A New Plan for a Healthy Long Island Sound!
We’re revising the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for 2025-2035. Learn about the process and how you can get involved at LISstudy.net/PLAN.
Overview
In 20 years of implementing the 1994 Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for Long Island Sound, federal, state, and local partners have worked together to reduce by 40 million pounds the annual discharge of nitrogen, restore nearly 1,625 acres of habitat, reopen 317 miles of fish passage, and involve hundreds of thousands of people in education and volunteer projects to help bring Long Island Sound back to health and abundance.
Now these partners, under the Long Island Sound Study, developed a revised Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan in 2015 to move forward to achieve more ambitious ecosystem targets through 2035.
Themes and Goals of the CCMP
To fulfill the vision of a restored and protected Long Island Sound, the partner agencies of the Long Island Sound Study, in 2015, revised its Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. The plan includes specific, tactical actions (Implementation Actions) to measurably carry out the plan in five year periods. The first Implementation Action period was for 2015–2019. In 2020, the plan was updated to include Implementation Actions for the 2020-2024 period. The Plan seeks to achieve four primary goals under four themes:
Clean Waters and Healthy Watersheds
Improve water quality by reducing contaminant and nutrient loads from the land and the waters impacting Long Island Sound. Learn more about waters and watersheds »
Thriving Habitats and Abundant wildlife
Restore and protect the Sound’s ecological balance in a healthy, productive, and resilient state to benefit both people and the natural environment. Learn more about habitats and wildlife »
Sustainable and Resilient Communities
Support vibrant, informed, and engaged communities that use, appreciate, and help protect Long Island Sound. Learn more about communities »
Sound Science and Inclusive Management
Manage Long Island Sound using sound science and cross-jurisdictional governance that is inclusive, adaptive, innovative, and accountable. Learn more about science and management »
Explore Long Island Sound Ecosystem Targets
The following ambitious, but achievable, ecosystem targets have been developed to drive progress toward attaining the goals of the management plan’s themes Clean Waters and Healthy Watersheds, Thriving Habitats and Abundant Wildlife, and Sustainable and Resilient Communities.
Clean Waters and Healthy Watersheds
- Extent of Hypoxia
- Nitrogen Loading
- Water Clarity
- Impervious Cover
- Riparian Buffer Extent
- Sediment Quality Improvement
- Marine Debris
- Approved Shellfish Areas
Thriving Habitats and Abundant Wildlife
- Coastal Habitat Extent
- Eelgrass Extent (Subset of Coastal Habitat Extent)
- Tidal Wetland Extent (Subset of Coastal Habitat Extent)
- River Miles Restored for Fish Passage
- Shellfish Harvested
- Habitat Connectivity
- Protected Open Space
To fulfill the vision of a restored and protected Long Island Sound the partner agencies of the Long Island Sound Study in 2015 revised its Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. 
Implementation Actions (IAs), which help fulfill the outcomes and goals of the CCMP, have been updated for the 2020-2024 planning cycle. 
The spring 2024 issue of Sound Update is coming soon. To see last year’s review, go to the 
The EPA National Estuary Program Work Plan highlights current and planned Management Plan activities. It is available as a PDF Download in the 