Calling all Teachers! Are you looking for a fun, exciting way to end the school year with your students? NJSGC has THREE new virtual programs to choose from:
Magnifying Plastics — learn how plastics are infiltrating our ocean and affecting marine life, and what we can do about it.
Terrific Terrapins — meet NJ’s estuarine turtles in this fun program that teaches students why these animals are so unique and important to our coastal ecosystems.
Sharks vs. Rip Currents — students learn about ocean hazards and swimming safety by comparing shark biology and ecology to the dangers of rip currents through a Jeopardy-style game.
All programs are instructor-lead, interactive, educational ,and suitable for most grade levels. All programs incorporate and support NJSLS and NGSS. Virtual programs are FREE until June 19th only.
Please contact NJSGC’s Education Associate, Melanie Tarling, for more information.
What you need to know heading into the Summer Season with NJSGC… view the latest edition of the “COASTodian” here.
SPOTLIGHT
Favorite Beaches survey State of the Shore update Jersey Shore photo contest Virtual “Sharks vs. Rip Currents” Ocean Fun Days update Knauss Fellow diaries Seabeach Amaranth feature Jersey Shore Junior Science Symposium follow-up #SeaCreaturesInYourNeighborhood campaign
More and more coastal towns in New Jersey are making space for seabeach amaranth – a small but mighty native plant – thanks to work New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium supported back in 2016. With a grant provided by NJSGC, the Pinelands Preservation Alliance (PPA) began implementing so-called “compromise” beach management plans. The compromise: towns set aside 10 percent of their beach for conservation – just a narrow strip in back where few people linger because the sand is too hot – and they continue with “normal” beach business as usual on the remaining 90 percent (raking, driving, sand castles, etc).
Doing so helps strengthen the coast by making space for a species that provides the foundation for natural dune-building to begin. Last year was a banner year for seabeach amaranth in New Jersey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now supporting an expansion of the PPA’s work with communities.
Learn more about the full story here (from “Conserving the Nature of the Northeast”).
The Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) – please use this template for guidance.
“Memorial Day is the start of the beach season at the Jersey Shore, and no sound is more iconic to beachgoers than the call of the laughing gull (click on this link to hear one). Like many vacationers, laughing gulls are regular visitors to NJ’s beaches, marshes, and back bays throughout the summer and fall. These medium-sized birds are relatives to lesser black-backed and Bonaparte’s gulls, which they can be found in congregation with along coastal areas of NJ. Adults have black heads, thin white eye crescents, and red bills which make them easy to identify. If you notice a laughing gull extending and lowering its neck, calling, and then throwing its head backwards, it is displaying a threatening behavior and alerting other gulls to stay away. This is also an important reminder for all beachgoers to practice social distancing!”
Did you know…
– Laughing gulls are opportunistic feeders. They eat snails, insects, crabs, squid, garbage, and anything else they can get their beaks on – including the snacks they steal from your beach bag!
– During the spring nesting season, male and female laughing gulls build their nest together where the female will lay 2-4 brown with black-speckled eggs.
– The oldest known laughing gull lived to be 22 years old!
Check out this cool video – and happy Memorial Day weekend!
For more information on NJSGC’s #SeaCreaturesInYourNeighborhood campaign, please click here.
VOTING IS NOW CLOSED. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR NJSGC’S FULL LIST OF WINNERS.
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New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium Debuts “Favorite Beaches” Poll for Summer 2020 with 94.3 THE POINT!
Current times remain daunting and uncertain for most. But take a moment to close your eyes and just imagine – sandy toes, sun-kissed skin, gentle gusts of the warm, salty air… That’s the epitome of summers spent at the Jersey Shore. Despite the future’s unknown, one thing remains for sure. The beaches await our return – under whatever circumstances that might be.
NJSGC would like to keep the traditions going this Memorial Day Weekend with 94.3 “The Point.” And with that, we’re proud to debut the highly-anticipated “Favorite Beaches” poll for 2020!
