Seafood Habitat Protection

Intro - use text from original page


New England Marine habitats

New England waters are composed of an array of habitats and, thus, a wide array of marine organisms. Habitats in New England include estuaries, salt marshes, seagrass beds, intertidal zones, open ocean and more. For more detailed information on New England ecosystems, click here. Each of these habitats are home to species that depend on specific biotic and abiotic factors of these environments to survive. And often a single species will depend on a combination of habitats throughout their life cycle…

Explore some of our New England habitats and local species:


How habitats are impacted by human behavior

Pollution

  • Runoff

  • Plastics

Habitat Destruction

  • Coastal development

Climate change

How to help protect habitats

Simple changes to make in your daily life to support healthier habitats:

  • at home:

    • Conserve water whenever possible

    • Avoid toxic products, instead opt for natural cleaners, detergents, etc. 

    • Check and maintain your septic system, replace older systems with ones that remove nitrogen

    • Reduce, reuse, recycle

  • in the backyard:

    • Reduce fertilizer use - use organic, slow-release, water-insoluble fertilizers (start a compost pile to make natural nutrients for garden/yard)

    • Reduce water to reduce runoff

    • Plant and grow native, hardy plants

    • Pick up pet waste

  • on the water:

    • Properly pump waste

    • Avoid fuel spills

    • Follow regulations (speed limits, no wake zones, fishing/shellfishing rules, avoid eelgrass beds)

    • Clean up trash

    • Use marine safe products, like nontoxic, biodegradable cleaners and safe paints

  • in general

    • Buy less plastic, shop sustainably

    • Reduce emissions by using fuel efficient vehicles, public transportation, car pooling, biking or walking as much as possible

    • Conserve energy, opt for energy efficient items

Volunteer

  • Help at local beach clean ups

  • Volunteer with local non-profits or other organizations on habitat restoration projects

Vote

  • Attend your town meetings

  • Support plans that reduce pollution and promote habitat conservation and restoration