Today’s Breach Report comes to us from “Mike T,” who was out boating in Bellport Bay yesterday.  Here’s the picture he submitted, with his commentary:
“This would have been a brown trail last year. Water is so clean. Keep thinking I’m going to hit bottom then realize I’m in 4′ of water. #keepthebreachopen.”
With the twice daily flushing of Bellport Bay from the tides and The New Inlet, we are seeing bay bottom hidden for decades, flounder, bluefish, weakfish.  And unlike Shinnecock and Moriches Bay, which don’t properly flush, and where nitrogen pollution from septic tanks, lawn fertilizers and farms gathers to feed algal blooms, and with increasing intensity year by year, we have thus far seen NO BROWN TIDES.
Will there be renewed pressure to close The Breach/New Inlet despite the vast difference it is making in water quality and in our fishing, even though The New Inlet is not in any way increasing tides, flooding in The Great South Bay?  Of course.   The Powers That Be will have to reckon with the fact that the bay is being transformed by this regular influx of fresh water from the ocean, and that it will be obvious to anyone on The Great South Bay this summer.  Send your pics / stories about The Breach to [email protected] and we will look to feature you in a future Breach Report.