Starting today, fans get to choose their favorite local “hotspots” from a list of amazing beaches located throughout the Jersey Shore’s four coastal counties – Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, and Ocean. NJSGC will announce the winners around the July Fourth holiday.
First established in 2008 as New Jersey’s “Top Ten Beaches,” the survey was initially designed to encourage friendly competition and camaraderie amongst popular Jersey Shore communities along the coast. Following Hurricane Sandy, the contest was rebranded “Favorite Beaches” to diversify results so that ALL areas of the Garden State’s gorgeous oceanfront are recognized, inspiring a refreshing sense of unity and support.
An overall “top beach” is still announced, with Ocean City remaining undefeated over the past several years. But will that impressive winning streak end in 2020? Asbury Park, Seaside Heights, Margate, and Brigantine have definitely proved fierce competitors over the past few years… You decide!
Be sure to share the “Favorite Beaches” poll with family and friends, and stay tuned for when NJSGC announces the official results of 2020 later this summer.
NJSGC would like to send a huge thank you to 94.3 “The Point” for their continued support and enthusiasm!
Our mission at NJSGC is to promote the wise use of the State’s marine and coastal resources through research, education, and outreach. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for more updates. Please contact NJSGC’s communications specialist for more information.
For those interested in New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium’s marine science summer day camp program, we are asking for your participation in a brief survey to help determine the likelihood of this upcoming season.
NJSGC’s education staff is currently in the midst of planning during these unprecedented times, and any thoughts/suggestions are greatly appreciated. Please take a moment to respond to these two questions. Also feel free to share this survey with other interested parties. The deadline to respond is Tuesday, May 26th, 2020.
Who’s up for a little marine-inspired scavenger hunt? Get ready for NJSGC’s “Sea Creatures in your Neighborhood” campaign! Here’s the plan.
Draw and color a picture of NJSGC’s “animal of the week” (more information below).
Include a “fun fact” about this creature.
Hang your masterpiece in a front window, door, or yard. Snap a photo to post on social media with the hashtags #SeaCreaturesInYourNeighborhood, #NJSGC, and #SeaGrantSTEM. Be sure to include the name of your city or town Feel free to send photos directly to NJSGC by contacting our Communications Specialist.
On your next ride or walk around the neighborhood (while respecting the rules of social distancing), take pictures of any #SeaCreaturesInYourNeighborhood you notice. Or search and discover more virtually.
Encourage friends and family to do the same and be sure to share your findings with us!
Stay tuned for next week’s ”animal of the week” and repeat. Stay safe and have fun while learning about our favorite sea creatures found along the Jersey Shore!
NJSGC will “spotlight” all submissions throughout Spring 2020.
The Common Atlantic Octopus (Octopus vulgaris) – please use this template for guidance.
“In honor of Mother’s Day this past weekend, we would like to pay tribute to one of the most dedicated moms in the ocean, the octopus! The Common Atlantic Octopus can be found living in crevices and muddy bottoms of NJ’s coastal waters. This member of the Mollusk family has greyish-yellow or brownish-green smooth skin that can change with its surroundings, which helps it maintain its private lifestyle. Like all octopuses, it has 8 arm-like tentacles with suckers to capture its prey. When a female is ready to lay her eggs, she will find a hiding spot such as a hole or other hollow area that can be sealed off with rocks, shells, or debris. Inside she will lay thousands of eggs (up to 500,000!) and stitch them together in long braids that she will then attach to the walls of the den. In the 4-5 months that it takes for the eggs to hatch, the mother octopus never leaves the nest to feed. Instead, she will vigilantly care for her young by carefully blowing water with her siphon over the eggs to keep them clean and oxygenated and protecting them from predators. After her young have hatched and she has shuttled them out of their nest, she will finally venture out in a weakened state and give the ultimate gift – her life.”
Watch this cool video excerpt from PBS’ “Nature” show entitled Octopus: Making Contact where a teenager befriends this unique creature!
Did you know…
– Considered the smartest of all invertebrates thanks to their large brains, octopuses can recognize people and explore objects through play – even opening jars and locked boxes!
