In conjunction with this year’s Top Ten Beaches Survey, a unique and educational tie-in was launched: the Rain Barrel Art Project. In an effort to create public awareness around the use of rain barrels and the ways in which they help conserve water, we selected twelve New Jersey artists to paint a barrel with an iconic Jersey Shore scene. The result was a beautiful, creative, and stunning display. View the rain barrels here. Now we’re rolling them out at shore area events and festivals.
(Sandy Hook, NJ) — Sentimental beach lovers have until April 28th, to cast their photo votes and share their favorite Jersey Shore memories at www.njtoptenbeaches.org. The creators of the popular NJ Top Ten Beaches annual survey and tourism leaders from Sandy Hook to Cape May have teamed up to focus on a different angle for this year’s project by asking visitors to the web site to vote for a favorite photo and share a favorite shore memory that will help create a special limited-edition Making More Shore Memories calendar.
It may be summer, but don’t forget to read all about our work from over the Spring season in our Spring 2023 ‘COASTodian’ newsletter! Stay up to date on what we’ve been up to during the season! New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium’s ‘COASTodian’ newsletter Spring 2023 is now available online here.
Check out some highlights from this edition of the COASTodian:
– NJSGC held it’s annual State of the Shore Media Event
– Celebrating 20 Years of Ocean Fun Days: Through Rain and Shine, We Had A Good Time!
– Research spotlight: New Jersey Response of Salt Marsh Methane Emissions to Sea Level Rise
– Coastal Health Initiative Grant Awardees Selected for the 2023 Sandy Hook Partnerships in Coastal Studies Research Opportunity
In 2021-2022, contributions from important donors like you allowed us to:
Continue funding ocean, climate, and social science research to further promote sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, enhance healthy coastal ecosystems, and create a environmental literate workforce throughout the Garden State.
Provided nearly 20,000 schoolchildren from over 30 different legislative districts the opportunity to experience unique hands-on experiential learning through our robust education programs.
Disperse nearly 65,000 NJ Fish and Wildlife marine recreational fishing regulation cards and posters to over 260 marinas throughout the State, from over 24 different legislative districts.
Influenced more than 150 marinas to have operating pumpout stations (including nine pumpout boats) thanks to NJSGC’s involvement with the New Jersey Clean Vessel Act Program.
We’re looking forward to the bright future ahead of the Consortium as we move forward into our 54th year. In 2022 NJSGC not only continued, but also created several new outstanding programs and projects, including:
Piloting a novel Aquaculture Student Apprenticeship Program to provide students with an understanding of shellfish aquaculture to create a foundation for a career in the emerging field of shellfish farming.
Created a new feature section in the COASTodian Newsletter called “Research Spotlight” focusing on NJSGC’s groundbreaking and innovative coastal, ocean, and climate research.
Hosted a Professional Development Workshop intended for elementary school teachers looking to build confidence in teaching climate science in their classrooms.
And much more to come in 2023!
With your support we can continue to work hard to promote the wise use of New Jersey’s marine and coastal resources through research, education, and outreach. The New Year is just around the corner. Can we count on you to support our mission to steward New Jersey’s marine and coastal environment? To make a year-end, tax-deductible contribution to NJSGC for 2022, please click HERE or kindly address your contribution to:
Deborah Meehan Quinn
New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium
22 Magruder Road
Fort Hancock, NJ 07732
In 2019-2020, contributions from donors like you allowed us to:
Continue supporting marine, coastal, and social science research to help further promote and enhance healthy coastal ecosystems, sustainable fisheries/aquaculture, resilience communities/economies, and environmental literacy/workforce development throughout the Garden State.
Provide direct instruction to nearly 20,000 schoolchildren from over 30 different legislative districts throughout NJ on a broad range of environmental topics through our diverse, interactive education programs.
Disperse nearly 65,000 NJ Fish and Wildlife marine recreational fishing regulation cards to and posters to over 260 marinas throughout the State, from over 24 different legislative districts. Of these, more than 100 have operating pumpout stations (including nine pumpout boats) thanks to NJSGC’s involvement with the New Jersey Clean Vessel Act Program.
Accept four graduate students from prestigious institutions throughout NJ into the highly-competitive John A. Knauss Marine Policy fellowship program.
And while combating the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium continues developing several outstanding programs and projects, including:
Virtual education initiatives appropriate for grades K-12. Taught by experienced environmental education staff, these lively presentations, demonstrations, experiments, and games encourage student interaction on topics designed to excite while meeting educator’s curricular needs, scout leader’s requirements, and/or families’ interests.
