Description: Areas where cold-water corals have been observed or where habitat suitability or other scientific models predict they occur. Cold water corals are a visibly unique expression of a healthy, thriving marine ecosystem.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: Areas of hard bottom are characterized by exposed bedrock or concentrations of boulder, cobble, pebble, gravel or other similar hard substrate. Complex seafloor is a morphologically rugged seafloor characterized by high variability in neighboring bathymetry around a central point. Biogenic reefs and man-made structures may provide additional suitable substrate for the development of hard bottom biological communities. Areas of hard bottom and complex seafloor are areas characterized singly or by any combination of hard seafloor, complex seafloor, artificial reefs, biogenic reefs, or wrecks and obstructions.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: This shows the "wrecks and obstructions" component of the Hard Bottom & Complex Seafloor ESA. Wrecks tend to serve as artificial reefs, and obstructions can include boulders or other hard bottom not delineated in geologic maps.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: This shows the “hard bottom” component of the Hard Bottom & Complex Seafloor ESA and includes granules, pebbles, and cobbles (collectively called gravel) as well as boulders and outcrops of bedrock. Hard bottom points have a 160-meter buffer so they are visible.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: This shows the “complex seafloor” component of the Hard Bottom & Complex Seafloor ESA and identifies the top 20% of complexity as a measured by the Terrain Ruggedness Index (TRI). The TRI metric reflects the difference between the depth at each point on the seafloor and the depth of the points surrounding it. The higher the TRI metric, the more complex the seafloor is.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: Areas where submerged aquatic vegetation, e.g., eelgrass (Zostera marina), etc., are present or have been found to be present. Submerged aquatic vegetation refers to rooted, vascular plants that occur in the shallow waters of Long Island Sound.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: Coastal wetlands generally include, but are not limited to banks, bogs, salt marshes, swamps, meadows, flats, or other low lands subject to tidal action. Although coastal wetlands occur in environments landward of the Blue Plan policy area, they are included because of their importance as supporting habitats for the Long Island Sound ecosystem. Coastal wetlands serve as nursery grounds and nesting habitat for many species, and provide ecosystem services such as wave attenuation and nutrient cycling. A more complete definition can be found in Connecticut General Statute (CGS) 22a-29 and 22a-29(2). For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Name: ESA - Endangered, Threatened, Species of Concern
Display Field: Acres
Type: Feature Layer
Geometry Type: esriGeometryPolygon
Description: The species listed by federal or state statutes as endangered, threatened, species of concern, or candidates for listing, and their associated habitats, (recognizing that detailed spatial data depicting the distribution and abundance are potentially unavailable), were mapped together in this single layer.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Name: ESA - Atlantic Sturgeon Critical Habitat sublayer
Display Field: gridcode
Type: Feature Layer
Geometry Type: esriGeometryPolygon
Description: This shows the US Endangered Species Act Critical Habitats – Atlantic sturgeon component of the Endangered, Threatened, Species of Concern ESA. Critical habitats for Atlantic sturgeon, one of six federally endangered species known to occur in Long Island Sound, is spatially defined under the US Endangered Species Act and shown on this map.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 1 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: This shows the “Connecticut Critical Habitats” component of the Endangered, Threatened, Species of Concern ESA. It provides the identification and distribution of a subset of important wildlife habitats identified in the Connecticut Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Name: ESA - CT Natural Diversity Database sublayer
Display Field: gridcode
Type: Feature Layer
Geometry Type: esriGeometryPolygon
Description: This shows the Connecticut Natural Diversity Database (CT NDDB) component of the Endangered, Threatened, Species of Concern ESA. It depicts the approximate locations of endangered, threatened and special concern species and significant natural communities in Long Island Sound.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Name: ESA - NY Significant Natural Communities sublayer
Display Field: gridcode
Type: Feature Layer
Geometry Type: esriGeometryPolygon
Description: This shows the New York Significant Natural Communities component of the Endangered, Threatened, Species of Concern ESA. It depicts New York Natural Heritage Program locations of rare or high-quality wetlands, forests, grasslands, ponds, streams, and other types of habitats, etc. Because some significant natural communities contain rare plants and/or rare animals, there is some overlap between this layer and the New York Rare Plants and Rare Animals layer.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: This shows the “Roseate tern occurrence” component of the Endangered, Threatened, Species of Concern ESA. A May - September predicted occurrence map for roseate tern was provided by the Univ. of CT. All areas where roseate tern was predicted to be present were considered ecologically significant.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Name: ESA - NY Signif. Coastal Fish-Wildlife sublayer
Display Field: gridcode
Type: Feature Layer
Geometry Type: esriGeometryPolygon
