State grant awarded to prevent spread of aquatic invasive species

Save The Great South Bay (STGSB) has been awarded $66,750 through New York State’s Invasive Species Grant Program to launch an Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Outreach, Education, and Voluntary Watercraft Inspection Program across Long Island’s South Shore.

The funding is part of a broader $5.1 million statewide investment by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to combat invasive species and restore ecosystems.

Through this initiative, STGSB will deploy trained boat stewards at up to nine high-priority public boat launches to help prevent the spread of invasive species between waterbodies. The program will focus on educating boaters, conducting voluntary inspections, and promoting best practices such as “Clean, Drain, Dry” to protect local waterways.

“Invasive species pose a serious and growing threat to the health of the Great South Bay,” said Robyn Silvestri, executive director. “This program allows us to take a proactive, community-based approach—meeting boaters where they are and empowering them to be part of the solution.”

Aquatic invasive species can disrupt ecosystems, outcompete native species, damage habitats, and impact local economies that rely on clean water, including fishing, tourism, and recreation.

This new AIS initiative builds on STGSB’s ongoing work to restore and protect the Great South Bay through programs such as:

Creek Defender Program: Mobilizing over 1,000 volunteers annually who have removed over 90,000lbs of debris from local waterways

Oyster Restoration: Returning more than 1.4 million oysters to the Bay, each capable of filtering up to 50 gallons of water per day at maturity

Water Quality Monitoring: Conducting rigorous testing with an end goal of producing a letter-grade report card to inform residents and policymakers

By integrating invasive species prevention into its broader water quality and habitat restoration efforts, STGSB continues to advance its mission to revitalize the Great South Bay and protect it for future generations.

“This investment strengthens our ability to safeguard the Bay at its source,” added Silvestri. “Protecting our waterways requires both science and community action—and this program delivers both.”

For  more information or to get involved, visit www.savethegreatsouthbay.org.