– Octopuses use their tentacles not only for touching but for tasting, too!
– The Common Atlantic Octopus can grow up to 3 feet and live for 2-3 years.
– As a mollusk, octopuses are related to clams and oysters, but they have no external or internal shell.
Please visit NJSGC’s educational resources webpage for more information on this “social distancing” scavenger hunt campaign.
UPDATE – New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium’s 18th annual State of the Shore event originally scheduled for May 21, 2020 is now postponed until further notice.
Prior to the Jersey Shore’s busy summer season, NJSGC invites media and tourism representatives to learn more about the ever-changing conditions of our shoreline from a group of local scientists and environmental managers. Over the past several years we’ve hosted this press event at Tim McLoone’s Supper Club located on the iconic Asbury Park boardwalk, with guest speakers including NJSGC Coastal Processes Specialist Dr. Jon Miller and NJDEP Commissioner Catherine McCabe.
Due to the current circumstances surrounding COVID-19, organizers have made the difficult decision to postpone NJSGC’s State of the Shore event until further notice. We take the safety and health of our guests, staff, and community very seriously. We urge everyone to follow the guidelines continuously put forth by public health officials.
An official “State of the Shore” report will still be made available to the public later this month. As more beach towns start providing information and protocols in regards to social distancing, NJSGC will make the decision to release a remote State of the Shore update (likely a live broadcast from Sandy Hook). Please view coverage from 2019 here.
We will share more details as the situation develops. Please contact NJSGC’s Communications Specialist Danica Bellini with any further questions or inquiries.
New Jersey boasts some of the most picturesque beaches along the East Coast. If you have a great shot that celebrates and embraces the natural elements of the Garden State’s beautiful coastline, submit the image to NJSGC’s revamped “Favorite Beaches of the Jersey Shore” photo contest! Ultimately, the top twelve photos will be used to create New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium’s annual desktop calendar for 2021.
About the Contest:
New Jersey Sea Grant’s graphic design team will select 24 photos from all entries received up until Monday, June 1st (5 pm EST). Those finalists will then be posted on the NJSGC website where visitors can vote for their favorite throughout the month leading up to the July Fourth holiday.
NJSGC’s “Jersey Shore” Photo Contest Submission Guidelines: (If your submission does not meet the following guidelines, it will not be considered)
Only one (1) photo submission per person.
Entries should be submitted as an attachment via email to NJSGC’s Communications Specialist at dbellini@njseagrant.org.
The email entry should include: name, email, photo location, and image title.
Stick to the contest theme: Natural Elements of New Jersey Beaches. We welcome both traditional and innovative approaches to this subject, but please no family portraits.
Photo files must be .JPG or .PNG format and a minimum of 300 DPI saved at a quality setting of “10” or higher and 8 ½” for the longest side.
Images should be horizontal (landscape).
Entries will be accepted until 5 pm (EST) on June 1st, 2020.
Submit only your own original work.
Photos should be appropriate for a general audience. Explicit content is expressly prohibited.
Post-processing and digital manipulation is not allowed, but minor adjustments to contrast, filtration, subtle burning, and dodging are acceptable.
All entries become the property of NJSGC and may be used by the organization for other educational or marketing materials (the twelve finalists will receive an additional waiver for signature prior to publication of the calendar).
By submitting your photo to this contest, you grant NJSGC permission to publicly display, reproduce, and use the photographs in all manner and media for any and all purposes, including related promotional purposes, in perpetuity. You also warrant that the photo is your original work and does not violate the copyright or any other personal or property right of any third party, and that you may be required to and can obtain any and all releases and permissions necessary for its use in the production of our calendar, including releases for any recognizable faces, unless they are incidental to a larger scene (e.g., a group of sunbathers on the beach).
Winners will be announced prior to the July Fourth holiday. These images will be used to create the 2021 NJSGC downloadable desktop calendar (https://njseagrant.org/desktop-calendars/), which will also feature useful coastal facts and information to help locals and visitors learn more about and appreciate the Jersey Shore.
