NJSGC’s Fish and Wildlife marine recreational fishing regulation cards are now available for 2019. The cards are provided free of charge by New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The cards provide information on the correct minimum size, possession limits, and season of catch. The laminated cards are convenient to bring on any fishing outing, complete with built-in ruler to measure your catch and make sure they are above the minimum size.
The regulation cards are distributed to the public through NJSGC and can be found at local marinas, bait and tackle shops, etc. This year, cards can also be found at the New Jersey Natural Gas Studio located on the Asbury Park Boardwalk between 3rd and 4th Ave. NJSGC broadcasts live from this booth every Friday (7:45am and 6:15pm) with 94.3 “The Point” radio.
Fish are measured from tip of snout to tip of tail, with the exception of black sea bass and sharks. No species of fish with a minimum size limits listed on the card can be filleted or cleaned at sea.
The cards also serve as a reminder to register to fish. It is free and can be done at SaltwaterRegistry.nj.gov.
Please visit our website or NJFishandWildlife.com for more resources. Also feel free to contact NJSGC’s Assistant Director of Extension and Marine Recreation Agent: Fisheries and Boating Mike Danko for additional information.
It’s officially summertime at the Jersey Shore, which means New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium is ready to announce the results of this year’s “Favorite Beaches” contest!
Thousands of voters participated in this annual survey following its 94.3 “The Point” radio debut over the Memorial Day Weekend. In anticipation of the July Fourth holiday, winners were honored during a gorgeous beachside ceremony held at Music Pier in Ocean City on Friday, June 28th. Once again, this popular shore town was honored as top overall favorite – that’s 11 years of undefeated victory!
The survey – initially deemed “New Jersey’s Top Ten Beaches” – was created in 2008 to encourage some friendly competition and camaraderie amongst popular Jersey Shore communities throughout the state. The poll was later rebranded “Favorite Beaches” so that individual towns from all four coastal counties can have an opportunity to shine. So without further delay, here is the breakdown for 2019:
Overall:
Ocean City
Margate
Atlantic:
Margate
Brigantine
Atlantic City
Longport
Ventnor
Cape May:
Ocean City
Wildwood Crest
Sea Isle City
Cape May
Wildwood
Monmouth:
Asbury Park
Spring Lake
Sandy Hook – Gateway National Recreation Area
Belmar
Ocean Grove
Ocean:
Seaside Heights
Point Pleasant Beach
Beach Haven
Island Beach State Park
Barnegat Light
And new this year… NJSGC’s revamped “Jersey Shore” photo contest received dozens of submissions and thousands of votes. The Top 12 winning images featured below will appear in the official NJSGC online desktop calendar for 2020.
Thanks to everyone who voted, and be sure to stay tuned for more updates throughout the summer!
In the Spring 2019 edition of the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association‘s “Shore & Beach” journal (ASBPA), NJSGC’s Coastal Ecosystems Extension Agent Dr. Amy Williams contributed to a “Coastal Observation” piece about beach erosion in the Outer Banks.
Coastal erosion field trip at the Sea Grant’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting with North Carolina Sea Grant Specialist Spencer Rogers
Amy Williams, Kathleen Fallon, Danielle Swallow
Abstract:
During Sea Grant’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting at the end of March 2018, a group of coastal scientists took advantage of the location on the Outer Banks of North Carolina to view the recent impacts of multiple nor’easters that had wreaked havoc on the coast (Figure 1). “Nor’easters” is the term used for the extratropical cyclones that form during the months between October and April, typically, when cold, dry continental air meets warmer air from the Atlantic Ocean. These storms intensify as they move northeast along the coast, bringing large storm surges and increased wave energy resulting in flooding and beach erosion. Coastal resiliency and flood insurance rates are critical issues to local communities. The Community Rating System, FEMA flood maps, and the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 all play a part in determining the flood insurance rates for homeowners in North Carolina.
Voting for NJSGC’s “Jersey Shore” photo contest is now underway! Thanks to everyone who entered – the design team received dozens of extraordinary images, and it was very difficult to narrow it down to just 26 finalists.
Fans can now select up to three of their favorite snapshots displayed here. The 12 photos with the most votes will be used for New Jersey Sea Grant’s 2020 desktop calendar. Winning photographers will also receive an enlarged glossy poster of their amazing work.
Please visit NJSGC’s “Jersey Shore” photo contest homepage to view all the finalists. Once you’ve had the opportunity, it’s finally time tovote here!
Get the shades and sunscreen out! Several early weather forecasts already predict a hot-and-dry summer season throughout New Jersey, with much less rainfall compared to last year. With sunnier days and warmer temperature ahead, even more people will be flocking to the Garden State’s beautiful coastline over the next several months.
And thankfully, we’re ready for them. — Danica Bellini, NJSGC Communications Specialist
—–
Dr. Jon K. Miller (NJSGC/Stevens Institute of Technology) delivered a promising report at this year’s State of the Shore media event, announcing that NJ beaches are in prime condition heading into the Memorial Day Weekend (and beyond).
