Why is the LaTTE research important?
The NY-NJ Harbor has endured over a century of human induced impacts including habitat loss and degradation, introduction of toxics, pathogens, floatables, and nutrients to the estuary. These impacts have produced problems that include human use impairments such as fish consumption advisories and intermittent closures of bathing beaches, and ecosystem health and productivity impairments such as declines in fish and shellfish populations. Good research helps us understand and distinguish between natural change and human induced change in an ecological system. Research produces data that informs scientists, coastal managers, and policy makers that assist in informed environmental decision making.
