Gef Flimlin1, Cara Muscio1,
Gustavo Calvo2, and Rick Bushnell3
Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Ocean County1,
The Department of Environmental Protection, Division
of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Shellfisheries2, and ReClam the Bay,
Inc.3
Overview
Shellfish
harvesting was one of the main industries on which the early economy of Ocean
County, NJ was built. The loss of hard
clams and oysters that occurred in Barnegat and Little Egg Harbor Bay for
various reasons over the last several decades, however, not only ended a
commercial activity and way of life but also removed the filtration capacity
and other ecological services provided by shellfish. Restoration of shellfish beds in Barnegat and
Little Egg Harbor Bays offers both an environmental benefit as well as an
educational benefit. Teaching the citizens of the watershed more about the
ecology of the Bays helps people understand their role in protecting the water
quality and restoring some of the natural resources that support a healthy
environment for the estuary. By involving our young and older citizens in the
growth and care of shellfish, they become stewards of the environment, not just
visitors to it. They not only increase
their understanding of how human actions degrade our bay and watershed, but
take actions to create a more positive impact.
The Barnegat Bay Shellfish Restoration Program
(BBSRP) (http://ocean.rcre.rutgers.edu/marine/bbsrp.html),
now in its fourth year, is a joint effort between Rutgers Cooperative Extension
of Ocean County and NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife Bureau of
Shellfisheries. It initially received
funding to organize and begin from the County of Ocean Board of Chosen
Freeholders and the Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program. It has spawned a non-profit organization
called ReClam the Bay, Inc. (RCTB). Volunteers at RCTB (www.reclamthebay.org) help with
coordination with other volunteer organization, shellfish nursing, gear
maintenance, fundraising and environmental education. Through this
seamless partnership RCTB has received funds from several outside foundations
to help support the continuing efforts of BBSRP. Two years ago the BBSRP won
the Seafood Industry Award from the Jersey Shore Partnership and this year RCTB
won a Governor’s Award for Excellence in Tourism for the “Clam Trail”, a public
art and science education scavenger hunt. Also this year, the program has won a
National Gold Award for Innovative Program from the Association of Natural
Resource Extension Professionals, as well as a communications award for their
radio outreach work. Additionally, BBSRP was awarded Honorable Mention in the Healthy
Ecosystem Category of The Governor’s Award for
Environmental Excellence.
The
Shellfish Restoration Program serves to educate the citizens of Ocean County
and NJ about the coastal bay, its watersheds and peoples’ impact on these
natural resources by using the hard clam and oyster as living representatives
of the bay ecosystem. We educate people
about the requirements needed by shellfish that serve as watchdogs for good
water quality, and how they can be stewards of the natural resources that we
share.
Process
The physical part
of the process includes setting up land based and in-water shellfish
nurseries. Once the shellfish have
grown, clams are initially placed in the bay covered with predator control
screen and oysters are directly placed in areas of natural oyster habitat. When the clam seed has a better chance of
survival without predator control, the small clams are broadcast planted in
public areas for conservation and or eventual harvest. The oysters are similarly planted on public
ground that may be designated for conservation and or harvest in accordance to
established regulations.
In October, 2008 we
planted about 1.4 million clams – 540,000 at Waretown and 900,000 at Sedge
Island.
The Bureau of
Shellfisheries, after a lengthy process of filing permits with DEP and the US
Army Corps of Engineers, finally put down about 18 truck loads of crushed shell
to form the foundation of an oyster reef at the mouth of the Toms River. This
is the first activity of its kind in Barnegat Bay. We believe that it serves as
the new model of how citizen organizations can work with state and federal
agencies to improve the environment. The project cost, about $28,000 was funded
by the state. In December we planted about 110,000 oysters there, and after
over wintering and being given some spring 2009 maturing time, another 210,000
from the 2008 crop will be added to the reef.
We train, through a classroom setting, a group
of volunteers who will raise the shellfish.
Classes are led by the PIs, other extension faculty, personnel from
NJDEP Bureau of Shellfisheries, and educators from Rutgers Haskin Shellfish
Research Lab. Veteran volunteers from
the 2005 and 2006 class now assist more with the hands-on portion of the
training. This is especially important
with respect to data collection and equipment construction. Two of the volunteers have also taught
classes in the training program because of their background in environmental
education. One volunteer successfully garnered grant funds to solidify the
curriculum we use in the training program and it is being used presently in the
2008 class of over 40 people. NJDEP is
considering using our educational curriculum and process as a model for
community based shellfish restoration programs in NJ.
To get the program started, The
Barnegat Bay Shellfish Restoration Program received about $50,000 of funds from
the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders since 2005. It also received $35,000 from the USEPA
Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program.
