Essential Fish Habitat for Nearshore Sentinel Species of Fishes and Crabs in Heavily Urbanized New York Harbor

Our objective was to evaluate nearshore fish and crab habitat use and quality in New York Harbor, a heavily urbanized area. We determined Essential Fish Habitat at several levels (abundance, reproduction, growth, survival, and habitat fidelity) for specific sentinel species of estuarine fishes (Fundulus heteroclitus [Mummichog], Fundulus majalis [Striped Killifish], Menidia menidia [Atlantic Silverside]) and Callinectes sapidus (Blue Crab). “Heavily altered” and “altered” shorelines at different sites typically had a steep slope and fabricated break on the upland side with very little or no vegetation; other “naturalized” shallow shorelines had gradually sloping mudflats or beaches with some intertidal and supratidal vegetation. Resident species (Mummichog, Striped Killifish) completed their life cycle along these shallow beaches and marsh shorelines, as evidenced by collections that included all size classes from newly hatched larvae to gravid adults. Mark–recapture efforts involving Mummichog demonstrated minimal dispersal, suggesting that all habitat needs were met in these limited shallow areas. The non-resident, but frequent users of these shorelines either migrated in to reproduce, grow, and survive (e.g., Atlantic Silverside) or grew from settlement from the plankton and survived to juveniles (e.g., Blue Crab). Given these findings, even small and potentially fractured restoration projects that seek to restore shallow, naturalized habitat with marsh features should be encouraged in this and other heavily urbanized estuaries.