There is no single agency responsible for Long Point's water quality; responsibility is presently shared by federal, provincial and municipal governments (Whillans et al. 1987; Downey et al. 1994). Consequently, management and research is fragmented in time and space, making it difficult to truly assess the long-term functioning of the Long Point ecosystem. At present, it is extremely difficult to determine which cultural stresses are responsible for water quality changes on Long Point Bay, since stresses have not been adequately monitored. Because cultural stresses are cumulative, and often synergistic, more than one set of human activities is often responsible for ecological change. We need a holistic, long-term monitoring program that adequately assesses the impacts of human activities throughout the Long Point ecosystem. In particular, a long-term monitoring program should assess 1) Big Creek catchment land-use and the resultant nutrient enrichment, contamination and thermal loading of runoff, as pesticide contamination is dependent on the type of crops produced, which is in turn a direct function of grain prices; 2) cultural stresses associated with private and public sewage treatment and urban run-off in the Long Point and Turkey Point areas; and 3) cultural stresses associated with the Nanticoke industrial complex and any future industrial development. Finally, and most importantly, the water quality of Long Point Bay needs to be monitored and studied over the long term. This work should incorporate all aspects of water quality, while monitoring the physiology and population dynamics of species which are considered good indicators of contaminant levels and ecological functioning. Some of the key research and management issues and areas of concern with respect to Long Point's water quality are listed below (altered from Downey et al. 1994).