“Overall, New Jersey enters this summer season with its beaches in extremely good shape. The past two winter storm seasons have been relatively mild which has allowed the beaches to remain fairly robust. Many communities have benefited from the addition of sand through beach nourishment projects since [Hurricane] Sandy, and the majority of that sand remains in the system, ready to absorb the impact of future storms. As is typical in the late spring/early summer, the beaches are currently in their most narrow configuration; however, they will likely regain their width in the coming months as offshore sand bars migrate towards the coastline and reattach. Due to the relatively mild winter, it is likely that the beaches will regain their full width early on in the summer season which is good news for coastal residents, businesses, and visitors.”
NJDEP Commissioner Catherine McCabe expressed similar views:
“The beaches are in great shape. The water quality is in great shape. Come to the beaches and enjoy yourselves. And everyone that’s not from New Jersey, come to enjoy and discover out beaches.”
Dr. Amy Williams, NJSGC’s Coastal Ecosystems Extension Agent from Stevens Institute of Technology, also promoted the program’s Rip Current Awareness campaign during an impassioned speech about beach safety and ocean hazards.
“More than 80 percent of surf-related ocean rescues are attributed to rip currents,” said Dr. Williams. “It is critical that swimmers not panic if caught in one and that they swim parallel to the shoreline until they are no longer in its grasp. At that point, they should be able to swim safely back to shore.”
Get the shades and sunscreen ready! The fun-filled days of summer are fast approaching, which means it’s finally time to cast your vote for New Jersey’s favorite beach!
Starting today, fans get to choose their favorite local “hotspots” from a list of amazing beaches throughout the Jersey Shore’s four coastal counties – Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, and Ocean. New Jersey Sea Grant (NJSGC) will announce the winners around the July Fourth holiday.
This year’s poll debuted during a LIVE broadcast on the Asbury Park boardwalk with 94.3 “The Point.”
Debuting 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 victor is still announced, with Ocean City remaining undefeated champ over the past several years. But will that impressive winning streak end in 2019? Asbury Park has definitely proved a fierce competitor over the past couple years… You decide!
Be sure to share NJSGC’s highly-anticipated “Favorite Beaches” poll with family and friends, and stay tuned for the official results later this summer.
Connect with New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for more updates. Thank you for your continued support!
New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium and New Jersey Natural Gas would like to thank everyone who came out to celebrate the 16th annual Ocean Fun Days with us. We experienced record-breaking crowds this weekend, with smiles and eagerness to learn all around. Thanks especially to our sponsors and exhibitors – this festival wouldn’t be possible without their hard work and dedication!
We’d love to hear your thoughts on what makes this event so great, and how we can improve things in the future. Please take a moment to complete our online questionnaire.
BONUS: Submit your email with the survey and have a chance to win a one-of-a-kind “OFD 2019” t-shirt! [As pictured below on NJSGC’s doggie mascot, Taylor Ham]
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.
About the Contest:
New Jersey Sea Grant’s graphic design team will select 24 photos from all entries received up until June 1st. 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.
New Jersey’s “Favorite Beaches” Photo Contest Submission Guidelines: (If your submission does not meet the following guidelines, it will not be considered)
The email entry must include: name, current hometown, contact information (phone and email) and a title or name for the image.
Photo files must be .JPG format and a minimum of 300 DPI saved at quality setting of “10” or higher and 8 ½” for longest side
Images should be horizontal (landscape)
Entries will be accepted until 9 pm (EST) on June 1st, 2019
Submit only your own original work
Stick to the contest theme: The Natural Elements of New Jersey Beaches. We welcome both traditional and innovative approaches to this subject
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, subtle burning, and dodging are acceptable since some images need minor adjustments due to scanning process or camera settings
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. However, you will retain the copyright to your photo and NJSGC will not sell your photo. 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)
To celebrate NJSGC’s “Favorite Beaches” contest in 2019, we’ll be announcing the Top 12 photos that received the most votes right before the July Fourth holiday. These images will be used to create the 2020 NJSGC downloadable desktop calendar, which will also feature useful coastal facts and information that will help locals and visitors learn more about and appreciate the Jersey Shore. The twelve finalists will receive an additional waiver for signature prior to publication of the calendar.
Enrollment is still open for NJSGC’s College Program and Marine Science Day Camp.
Are you currently enrolled at one of NJSGC’s Member Institutions? If so, take advantage of some “beach” learning this summer! NJSGC offers sessions on Intro to Marine Science and Intro to Marine Biology which can be transferred as direct credit. For more information, please visit our College Programs website.
As for those younger students interested in STEM, our marine science day camp program covers a diverse range of topics appropriate for grades 3-9. Spots are still available but do fill-up quickly, so please contact Rosemary Higgins for any further inquiries.
We can’t wait to learn with you this summer at the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium!
