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:
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.
** NOTICE DATE/LOCATION CHANGE: No longer at McLoone’s Asbury Park on Thursday, May 25th.
About: NJSGC’s State of the Shore Media Event is your opportunity to meet with coastal expert Dr. Jon Miller (NJSGC/Stevens Institute of Technology) and NJDEP Commissioner Bob Martin to learn how New Jersey’s shorelines fared over the winter and hear their forecast on conditions for our state’s beaches during the 2017 summer season.
RSVP: Please confirm your attendance by emailing Danica Bellini, NJSGC Communications Specialist at dbellini@njseagrant.org.
Voting for New Jersey’s Favorite Beaches is underway for 2017!
Despite the winter storms that worked their way through New Jersey this year, the state’s beaches are ready for the summer influx of beachgoers.
Last week New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium hosted its 14th Annual State of the Shore media event. Each year, this press conference features Dr. Jon Miller’s State of the Shore report — an update on the condition of the state’s beaches. Dr. Miller is New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium’s coastal processes specialist and a research associate professor at Stevens Institute of Technology. This report has been an invaluable tool for those interested in the coast, especially in the years after Sandy.
While New Jersey was spared from a direct hit from a storm such as Sandy, the winter storms that impacted the state did leave their mark, leaving behind narrowed beaches. However, beaches are in a rebuilding mode and are expected to reach their typical width by mid to late summer. Read the full State of the Shore report here.
Miller reported that conditions beneath the waves are important as well. The sand that winter storms Jonas and Joaquin moved off the beaches in many areas have now taken the form of sand bars. The flow of water between these sand bars and the shore could result in rip currents. Dr. Miller cautioned that beachgoers should be extra alert this year for this beach hazard. Read more about rip currents here.
NJDEP Commissioner Bob Martin shared the agenda with Miller and assured that the water quality in New Jersey is excellent and launched their new interactive public access map.
The Commissioner may have summed it up best when he said New Jersey would not be the same without the Jersey Shore. With more than 2900 access points, New Jerseyans have their pick of where they can enjoy the coast.
ASBURY PARK — The New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium issued Thursday its annual State of the Shore report
The cold and snow of the past winter had little impact on the state’s beaches. Thanks to realtively few coastal storms, typical waves and minor flooding, the beaches and dunes were not punished by eroision.
Two years of mild winters has lead to most of the more than 14 million cubic yards of sand washed away by Superstorm Sandy to be replaced by natural processes. The natural replacement of sand has been bolstered by Army Corps of Engineers beach renourishment projects.
Commissioner Bob Martin, of the state Department of Environmental Protection, which is a NJSGC-member organization, spoke about the state’s efforts in conjunction with the federal government to rebuild Sandy-damaged beaches throughout the state, the water quality at those beaches and the low number of days in which beaches needed to be closed last summer.
Click here to read an NJDEP statement about commissioner Martin’s remarks.
Who: NJDEP Commissioner Bob Martin; Dr. Jon Miller, NJSGC coastal process specialist; Dr. Stewart Farrell of Stockton University’s Coastal Research Center.
About: The State of the Shore is an annual report examining erosion and other impacts to the Jersey Shore. Particular attention this year will be given to the amount of erosion incurred by Superstorm Sandy, and how the beaches in the state’s four coastal counties are recovering from a loss of 14.24 million cubic yards of sand, which is the equivalent of 7.12 million light duty pick-up truck payloads.
RSVP: Please confirm your attendance by emailingMatthew McGrath, NJSGC communications specialist.
SANDY HOOK, NJ: The 2014 State of the Shore Media Event took place on Thursday, May 22 at McLoone’s Supper Club on the Asbury Park boardwalk. The annual event is hosted by the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium (NJSGC) and features a report on the condition of New Jersey’s beaches prepared and presented by Dr. Jon Miller, NJSGC’s Coastal Processes Specialist. Dr. Miller is also a Research Professor at Stevens Institute of Technology. Additional speakers included Dr. Stewart Farrell, Director of the Richard Stockton College Coastal Research Center and NJDEP’s Commissioner Bob Martin. Winners of the New Jersey Top Ten Beaches survey were also announced at the event along with the unveiling of a new project for the NJSGC, the Rain Barrel Art Project.
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 must be horizontal (landscape).
Entries will be accepted until 9 pm EST on June 28th.
Submit only your own original work.
Photos should be appropriate for a general audience. Explicit content is expressly prohibited.
Post-processing and digital manipulation are not allowed, but minor adjustments to contrast, filtration, etc., are acceptable.
Do not include any logos or text on the photo.
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 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 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).
Copyright Ownership All photographers submitting work to the Jersey Shore Photo Contest retain full copyright ownership of their submitted photographs.
License Granted to NJSGC By submitting photographs to the contest, the photographer grants the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium (NJSGC) a non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free license to use the submitted photographs in any format or medium, now known or later developed.
This license includes the unrestricted right to:
Publish and republish
Distribute and redistribute
Display publicly or privately
Archive
Edit or adapt for layout or formatting purposes (without altering the integrity of the image)
Share with NJSGC partners, affiliates, and collaborators
Permitted Uses NJSGC may use the submitted photographs for any purpose related to its mission, including but not limited to:
Social media platforms
Websites and digital media
Printed and digital publications
Educational materials
Promotional and marketing materials
Advertisements and campaigns
Exhibitions and public displays
Grant reports and institutional communications
No Compensation Required Photographers acknowledge that no monetary compensation will be provided for the use of submitted photographs beyond any recognition explicitly stated as part of the contest.
Photographer Rights This license is non-exclusive, meaning photographers remain free to use, publish, license, or sell their photographs elsewhere without restriction.
