits and galleries have clearly defined connections to the wild animals and ecosystems that they represent, powerful educational opportunities can be realized.

Lasting impact from experiences provided by zoos and aquariums are critical to fostering an environmentally conscious public. To maximize this impact, a holistic approach to gallery design and signage is needed, one that encompasses our educational programs and active conservation efforts.

We will:

• Develop exhibits with a central theme of conserving and saving species in the wild that have clear and engaging signage and information for guests that places each gallery within the context of the natural ecosystems that they represent.

• Align our animal exhibits, educational programs, and ongoing research efforts through common theming and messaging focused on climate change and other human impacts.

• Integrate our field conservation work into relevant aquarium exhibits to maximize public visibility and to encourage community involvement.

• Prioritize the animals in our collection when evaluating field research opportunities and, conversely, consider opportunities to incorporate the animals studied in our field research in our collection planning where appropriate.

• Actively support the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Saving Animals from Extinction (SAFE) initiatives for species in our collection.

• Conduct research—both opportunistic (e.g., veterinary case reports, physiological reference values for understudied species) and planned (e.g., ethological studies on animal behavior, growth and longevity studies on understudied species, management of geriatric species)—on our animal collection to advance the science of animal husbandry and veterinary care.

Make connections between our animals and the wild by supporting conservation of the Long Island Sound species that call the Aquarium home.

Operational Sustainability

FOCUS 6:

Adopt operational practices that focus on sustainability and reduce our carbon footprint, waste, and other environmental impacts.

The operation of an aquarium requires a substantial amount of electricity to maintain the life support systems of its exhibits 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. Our power use, in addition to the waste generation that comes with being open to the public, contributes to the size of our carbon footprint. Our goal is to minimize our waste generation and maximize our use of renewable sources of power, showcasing the environmental goals for which we advocate.

We will:

• Uphold our pledge to reach carbon neutrality through the Aquarium Conservation Partnership’s Climate Commitment by 2035.

• Actively seek ways to further reduce our reliance on single-use plastics in the building and replace plastic products with biodegradable alternatives.

• Increase sustainability in our café by working with our vendor to offer menu items that have lower environmental impacts along the path from the farm or sea to table.

• Seek operational changes across all departments that will reduce waste and energy use.

5 Falk, J.H.; Reinhard, E.M.; Vernon, C.L.; Bronnenkant, K.; Deans, N.L.; Heimlich, J.E., (2007). Why Zoos & Aquariums Matter: Assessing the Impact of a Visit. Association of Zoos & Aquariums. Silver Spring, MD.

Broadly, zoos and aquariums are highly trusted sources for scientific information and impactful in relaying conservation messages to visitors5, and as a result, we have both the opportunity and responsibility to engage our audiences actively and effectively in the themes defined in this plan to promote environmental literacy. Our unique combination of in-house expertise on the species, habitats, and ecology of Long Island Sound, engagement with regional managers, and strong local and regional partnerships makes us well positioned to conduct this work and make a demonstrable impact. As the only Aquarium focused on Long Island Sound, and physically located right on the banks of Norwalk Harbor, the activities described in this plan are a perfect fit for our institutional resources and expertise.

At The Maritime Aquarium, the Sound’s species form the core of our animal collection and exhibits.

Protecting these and other species in the wild, and inspiring the public to understand and value these animals, is why we exist. Through collaboration with our exhibits, education, animal husbandry, operations, and conservation teams, we are constantly improving and expanding our exhibit offerings. With 75 live exhibits and over 7,000 animals housed within our walls, we provide numerous opportunities for guest engagement and education. We offer world-class educational opportunities both in and out of the aquarium, in-person and virtual, and on and off the water, to students ranging from early preschool to college and to guests of all ages. We have the opportunity to raise awareness and share relevant opportunities for public action with our annual audiences of 450,000 visitors and 50,000 students.

