FOREIGN NATIONALS FROM EUROPE, ASIA AND THE MIDDLE EAST evacuated Lebanon Thursday as Israel’s offensive against Hezbollah escalated.

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A study examining how fish in Jamaica Bay responded to environmental stressors over the past three decades found a fish ecosystem reshaped due to climate change. 

Although it has long been confirmed that changes in water temperature are displacing fish, this study is the first and largest to articulate the significant changes in the biologically rich wetland estuary in southeast Queens and Brooklyn. In it, researchers detailed the steady exodus of many established species from Jamaica Bay to colder waters up north and an increase in the number of newly arriving warm-water species. 

Queens College Biology professor John Waldman, an expert on how humans impact fish populations, co-authored the study published in the Ecological Society of America journal Ecosphere over the summer. It is titled “Decoupled shifts of dominant and rarer fish species as a response to warming and extreme events in a large estuary.” 

Waldman and former QC biology professor José D. Anadón, who specializes in the impacts of global change on biodiversity, utilized a significantly large data set compiled by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. This set gave them insights into over 900,000 fish living in Jamaica Bay from 1989 to 2017 and allowed them to reach detailed conclusions. 

“We believe this study is the most important work to date on fish ecology in Jamaica Bay. It answers important questions about how climate change is affecting our immediate environment and, of course, sheds new light on the larger dynamics of ecologically stressed marine life,” said Queens College President Frank H. Wu. 

They discovered that while extreme weather events were among the environmental factors driving population changes, the slower rise in water temperatures had a far more significant impact.

In 2012, they witnessed a dramatic change in the fish community. While Hurricane Sandy caused big but short-lived changes that year, the ongoing marine heat wave just before the hurricane accelerated changes to the fish populations. The influx of warmer water drove rare and cold-water species north and welcomed new warm-water species from the south. 

Waldman explained that demographic changes aren’t particularly detrimental to the food web and the surrounding region, but the dramatic changes caused by a half-degree increase in temperature were surprising.

In an interview with QNS, he recalled the first time he noticed a tiny skilletfish in Jamaica Bay, a southern species typical in warmer waters. 

“I had never seen one my entire life, and I spent my whole life around the water. Now they’re all over the place,” he said, adding that another newcomer is the Cobia, a big game fish now targeted by local fishermen due to its abundance and size.

The DEC monitors the fish populations by sweeping a long net through the water in the same fashion every early fall for the same number of days. Then, the biology researchers put it through a complex statistical analysis to find and visualize patterns in the data.

The data collected over 28 years is considered a short time frame in terms of geographical time. But besides mass commercial fishing, climate change is the only understood driver of population change this significant, whether it’s warming or cooling bodies of water.

“It’s clear that the waters in Jamaica Bay and the whole region are warming pretty quickly,” said Waldman. “I’ve been kind of amazed at what seems to be a small degree of temperature change, like one and a half degrees Fahrenheit, is really upsetting the world. It really worries me that if we go up to two and a half degrees Fahrenheit. What’s that going to look like?”

With rising temperatures essentially “locked in,” researchers expect to continue seeing changes in the fish community and the biological community at large. Monitoring of the fish populations in Jamaica Bay is ongoing, and researchers are likely to build on this study as new data is compiled. 

“Our study shows that the fish community around New York is responsive to the effects of warming. We are experiencing another marine heat wave this year, making 2024 possibly another year of pronounced changes,” said Waldman. 

THE UNION THAT REPRESENTS 45,000 U.S. DOCKWORKERS WHO WENT ON STRIKE early Tuesday has reached a deal to suspend.

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Achievement First celebrated a significant milestone on Sept. 27 with the grand opening of its new Linden Middle School building in East New York.

The event, held outside of the Pitkin Avenue institution, brought together community stakeholders, families and staff to mark the beginning of a new era for the school and the East New York community. Addressing the crowd, keynote speaker State Senator Roxanne Persaud emphasized the importance of community engagement in education

“Today we are here at Linden Middle School, I am pleased to help them with the ribbon cutting because I want to make sure that all the schools in my district understand that they have access to me and that I participate in the activities that they have,” she said. “It’s one community and we want to make sure the community understands that. I want to make sure the students are participating in the community because it’s all one community.”

The new 42,000-square-foot, four-story building will serve 343 students in grades 5-8 and features a variety of amenities designed to enhance the educational experience. The facility includes a varsity-sized gymnasium, a dance room, well-equipped science labs, and large windows that flood the space with natural light. An elevator also ensures accessibility for all students.

“This space is more than just a building — it’s a home where our students can thrive, learn, and grow into the leaders of tomorrow,” said Stephanie Blieka, principal of Achievement First Linden Middle School.

The celebration also featured performances by the school’s step team and the official ribbon-cutting ceremony conducted by students, families, staff, and community partners.

Eighth-grader Gabriella Dyall shared her excitement about the new facility.

“All the great things in the building made me forget how the old building was. Our new school is also a hub for building connections within our community,” Dyall said. “With spaces for events and gatherings, we can host activities that bring us together. Our new school prepares us for the future.”

Dyall added that the new building is “more than just a school.”

“It’s a place where we are learning skills that will help us succeed in high school, college and beyond,” she said.

Amber Roussel Cavallo, senior manager of Civic Builders, expressed pride in collaborating with the non-profit and Achievement First.

“We are extremely proud to be here at the ribbon cutting for Achievement First Linden Middle School,” she said. “The school has been a partner of ours for many years. The second school we’ve developed together, and we are really excited to see the students in their new school.”

Additional reporting by Ramy Mahmoud