A new COVID-19 rapid response opportunity (led by NJSGC’s Aquaculture Program Coordinator Lisa Calvo) that helps support oyster farmers, promote habitat restoration, and advocate local seafood sales.
For the first time in 17 years, NJSGC and its partners hosted a virtual Ocean Fun Days event. Online video presentations, teacher/parent resources, and other printout activities from over 25 exhibitors provided eco-friendly fun focused on ocean discovery, coastal stewardship, and energy conservation.
In partnership with New York Sea Grant, NJSGC created a BEach SAFEly campaign to remind beachgoers to stay safe while still having fun at the Jersey Shore (and beyond).
And more to come in 2021!
Despite such trying times, we hope you choose to help so that we can continue our mission to promote the wise use of New Jersey’s marine and coastal resources through research, education, and outreach. To make a year-end, tax-deductible contribution to NJSGC for 2020, please click HERE.
If you prefer to mail your gift, kindly address your contribution to:
New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium
22 Magruder Road
Fort Hancock, NJ 07732
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
Students skipping through the hallways, birds chirping amongst the trees, seining nets sprawled out to dry on the front porch… It’s finally springtime at New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium!
This pre-summer edition of the COASTodian includes…
The beaches at Sandy Hook Gateway National Park are now open for the season. New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium’s headquarters, located at Fort Hancock, welcomes visitors Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. If you need a break from the sun, please stop in!
Things are definitely heating up at New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium this summer! While most New Jerseyans enjoy lazy, carefree days spent at the Garden State’s vast array of gorgeous beaches, NJSGC’s staff is working hard to advance knowledge and appreciation of New Jersey’s shorelines.
From Ocean Fun Days to our biennial research competition and ongoing rip current awareness campaign, NJSGC strives to inform the public about coastal and environmental concerns in new and exciting ways.
Communicating climate sciences, learning more about the origins of striped bass, and engaging youth in summer camp experiences are just some of the interesting topics covered in this edition of our quarterly newsletter. You’ll also find out which popular shore town snagged top honors in NJSGC’s annual “Favorite Beaches” poll!
Topics covered in the latest edition of the ‘COASTodian’ include:
Where Are They Now? Meet Our Brilliant Staff! NJ’s Favorite Beaches 2017 Announcement State of the Shore Report Ocean Fun Days (recap) Rip Current Awareness National Network for Climate and Ocean Change Interpretation Marine Summer Day Camp FY 2018 Budget (update) NJSGC Broadcasting Live from Asbury Pary Boardwalk (94.3 ‘The Point’) Summer College Course Opportunities Striped Bass Fishery Project (update) Ocean County Pumpout Program Celebrates 20th Anniversary Share your #NJSGC memories
Learn more about all the exciting things happening at NJSGC everyday by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or visit njseagrant.org for any further updates.
Summer’s right around the corner, which means it’s time to cast your vote for New Jersey’s favorite beach! Pick your top choices NOW before the poll closes on June 9th, 2017!
This year, fans get to choose their favorite local “hotspots” from a list of several popular beaches throughout four coastal counties – Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, and Ocean. NJSGC will still announce the “overall favorite” beach later this summer.
In 2008, the New Jersey’s Top Ten Beaches survey was created to encourage stewardship and pride in the state’s beaches while promoting a little healthy (and friendly) competition between New Jersey’s beloved beach towns. We invite you to join us in celebrating everything there is to love about the Jersey Shore! The contest has become a highlight of the Garden State’s summer festivities.
During the spring and early summer, Jersey Shore enthusiasts are invited to cast a vote for their favorite beach communities throughout four different counties.
The results of the survey were historically announced each year just before Memorial Day Weekend at the NJSGC’s State of the Shore Media Event, a premier gathering of coastal experts and state officials. In 2015, winners were instead revealed just before Independence Day, to encourage more voter participation during the Jersey Shore’s most popular time of the year.
Check out the winners of the Top Ten Beaches title from 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015. In 2013, in recognition of the devastating impacts of Superstorm Sandy, rivalries were put on hold and the survey focused instead on sharing images and memories of the Jersey Shore.
Finally, in 2016 the “Top Ten” title was revised so that voters had more variety, taking into account the vast beauty of NJ’s wondrous coastline. With nearly 10,000 votes cast, the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium revealed the winners in Ocean City last June. The two overall favorite beaches were longtime reigning champion Ocean City and Wildwood Crest.
Be sure to share this year’s survey with family and friends, and stay tuned for the official results later this summer!
Connect with NJSGC on social media for more updates. Thank you for your continued support!
