New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium’s partnership with Wright State University, Dayton, OH spans over two decades of educational growth and development.
Earlier this month, NJSGC’s Executive Director Claire Antonucci and Education Program Coordinator Diana Burich joined Wright State University’s Dr. William Slattery and 18 eager graduate students to observe the Garden State’s ever-changing coastline. The group, who are working towards their Masters of Science in Teaching Earth System Science at Wright State, participated in a program developed by Dr. Slattery and NJSGC known as “Ancient Ocean – Modern Ocean.” The two-day expedition included searching for fossils at Poricy Park, surveying the lengthy shores of Sandy Hook, and investigating water quality and other biological parameters aboard a research vessel in Raritan Bay.
Here’s to another successful trip with Wright State University!
What: New Jersey’s Favorite Beaches poll, winners revealed
Where: Music Pier, 825 Boardwalk, Ocean City, N.J.
When: Thursday, June 29th at 11 a.m.
About: New Jersey’s Favorite Beaches is presented by New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium. It is an annual public poll that began in 2008 to encourage stewardship and pride for the Garden State’s beaches. The results are based on a vote held from May to June. The overall top beach will be announced, and winners from each coastal county will also be honored.
RSVP: Please confirm your attendance by emailing New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium Communication Specialist, Danica Bellini.
June 2017 – On Friday (June 2nd), the New Jersey Clean Vessel Act Program joined in celebrating Ocean County for successfully operating its growing fleet of pumpout boats over the last 20 years. Such significant contributions have helped improve water quality throughout Barnegat Bay and Little Egg Harbor for the past two decades.
The New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium was represented at the Seaside Park Yacht Club by Assistant Director of Extension and the Marine Recreation Agent of Fisheries & Boating, Michael Danko.
The federal Clean Vessel Act was passed 26 years ago, thanks to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection/Division of Fish & Wildlife for requesting and managing the approval of such federal funds. State funds are also provided by “Shore Protection” license plate sales.
The New Jersey Clean Vessel Act Program now operates as a partnership among the Division of Fish & Wildlife, the Monmouth County Health Department, the Marine Trades Association of New Jersey, the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, and Ocean County Planning Department (plus additional public and private entities).
Ocean County Department of Planning Director David J. McKeon was also recognized during the ceremony for such achievements.
Despite initial hurdles and reservations, the program’s first pumpout was successfully installed at Green Cove Marina located on the Metedeconk River. Nowadays, the approval, purchasing, and maintenance procedures for additional fleets run rather smoothly (with a current total of six operating boats). Services are offered free of charge.
The ongoing success of the Ocean County Pumpout Program relies heavily on partnerships with Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholder, Ocean County Planning Department, Ocean County Utilities Authority, Township of Brick, Borough of Seaside Park, Tuckerton Seaport, and the dedicated pumpout boat captains.
We wish the Ocean County Pumpout Program and all associates a very successful future in providing such phenomenal pumpout boat services.
For additional information, please visit the Ocean County Department of Planning website.
Learn more about the Clean Vessel Act Program here.
June 2017 – Thanks to our longtime community partner, New Jersey Natural Gas, NJSGC will contribute weekly radio talks about ocean safety, current beach conditions, and other important environmental issues on “The Jersey Shore’s Hit Music Channel” – 94.3 The Point (WJKL) all summer!
Tom Hayes of NJNG with Claire Antonucci of NJSGC and Matt Ryan from The Point
Sponsored by New Jersey Natural Gas, broadcasts will take place every Friday throughout the summer, at approximately 8:45 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Among several “hot” topics, upcoming on air discussions will include:
Rip currents
Dunes
Sharks
Water quality
Summer events and activities
Expert members of NJSGC will lead each conversation with help from popular The Point radio DJs, including Matt Ryan.
Learn more about the New Jersey Natural Gas Asbury Park Boardwalk Studio at http://943thepoint.com/, where fans can also listen live 24/7.
The New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium will continue posting updates and reminders on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Please visit https://njseagrant.org/ for additional information, or contact NJSGC Communications Specialist Danica Bellini for any further questions and concerns.