New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium (NJSGC) in conjunction with The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, has released a Request for Proposals (RFP). This research-grant based RFP, funded through the state’s Offshore Wind Research & Monitoring Initiative (RMI), promotes regional research and monitoring efforts to assess the impacts of offshore wind development on coastal and marine resources during the pre-construction, construction, operation, and decommissioning phases. Please see the full Request for Proposal here.
The goal of this funding is to execute a robust Research and Monitoring Initiative to support the responsible implementation of offshore wind energy in the waters off New Jersey’s coastline. The Initiative employs the best available science and is consistent with mandates to protect and responsibly manage New Jersey’s marine and coastal resources.With this solicitation, the RMI seeks to award funding for projects in the following focus areas:
Non-extractive methods for surveying wildlife and habitat ($500,000)
Technological innovations in data collection, analysis, and management ($500,000)
Fishery sustainability and socioeconomic impacts of offshore wind activities ($750,000)
Identifying and reducing offshore wind noise impacts on marine wildlife ($750,000)
Characterization of benthic ecosystems and primary productivity ($1,000,000)
Assessing bird and bat abundance, migration patterns, and risk exposure associated with offshore wind ($500,000)
Proposals that address other high priority research needs identified by the RMI. These high priority research needs include projects on data management, environmental change, benthic systems, birds, bats, fish and invertebrates, sea turtles, marine mammals, and fisheries ($750,000)
Applicants should contact New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium by August 28, 2024 by 5pm EST with their intention to submit a proposal by sending a Letter of Intent to Julie Lang at jlang@njseagrant.org.For Principle Investigators with an approved Letter of Intent, the proposal deadline has been extended to October 22 by 5PM. Please contact Dr. Peter Rowe at prowe@njseagrant.org with any questions or concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can organizations / institutions / agencies outside of New Jersey apply for these funds?
Yes, entities outside of New Jersey are allowed to apply for these funds. However, proposed work should be within New Jersey addressing New Jersey’s priorities, and finding suitable New Jersey partners. The project team does not need to include someone as co-PI from NJ but PI team should have partners that they will work with from NJ or have a presence in NJ. For example any support (letter of support in full proposal) from a state agency or organization (e.g., TNC) that operates there or associations with NJ interests (e.g., ECSGA, GSSA, JCAA), or industry (e.g., Lund’s Fishery).
May interested entities submit more than one Letter of Intent?
Yes, an entity submitting a Letter of Intent can submit more than one.
Are entities already being funded by NJDEP RMI allowed to submit a Letter of Intent and Proposal?
Yes, currently or previously funded entities through RMI are allowed to submit a Letter of Intent.
Are you looking to fund more than one project per focus area or should budgets match the available funding for that focus area?
DEP RMI is interested in funding one project from each focus area at the suggested cap. So please match your budget cap to that focus area.
New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium (NJSGC) in conjunction with The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, has released a Request for Proposals (RFP). This research-grant based RFP, funded through the state’s Offshore Wind Research & Monitoring Initiative (RMI), promotes regional research and monitoring efforts to assess the impacts of offshore wind development on coastal and marine resources during the pre-construction, construction, operation, and decommissioning phases. Please see the full Request for Proposal here.
The goal of this funding is to execute a robust Research and Monitoring Initiative to support the responsible implementation of offshore wind energy in the waters off New Jersey’s coastline. The Initiative employs the best available science and is consistent with mandates to protect and responsibly manage New Jersey’s marine and coastal resources.With this solicitation, the RMI seeks to award funding for projects in the following focus areas:
Non-extractive methods for surveying wildlife and habitat ($500,000)
Technological innovations in data collection, analysis, and management ($500,000)
Fishery sustainability and socioeconomic impacts of offshore wind activities ($750,000)
Identifying and reducing offshore wind noise impacts on marine wildlife ($750,000)
Characterization of benthic ecosystems and primary productivity ($1,000,000)
Assessing bird and bat abundance, migration patterns, and risk exposure associated with offshore wind ($500,000)
Proposals that address other high priority research needs identified by the RMI. These high priority research needs include projects on data management, environmental change, benthic systems, birds, bats, fish and invertebrates, sea turtles, marine mammals, and fisheries ($750,000)
Applicants should contact New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium by August 28, 2024 by 5pm EST with their intention to submit a proposal by sending a Letter of Intent to Julie Lang at jlang@njseagrant.org.For Principle Investigators with an approved Letter of Intent, the proposal deadline has been extended to October 22 by 5PM. Please contact Dr. Peter Rowe at prowe@njseagrant.org with any questions or concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can organizations / institutions / agencies outside of New Jersey apply for these funds?
Yes, entities outside of New Jersey are allowed to apply for these funds. However, proposed work should be within New Jersey addressing New Jersey’s priorities, and finding suitable New Jersey partners. The project team does not need to include someone as co-PI from NJ but PI team should have partners that they will work with from NJ or have a presence in NJ. For example any support (letter of support in full proposal) from a state agency or organization (e.g., TNC) that operates there or associations with NJ interests (e.g., ECSGA, GSSA, JCAA), or industry (e.g., Lund’s Fishery).
May interested entities submit more than one Letter of Intent?
Yes, an entity submitting a Letter of Intent can submit more than one.
Are entities already being funded by NJDEP RMI allowed to submit a Letter of Intent and Proposal?
Yes, currently or previously funded entities through RMI are allowed to submit a Letter of Intent.
Are you looking to fund more than one project per focus area or should budgets match the available funding for that focus area?
DEP RMI is interested in funding one project from each focus area at the suggested cap. So please match your budget cap to that focus area.
