On the Water + In the Field
Blog + News
Tiana Bayside Marine Camps ~ Summer 2026
Celebrating another successful season of marine science and art programming at Tiana Bayside Facility!
Seahorse Hotels, open for business
Kim Manzo and Kate Rossi-Snook give us an up close look at our 2026 Seahorse Hotel deployments in Greenport, Southold, Hampton Bays, and Sag Harbor/North Haven Stewardship Sites!
Long Island Marine and Coastal Field Guide: A Trusty Companion on Land and at Sea- The Southampton Press
The Long Island Marine and Coastal Field Guide was created by Back to the Bays staff Carolyn Munaco and Hazel Wodehouse. Carolyn painted over 250 species for the field guide and Hazel classified each organism and wrote all of the information about each species, as well as detailed descriptions of Long Island's diverse marine habitats.
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Back to the Bays Marks a Milestone
2025 marks the 10-Year Anniversary of Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Back to the Bays Initiative!
2024 Impact Report
Read our 2024 Back to the Bays Impact Report for a full review of the our 2024 projects and progress.
Oyster shell collection benefits land and sea: Shells become building blocks for new habitats - Shelter Island Reporter
Shelter Island has been out front on restoring habitat for oysters. In April 2023, representatives of the Cornell Cooperative Extension Marine Program counted a victory when the Town Board approved a $200,000 allocation from Water Quality Improvement money (WQI) to boost shellfish habitat restoration.
From the start, Islander and aquaculture coordinator for Cornell Kate Rossi-Snook has been the Island’s voice calling for restoration of the habitats that contribute to improved water quality.
Back to the Bays Midsummer Update
Our Back to the Bays Team has been busy to say the least this summer! The majority of our fieldwork, and plant and animal care in our shellfish and coastal plant nurseries takes place during these warm weather months. And it takes a lot of hard work to keep everything thriving and growing.
North Fork Polar Bears ‘Splash for CAST’ plunge returns Jan. 28 - The Suffolk Times
The North Fork Polar Bears, a winter swimming group with more than 130 members, will host its second annual Splash for CAST on Sunday, Jan 28. The event benefits the nonprofit Center for Advocacy, Support and Transformation in Southold, CAST, as well as CCE Marine Program’s Back to the Bays Initiative.
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Biologists express renewed optimism for Peconic Bay scallops - WSHU Public Radio
After multiple consecutive years of seasonal dieoffs among the bay scallop populations, a small subset expressing strong survivability has been documented. The CCE Marine researchers and hatchery team will be working to assess those genetics and is embarking on a series of spawns using those adults as broodstock.
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POV: You’re a Back to the Bays Intern
Our summer 2023 College Interns reflect on their summer of learning and stewardship with Back to the Bays.
Scientists Scramble to Help Bay Scallops Survive Climate Change - Civil Eats
Researchers at Stony Brook University and CCE have joined forces and begun to selectively breed Peconic Bay scallops in an effort to help them resist the effects of climate change and restore their populations.
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New effort by Cornell Cooperative Extension fights for bay scallops’ survival - The Suffolk Times
A new project has been launched to ensure the long-term survival of the Peconic Bay scallop by shifting spawning from summer to fall at Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Southold hatchery.
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Greenport Shellabration returns for the 11th year - Northforker
Greenport Shellabration is back for its 11th year on Saturday, December 3 and Sunday, December 4 from Noon to 4 p.m. This year, the event is back to the full 1,500 “Shellabrant” capacity.