Please accept our sincerest appreciation for your support of Sea Grant and the New Jersey Sea Grant Consoritum. Earlier this spring, you reached out to your elected officials to tell them why Sea Grant is important to you and our state. Your efforts resulted in Congress and the President signing off on a budget for FY 2017 that includes adequate funding for us and the entire Sea Grant Program. For the rest of this fiscal year, this funding will enable our program to work with you on important issues including stormwater management, increasing coastal resilience, supporting shore tourism, and providing STEM education for youth, all to benefit New Jersey’s coastal economy and communities.
The Administration has just released its FY 2018 budget blueprint. It proposes the termination of the entire Sea Grant program. Once again, we must repeat our request to you to reach out to your elected officials as soon as possible to reiterate your request that they let the House and Senate Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Subcommittees know of their strong support for Sea Grant, to reject the proposal to terminate the program in FY 2018, and instead fund the National Sea Grant College Program at $80 million.
When you write or call your elected representatives it is important to tell them why the program is important to you and our state’s environment and/or how our work has benefitted you personally.
To help you develop your message, we have included a template for possible use in composing your message.
To further assist you, this directory includes each of New Jersey’s elected officials, including email addresses for their aides. If you decide to write, please direct your letters to local offices (not DC). If you decide to call or fax, it is best to call both the local and Washington D.C. offices. If you decide to email, please write your message to your elected official but use the email address provided in the directory for his or her aide.
You can also locate your Senators and Representatives at https://callyourrep.co/ or text your home address to 520-200-2223 and you will receive a message containing the names and phone numbers of your representatives.
Thank you again for your ongoing support and effort.
Earlier this week, the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium hosted its 15th annual State of the Shore media event overlooking the gorgeous surf in Long Branch, NJ. According to NJDEP Commissioner Bob Martin, public beaches throughout the Jersey Shore are in great condition and ready for the influx of summer visitors starting this Memorial Day Weekend.
After outlining the current status of several coastline restoration projects following the devastating effects of 2012’s Superstorm Sandy, Martin also noted that overall water quality is “excellent” and that the forecast for the 2017 season continues to look very promising.
Dr. Jon K. Miller – NJSGC’s Coastal Processes Specialist and a research associate professor at Stevens Institute of Technology – also presented his official State of the Shore Report with assistance from Mid-Atlantic Coastal Storms Graduate Research Fellow, Laura Lemke.
Thankfully, the Garden State only experienced two semi-major Nor’Easters (including Winter Storm Stella) that did cause some noticeable beach erosion. Dr. Miller’s keen focus on observed water levels and coastal wave heights during such storms helped construct the newly-developed Storm Erosion Index (SEI). Hopefully in the future, this index will assist shore communities in recognizing and therefore better preparing for incoming storms before they even reach the coast.
This yearly report remains an invaluable tool for those interested in the ever-changing conditions (whether good or bad) of NJ’s beloved shoreline, especially leading up to the fifth anniversary of Sandy. As the Commissioner enthusiastically sums it up – “Please come to the Jersey Shore; we have beautiful beaches and we want you here this summer.”
We would like to thank all members of the press who attended and posted coverage of this event. We would also like to thank McLoone’s Pier House in Long Branch for hosting this year’s gathering. For more local coverage:
Celebrating its fourteenth year, Ocean Fun Days drew a crowd of thousands this past weekend (May 20-21), as attendees both young and old partook in hours of nonstop fun and interactive education.
Despite a slight chill in the air on Saturday at Island Beach State Park in Seaside Park (NJ), display tables were jam-packed with individuals eager to learn more about coastal stewardship and energy conservation, among several other exciting environmental subjects. The release of diamondback turtle hatchlings into their natural habitat (hosted by Project Terrapin and the Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science), was a sight that couldn’t be missed, and will likely become a favorite OFD memory for years to come.
The sun evoked smiles and laughter at Sandy Hook on Sunday, where a few lucky participants were crowned “claw” winners during the popular fiddler crab races. NOAA scientists also offered a rare glimpse into what wonders take place at the James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory.