NJDEP has contributed $30,000 in clam and oyster seed purchases
dedicated to this program. Both NJDEP and Rutgers have significant staff time
committed to BBSRP. Since 2005 the County of Ocean has also assisted the
program with materials, and employee salaries for summer students ($12,000),
and match of other County employee’s time for carpentry and moving materials.
ReClam
the Bay, Inc. is the non-profit organization established facilitate volunteer
activities and to identify sources of funds and acquire them to support BBSRP
once the initial funds from the County and the Estuary Program were spent. RCTB
has successfully brought in about $40,000 from three private foundations. The
George and Miriam Martin Foundation ($25,000), The Cambell
Foundation ($10,000), and the Eiff Foundation
($9,000) who have all been extremely generous with BBSRP and ReClam The Bay
Inc. Since it started the Clam Trail in
2007, RCTB has raised about $50,000 from sponsorship of the Giant Clams. In 2008
RCTB raised $7,500 from sales of tee shirts, Chowderfest
cup holders and oval “RCTB” Bumper stickers. The Haven Beach Club donated over
$4,400 from a Swim-athon. The program also got a grant for $13,500 from
the New Jersey Department of State Division of Travel and Tourism to promote
the Clam Trail.
The
program in its three years has successfully raised through the nursery stage
about 3 million clam seed and 500,000 oyster seed. The clams have been planted in Barnegat Bay
in three locations and the oysters have been placed on a reef in the Mullica
River. However, the program has benefits
far beyond the restoration of shellfish to our local coastal waters. The education portion of the Barnegat Bay Shellfish
Restoration Program extends far beyond training volunteers to grow shellfish. Some major
accomplishments of the program are listed below:
·
The program has seen constant growth since Spring of 2005. There have been an increase in volunteer members,
shellfish grown,
upweller sites (up to 9 in 2008 from 2 in 2005), press coverage about the
program in local daily and weekly newspapers, radio and TV shows explaining the role
of shellfish in the overall environment, and
local businesses involved in
spreading the message. The development of ReClam the Bay as a full-fledged
partner has solidified 30 highly active members, 50 active members and 45 new
volunteers. Each member contributes at least 20 hours of service and some as
much as 100 hours of service annually.
In total over 4,700 hours have been donated, which is equivalent to
$100,325 in volunteer labor.
·
BBSRP has been acting as an organizational conduit for other local
and state environmental organizations to work together and leverage each
other’s activities – there has been a consortium of groups working together on
a starter basis. They include the
Alliance for Living Ocean, the Long Beach Island Foundation for the Arts and
Sciences, the American Littoral Society, Save Barnegat Bay and the Master
Gardeners of Ocean County, in conjunction with the Barnegat Bay National
Estuary Program and the County of Ocean.
The concept is to have all the organizations and agencies developing
consistent messages for the betterment of the bay while still focusing on their
own issues. This collaboration expands
the impact of the BBSRP.
·
The Program offers first-rate professionally presented education. Over
the past two years almost 100 people have paid for the Rutgers produced
training sessions lasting seven weeks.
This year the curriculum has been formalized, and now includes both
spring and fall classes. Those who
complete the summer volunteer time and the classes will be recognized by
Rutgers University and NJDEP as Certified Shellfish Growers.
·
The shellfish program has successfully worked with
students at the Ocean County Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental
Science (MATES) to research issues related to shellfish aquaculture and water
quality for their senior projects. These
research and applied science projects give the students a real world insight
into the environmental problems and possibly how to solve them, helping them
better understand fields of study that they can pursue in college.
● Major
Conference Presentations The work of the BBSRP has been presented at meetings
of the International Conference on Shellfish Restoration both in Charleston SC
and Vlissingen, Netherlands. It has also been showcased at USDA CSREES
2008 National Water Conference, the 26th and 28th Milford
Aquaculture Seminar in Meriden CT, East Coast Commercial Fishermen’s and
Aquaculture Trade Expo, Ocean City, MD, 2007 American Society for Limnology and
Oceanography Meeting, The 91st – 93rd National Association of County
Agricultural Agents Meetings, The Atlantic Estuarine Research Society, The 2008
National Water Quality Monitoring Conference, Association of Natural Resource
Extension Professionals Conference, and the Rutgers Institute of Marine and
Coastal Sciences Congressional Tour.
The overarching benefit of the
Barnegat Bay Shellfish Restoration Program is the education that takes place
within the community. Hundreds have
been reached through ReClam the Bay's presence at fairs and festivals,
individual lectures, youth camp experiences, upweller demonstrations, and the
Clam Trail. The backbone of much of the
education experience comes from The “What the Bay Hinges On” curriculum activity guide, which was developed through a grant from Barnegat Bay
National Estuary Program to “teach teachers” and volunteers how to disseminate
information about how human actions affect shellfish and water quality. The guide establishes meaningful connections
between shellfish, water quality, ecology, local culture, and human needs and
actions. It has been presented to over sixty-five educators and 170 youth by
BBSRP volunteers in structured settings.
