With endless stories and photos of fish kills, harmful algal blooms, oil spills, beach closures, etc. filling our daily newsfeeds, it appears that our environment is in a horrific state of “Doom and Gloom.” Although we do face many environmental challenges, this constant bombardment of negativity creates a lack of enthusiasm among local communities when it comes to protecting our environment. Regain your enthusiasm for protecting our marine environment by learning about some of the fascinating marine life that inhabits the waters of Long Island.

Born and raised on Long Island (New York), Chris Paparo has been exploring the wilds of the island for over 30 years. As a wildlife photographer, writer and lecturer, he enjoys bringing public awareness to the diverse wildlife that calls the island home. His passion for coastal ecology, fishing and the outdoors led him to obtain a BS in Marine Science from LIU/Southampton and currently manages the new Marine Sciences Center at the Southampton campus of Stony Brook University.
In addition to freelance writing for several fishing and wildlife related publications, Paparo currently writes the monthly Naturalist’s Logbook column for the NY/NJ edition of On The Water Magazine. Although his work tends to focus on marine life, everything in the natural world is fair game.