Description: These significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitats have been designated and mapped by the New York Department of State, after recommendation by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, which applied a rating system to identify and rate the habitats.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: This shows the New York Rare Plants and Rare Animals component of the Endangered, Threatened, Species of Concern ESA. It depicts approximate locations of rare plants and animals in New York waters of Long Island Sound from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Name: ESA - Atl-Shortnose Sturgeon Habitat sublayer
Display Field: gridcode
Type: Feature Layer
Geometry Type: esriGeometryPolygon
Description: This shows the Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon component of the Endangered, Threatened, Species of Concern ESA. It includes Atlantic sturgeon gear restriction areas, high and medium use sturgeon areas, and Atlantic sturgeon migratory corridor.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: Locations of commercial and recreational shellfishing harvest areas, including shellfish restoration activities and areas closed to shellfishing. In Connecticut, shellfish are defined as oysters, clams, mussels and scallops; either shucked or in the shell, fresh or frozen, whole or in part.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: Areas where pinnipeds occur in higher concentrations and/or significant areas that support pinnipeds (e.g. particular haul-out locations, feeding areas). Pinniped species found on Long Island include Harbor, Grey, Harp, Hooded, and Ringed seals.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: Areas where sea turtles and other reptiles occur in higher concentrations and/or significant areas that support sea turtles and other reptiles (e.g. particular feeding areas, nesting grounds, hibernation areas). Includes sea turtle species common in the Sound such as Loggerhead, Kemp’s Ridley, and Green, as well as a different species of turtle, the Northern diamondback terrapin. Diamondback terrapins are not sea turtles, but are more similar to terrestrial and aquatic turtle species and live in coastal wetlands.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: Areas where wild, natural sessile-mollusk-dominated communities occur. Sessile-mollusk-dominated communities are assemblages of non-mobile gastropods (e.g., slipper shells) and bivalves (e.g., blue mussels, clams) that are not harvested by humans.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: Areas where birds are abundant or diverse including feeding areas; areas of high bird productivity including nesting areas with focus on seabird species that are expected to use the open-water habitats of Long Island Sound. For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: This shows the summer “high bird species richness” modelling sub-component of the Blue Plan Birds ESA. It depicts the top 20% of summer predicted bird species richness from preliminary models developed by the University of Connecticut.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: This shows the winter “high bird species richness” modelling sub-component of the Blue Plan Birds ESA. It depicts the top 20% of winter predicted bird species richness from preliminary models developed by the University of Connecticut.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: This shows the “key areas for roosting, foraging, wintering” expert mapping component of the Birds ESA. It depicts areas important to bird roosting, foraging, wintering identified through expert participatory mapping.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: This shows the “key areas for staging, nesting, and foraging” expert mapping component of the Birds ESA. It depicts areas important to bird staging, nesting, and foraging identified through expert participatory mapping.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: Areas where cetaceans occur in higher concentrations and/or significant areas that support cetaceans (e.g. particular feeding areas, nursery grounds). Cetaceans include whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: Depicts the overlaps among the criteria that contribute to “Ecologically Significant Areas with rare, sensitive, or vulnerable species, communities, or habitats.” It is important to note that this represents the best available knowledge about the location of ESA, and if a map doesn’t depict ESA, it does not mean that one does not exist there. Therefore, composite maps for ESA should be viewed as the “minimum number of ESA”, so a value of 5 corresponds to at least 5 ESA present in a location.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: Depicts the overlaps among the criteria that contribute to “Ecologically Significant Areas of high natural productivity, biological persistence, diversity, and abundance.” It is important to note that this represents the best available knowledge about the location of ESA, and if a map doesn’t depict ESA, it does not mean that one does not exist there. Therefore, composite maps for ESA should be viewed as the “minimum number of ESA”, so a value of 5 corresponds to at least 5 ESA present in a location.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)
Description: Depicts the overlaps among the criteria that contribute to both the “Ecologically Significant Areas with rare, sensitive, or vulnerable species, communities, or habitats” and the “Ecologically Significant Areas of high natural productivity, biological persistence, diversity, and abundance.” It is important to note that this represents the best available knowledge about the location of ESA, and if a map doesn’t depict ESA, it does not mean that one does not exist there. Therefore, composite maps for ESA should be viewed as the “minimum number of ESA”, so a value of 5 corresponds to at least 5 ESA present in a location.
For more information on the data sources used and the creation of this layer, please refer to The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Appendix 2 – Ecologically Significant Areas.
Copyright Text: Long Island Sound Blue Plan (CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2019)