Over 50 exhibitors presented at this year’s event, including the American Littoral Society, Clean Ocean Action, NJDEP Division of Parks and Forestry, Rutgers Cooperative Extension/Water Resources Program, and the US Coast Guard Auxiliary. Other activities included seining, bird walks, beachcombing, and tours of Sandy Hook’s legendary Lighthouse and Fort Hancock Battery Gunnison.
Ocean Fun Days is presented by founding sponsor New Jersey Natural Gas, in partnership with New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, Asbury Park Press, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry, National Park Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
For more information on upcoming events, please contactNJSGC Communications Specialist Danica Bellini at dbellini@njseagrant.org.
NJSGC’s 15th annual State of the Shore media event will now be held on Wednesday, May 24th at McLoone’s Pier House in Long Branch, NJ. We ask all press to arrive between 10:30 – 11 a.m.
Original invite stated Thursday, May 25th at McLoone’s Asbury Park.
We apologize for the inconvenience, and still hope to see you all on May 24th!
For any further information or to confirm your attendance, please email NJSGC Communications Specialist Danica Bellini at dbellini@njseagrant.org.
Rally for the Navesink seeks to reduce river pollution and to instill community-wide “watershed mindfulness.” The Rally utilizes a grassroots approach to help track down sources of pollution while fostering collaborations with several talented groups throughout the 95 square mile watershed, including ongoing support from state and local elected officials and agencies.
The next phase of pollution track down is underway. Clean Ocean Action, in partnership with the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and the Navesink River Municipalities Committee, seeks citizen volunteers to partake in a citizen science water quality sampling program in the Navesink River watershed. Sampling will focus on the microbial source tracking under ambient conditions.
This is part of the “Find It and Fix It” approach of the Rally for the Navesink:
Seventeen locations have been identified (four-five per town) in Tinton Falls, Red Bank, Middletown, and Fair Haven
Required time is Wednesday mornings between 8am and 10am
The sampling technique is basic and straight-forward, but training is required
The entire sampling process, including pick-up and drop-off, is approximately an hour
Volunteers will pick up and drop off sample bottles from designated locations within the watershed
The duration of this entire testing program is 52 weeks. However, the frequency of each volunteer’s involvement depends on many factors, such as total number of volunteers
All volunteers must attend at least one training session (conducted by NJDEP staff) where they will learn the protocol required for sampling. Such training is mandatory for all volunteers:
May 24, 2017, 6:00 pm at Red Bank Public Library (followed by field visit to a nearby location)
May 25, 2017, 5:30 pm at Bingham Hall (followed by regular Rally meeting at 6:30pm)
If interested, please contact Mae Henry, Marine Program Associate at Clean Ocean Action, for more information – email outreach@CleanOceanAction.org or call 732-872-0111.
Learn more about Rally for the Navesink here. Also visit their official Facebook page.
Rally for the Navesink is an alliance of groups coordinated by Clean Ocean Action (COA): American Littoral Society ~ Bayshore Anglers Association ~ Bayshore Regional Watershed Council ~ Conserve Claypit Creek ~ Hartshorne Woods Association ~ Monmouth Boat Club ~ Monmouth Conservation Foundation ~ Navesink Business Group ~ Navesink Maritime Heritage Association and River Rangers ~ Navesink Shrewsbury River Fishing Club ~ Navesink River Rowing Club ~ NJ Friends of Clearwater ~ NY/NJ Baykeeper ~ Oceanport Water Watch Committee~ Oceanic Free Library ~ Pirates Care ~ Recreational Fishing Alliance ~ Red Bank Business Alliance ~ River Rats ~ Riverview Medical Center ~ Rumson Garden Club ~ Shrewsbury Sailing & Yacht Club ~ Sierra Club-Shore Group ~ Surfrider-Jersey Shore Chapter
New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium thanks everyone for reaching out to their elected officials to voice their concern for the Sea Grant program. Your support was crucial to our success in securing funding in the FY 2017 federal budget.
We know we are fortunate to have your support, and hope we can count on you in the days ahead. The Administration will soon release it budget for 2018. As details become available, we hope you won’t mind us reaching out to you for assistance.
Thank you in advance for your continuing attention and support. Please consider joining our mailing list to stay informed.