We leverage our marketing and communications reach to inform the public about our programs, exhibits, conservation efforts, and relevant scientific topics to promote awareness and environmental literacy.

Having expertise in scientific research, animal care, and education across our team will enable us to bridge multiple disciplines based on the needs of particular conservation issues in a way that other organizations might not. Our public reach enables us to turn our guests and our volunteers into community scientists who can assist by directly participating in conservation work. Our proximity to the Sound right outside our door, as well as the availability of our two research vessels for projects within and outside of our local harbor, enables us to readily explore the Sound for fieldwork and public engagement.

The Maritime Aquarium’s Unique Position

FOCUS 1: We have led applied field research to understand differences in the structure and function of restored and natural salt marshes and the role of plant genetics in driving those differences. We have explored changes in salt marsh resilience with predicted warming. Partners on these research projects have included Harbor Watch, Sacred Heart University, and Northeastern University. We have also studies options for installation of a living shoreline in Norwalk Harbor, in partnership with the City of Norwalk and the Norwalk River Watershed Association.

FOCUS 2: Through our “Biodiversity Database,” we have worked with organizations across the Sound to aggregate and share local species data collected through our vessel-based monitoring of Norwalk Harbor. For more than 20 years, we have routinely conducted biological monitoring through our marine life cruises on our vessel. We have participated in numerous collaborative efforts for species conservation with other members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to protect species, including sand tiger sharks, sea turtles, corals, and horseshoe crabs. Our conservation and husbandry teams continue to work with industry and research partners to better understand the issues these animals face and to increase the long-term success of conservation efforts. Recent examples of our efforts include Barrens topminnow propagation and the Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project.

FOCUS 3: We have worked with regional partners to monitor non-native species in Long Island Sound, such as the mitten crab. Such monitoring provides a greater understanding of the scope and severity of invasive species in our local waters and are the first step to developing management plans to reduce their negative impacts. Our research vessel-based nekton monitoring program has built one of the longest-running datasets in the Sound on species abundance and composition, a baseline against which climate-driven changes can be compared.

FOCUS 4: We are one of over 20 organizations conducting water quality testing of harbors around Long Island Sound, as part of the Unified Water Study. This community science project provides critical monitoring efforts that provide comparable information on the current health of the most utilized parts of the Sound. In addition, we have acted in a leading local role in multiple regional to national community science programs that engage our community in hands-on field data collection, such as Frog Watch and the City Nature Challenge. Recent education programs include “Sound Resilience – Get on Board!,” which offered more than 2,000 middle and high school students hands-on experiences related to extreme weather and climate change.

FOCUS 5: We have connected our collection animals to wild animal conservation through our community science programs Terrapin Trackers (Diamondback Terrapin) and Project Limulus (Atlantic Horseshoe Crab), both of which engage the public in hands-on ways in the field conservation of these species. We have incorporated lobster traps into our floor exhibits to facilitate conversations about marine debris, which presents an opportunity to share information about our own field research program to recover lost and abandoned lobster traps from the bottom of the Sound. We are also incorporating our field research themes and findings into the development of a new salt marsh exhibit.

FOCUS 6: We strive to utilize green practices in our daily operations and to upgrade to more climate-friendly power alternatives. As ocean stewards, it is vital for us to reduce our plastic waste and pollution to net zero, while inspiring behavior change in our visitors that will improve our collective impact. We have already begun to reduce plastic waste generation by removing plastic products from both our cafés and gift shop. We are now 97 percent single-use plastic free.

We have doubled our renewable power generation through an additional investment in our solar panel array, which now produces 130kw of power. HVAC upgrades to our building have improved our air conditioning and heating efficiency, reducing our annual power usage. We have also signed the Aquarium Conservation Partnership’s Climate Commitment, through which we will inventory our greenhouse gas emissions, implement strategies to further reduce our emissions, and work towards a goal of net zero CO2 emissions.

