The 2,400 acres of commercial waterfront property spanning Suffolk County could now be eligible for preservation under a new waterfront protection program.

The Suffolk County Legislature unanimously approved a bill Wednesday to create the program, which mirrors a farmland preservation program enacted in 1974. The goal is to preserve the waterfront access critical for the commercial fisheries, aquaculture, recreational fishing and boating businesses to survive.

The bill’s passage "will begin to turn the tide and preserve and protect the character and history of farming and fishing that Suffolk County is steeped in," said Legis. Ann Welker (D-Southampton), the bill's co-sponsor.

The county funded $2.5 million for the program in 2026 through the capital budget and $9.5 million total over

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