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State of the Bay Report - 2016
How is the overall health of the Barnegat Bay? Has the bay changed over the last five years? The Barnegat Bay Partnership's (BBP's)
State of the Bay Report - 2016, released this June, aims to answer these questions by examining 17 environmental indicators. The indicators are measurable characteristics (
e.g., dissolved oxygen, water withdrawals, shellfish bed closures) that are used to observe changes in the bay over time.
The Barnegat Bay Partnership publishes a
State of the Bay Report every five years. To create the report, a technical workgroup of Barnegat Bay
scientists reviews data from recent and ongoing research to determine both the current status and overall trends of the indicators used to assess the bay's condition.
For
a quick summary of the finding
s of the 2016 report, refer to the easy-to-read status and trend dials at the beginning of the report. Explore issues in more detail by referring to the sections about each indicator.
H
elpful figures, maps, and other graphics illustrate the text, and stunning photographs show the beauty of our bay and its watershed. For the first time, the BBP's State of the Bay Report is also available in a Spanish-language version.
The report's findings include the following areas of concern for the bay.
- Water Quality: Studies indicate an increase in the amount of nitrogen entering the bay; excess nitrogen contributes to "eutrophication" -- a process which can result in an increase in nuisance algal blooms, low dissolved oxygen, and other adverse effects that stress life in the bay.
- Water Supply: As the watershed's population grows, freshwater withdrawals for human use have increased, impacting the base flow of our rivers and streams and the timing and amount of freshwater reaching the bay.
- Habitat: Critical habitats continue to be lost, including freshwater and tidal wetlands (important for flood protection, water quality, and wildlife habitat) and sea grass beds (critical nursery habitat for many fish and shellfish species).
- Fisheries: Hard clam populations continue to be severely depleted in the bay compared to the mid-1980s. On the other hand, the fish community in the bay has been relatively stable.
The State of the Bay Report is based on the best available science; continued monitoring and assessments are critical for measuring the progress of efforts to protect and restore the bay and for planning future actions. If you would like a printed copy of the report, please email mjudge@ocean.edu.
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No time to read the full report? Watch our State of the Bay video to get a great overview of the report's findings and see how scientists collect some data used in the report. Learn what's next for plans to manage the bay's protection and restoration.
The video was produced by BBP and Jarvis Productions.
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| Photo courtesy of Montclair University. |
Clinging Jellyfish at the Jersey Shore
Clinging jellyfish (
Gonionemus vertens) have been spotted at the Jersey Shore this year. A native of the Pacific Ocean, this dime-sized jellyfish species was accidentally introduced to Atlantic coastal waters in Massachusetts in the late 1800s. Previously unreported in New Jersey, they may be new invaders here, or just not noticed until recently due to relatively low numbers.
Although not yet observed in the Barnegat Bay, clinging jellyfish have been identified in the Shrewsbury and Manasquan Rivers. Their presence in the Manasquan River is of concern, since the Manasquan connects to the northern part of the bay through the Point Pleasant canal.
Why are we concerned? Despite its small size, this highly venomous species packs a powerful and painful sting that can have serious, and sometimes long-term, health consequences. Each mature clinging jellyfish has from 60 to 90 tentacles loaded with stinging capsules called nematocysts, which release neurotoxins when triggered. The venom can cause acute respiratory problems, joint and muscle pain, dermatitis, and even kidney failure in severe cases. A NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) fact sheet provides more information about clinging jellyfish, including recommendations for what to do if stung.
Where do we find them? Clinging jellyfish prefer shallow, calm vegetated habitats in tidal rivers and bays. Pads on their tentacles enable them to cling to eelgrass, macroalgae, and other shallow-water plants. They typically cling to plants during the day, becoming more active at night as they move into the water column to feed on zooplankton (tiny animals in the water). Staying out of their preferred habitat (eelgrass and other submerged vegetation) is the best way to avoid getting stung.
Scientists from the NJDEP Division of Science, Research and Environmental Health have been working with
Dr. Paul Bologna and Dr. Jack Gaynor (jellyfish researchers with the Montclair University Marine Biology and Coastal Sciences Program) to monitor the coast for the presence of clinging jellyfish.
Monitoring methods include plankton tows and seining within seagrass beds.
Since the initial sightings in June, there has been only one confirmed sighting in July. Back in the lab, Dr. Bologna and Dr. Gaynor observed a sea nettle (a common jellyfish species found in abundance in NJ coastal waters during the summer) eating a clinging jellyfish.
Visit our
website for more information, including the many questions we still have about this invasive species of jellyfish.
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New Eel Video Available Online
Want to learn more about the Barnegat Bay Partnership's American eel research? Check out our new video and see our research staff in action as they monitor the winter ingress of juvenile American eels into Barnegat Bay rivers after a long migration from the Sargasso Sea. The video was produced by BBP and Jarvis Productions.
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Citizen Scientists Collect More Data in Second Year of
"Paddle for the Edge"
Thanks to more than 50 enthusiastic citizen scientists, the second year of the Barnegat Bay Partnership's "Paddle for the Edge" survey covered about 30 miles of bay shoreline. Trained volunteers helped collect important data about the condition of the bay's shorelines by using a cell phone app. During this year's survey, which ran from June 18th through July 5th, they recorded data from more than 1,000 points along the shoreline.
The BBP launched the first "Paddle for the Edge" event in 2015. In the two years of the survey, more than 60 volunteers paddled a total of approximately 50 miles of shoreline and collected more than 1,650 data points with their smartphones. Visit our
website to learn more about this study.
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| Paddle for the Edge volunteer recording data on his smartphone. |
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