We are uniquely well positioned to successfully address these conservation issue areas, as evidenced by our prior work:

We will define and measure success using the criteria described described in this plan and aggregated in the table below. Progress against these targets will be quantified by each metric and evaluated annually by the Aquarium’s Senior Staff and presented to relevant committees of the Board of Trustees.

Measures of Success

Focus Area 2028 Target Annual Evaluation Metrics

Coastal and Benthic Habitats1

Resident and Transient Species2

Novel Species Introductions3

The Aquarium is a regional leader in coastal and benthic ecology and is actively leading both applied research and habitat restoration projects across the Sound with partners, and using our voice to promote policy that supports this focus area.

• # related research projects underway/completed

• # sites restored

• # related data analysis/ synthesis projects underway/ completed

• # related policy letters/ testimonies contributed

The Aquarium is a regional leader in the population ecology and rescue of Long Island Sound species and is actively leading both applied research and rescue/rehabilitation projects in the Western Sound, and using our voice to promote policy that supports this focus area.

• # related research projects underway/completed

• # local species monitored, rescued, and/or rehabilitated

• # related data analysis/ synthesis projects underway/ completed

• # related policy letters/ testimonies contributed

The Aquarium is playing a supporting role with regional partners in studying and analyzing data on novel species introductions in the Sound, and using our voice to promote policy that supports this focus area.

• # related research projects underway/completed

• # novel species monitored and/or reported

• # related data analysis/ synthesis projects underway/ completed

• # related policy letters/ testimonies contributed

Focus Area 2028 Target Annual Evaluation Metrics

Inspiring Stewardship and Community Action

Collection Connections5

Operational Sustainability6

• % exhibits with signage linking to current field conservation activities

• % exhibits with interpretation exploring climate change

• # field programs focusing on species in our exhibits

• # hours spent by staff and volunteers supporting AZA’s SSPs and SAFE programs.

The Aquarium leads a strong and annually growing network of community science initiatives and education programs that provide opportunities to engage our entire audience, with climate change being the driving theme.

• # community science programs and participants underway/completed

• # volunteers engaged

• # related education programs underway/completed

• # paid internships offered

• # instances of engagement on social media postings related to conservation topics

The Aquarium’s exhibits, education programs, and conservation work are united under one shared voice and direction, with seamless integration between our activities, interpretation, and the needs of our collection animals in the wild.

• % ACP Climate Commitment goals met

• # operational changes made to support plan goals

• % gift shop and café items aligned with plan goals

The Aquarium is on target to reach our net zero goal and is making annual changes to our operations as more sustainable options are identified. Environmental impact is a filter through which all operational decisions are made across the institution.

Acknowledgements The following Aquarium staff members contributed to the authorship and review of this plan:

Bridget Cervero Barrett Christie Sarah Crosby Amy Diaz Tom Naiman

Jason Patlis Rebha Raviraj Justin Susarchick Rachel Stein Danielle Tranzillo

The Board of Trustees of The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk (as of May 2023):

The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk’s Research and Conservation Committee (as of May 2023):

Richard Alexander Neil Beup Norm Bloom William Burnham (Chair) Clayton Fowler Mark Fowler

Richard Harris Melissa Joan Hart Richard Hokin Natalie Little Michael Reilly

The Jeniam Foundation is thanked for their generous support, which made the development of this plan possible, and their longstanding commitment to conservation in Long Island Sound.

Philip Barbagallo Neil Beup Brian Bidolli Norm Bloom William Burnham Lee Caney Kevin Conroy Lindsay Curtis Cheryl De Vonish EmmaKate DiNardo Clayton Fowler Sharon Giese Ann Gilmartin

Jim Hall Melissa Joan Hart Richard Hokin Natalie Little Deborah McLean Kathryn Bowler Mitchell Earl Mix Novelette Peterkin Timothy Pettee Michael Reilly Harry Rilling Diane Schlinkert

10 North Water St., Norwalk, CT 06854

(203) 852-0700 • maritimeaquarium.org