Lessons and demonstrations from the guide have also been used at numerous
informal education sessions at upwellers and fairs and festivals. In total RCTB volunteers presented
information at over 91 different events and reached about 4600 kids and adults.
Below is a sample of the various events:
·
Three summers of Clam Camp, a six-week series of lessons
for youth at the St. Francis Center. Students are taught about watersheds,
water pollution, aquaculture, shellfish, Barnegat Bay, and stewardship with
hands on experience at our St. Francis Upweller.
·
Outreach programs with Tuckerton Seaport Museum, the NJ Maritime Museum in Beach Haven, and the
Long Beach Island Foundation of Arts and Sciences.
·
Weekly outreach at upweller sites, including the Island
Beach State Park Marina showing shellfish restoration, water quality
demonstrations and educating about the bay ecosystem all summer with volunteer
and training curriculum director Dr. Jim Merritt. Sessions are also held at
Surf City, Barnegat Light and Beach Haven.
·
Coordination with Beach Haven and Lavallette elementary schools.
·
New linkage with the United Sates Navy Sea Cadets Program at the Beach
Haven Activity Center to provide learning experiences about shellfish and water
quality for the Sea Cadets, volunteers, and community members.
·
Surf City Yacht Club, Mantaloking
Yacht Club, and Brant Beach Yacht Club have upwellers to support youth and
adult education programs. Students as close as Manahawkin and as far away as
Texas have done science projects based on what they learned from ReClam the Bay
education experiences.
Since education is such an important component
to our mission, a fun family activity called the Clam Trail was created as an
educational centerpiece to the program. The State of New Jersey recognized the
tourist value of this eco-friendly family activity and awarded it the
Governor’s Award for Excellence in Tourism. After the award ceremony the
Secretary of State of the state of NJ, Nina Wells, visited one of the upwellers
to congratulate the members and to see for herself the work being done.
During
this treasure hunt, people visit the giant painted clams, various shops and
points of interest (museums, upwellers, Barnegat Light House, etc). At each point on the trail there is a “Fact
Plaque.” The object of the game is to record certain information found on the
plaque onto a form and then send it to the Rutgers
Cooperative Extension office. There are a variety of prizes given for points
earned as part of the fact gathering.
These facts, along with “fun facts” announced on the air, and also used
on “stand ups” placed on tables at restaurants teach citizens about shellfish
and the Bay. To promote the Clam Trail
and to provide the list of destinations 15,000 maps were printed and
distributed at more than 50 locations across the county. Kids, parents and
grandparents all learn about shellfish, water quality, and Barnegat Bay in a
fun and entertaining way.
The
game has created some buzz. The owners and managers of the shops and museums
along the Clam Trail all report that many, many people have asked specifically
“where is that clam fact!” According to J B Maschal, owner of Bay Village in Beach Haven.
“Hundreds of kids get their picture take at the Giant clam out side his shop
each week!” Several people have called
the office to remind us (in a kind way) that some fact plaques were missing or
are difficult to find. It all means that people are participating. Another way
to validate results is to look at web site traffic. It is substantial. In fact,
during the campaign (July to September) we have had about 30 new people sign up
at the web site. Four new members joined this summer and have attended
meetings.
Media Outreach and the Radio Program
Distributing
flyers, attending fairs and festivals and maintaining strong relationships with
the local press has been helpful in promoting the mission of the Barnegat Bay
Shellfish Restoration Program. The
program has been well supported by magazines and newspapers, as well as the
Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce the Board of Chosen Freeholders, but
there is really only three months to reach the main audience. In order to reach more people quickly, the
leadership of ReClam the Bay, Inc. decided to use paid advertising on the
radio.
Each
Wednesday Radio personality Chris Van Zant announces
the Clam Digger of the Week on WJRZ radio. The Clam Digger can be someone who
completed the clam trail or someone who has helped ReClam the Bay (the
organization or the activity) One 60 second announcement would not reach a lot
of people so it is supplemented with spot promotional adds (15 each week) and also
the station also provides 60 second “Fun Facts” (14 each week). On average, WJRZ listeners are exposed to our
educational facts and our promotion 29 times a week. The promotion directs the
people to pick up the maps and to get more information at www.reclamthebay.org.
Working Toward the Mission
The Barnegat Bay Shellfish Restoration Program enables
true INVOLVEMENT in the bay and encourages citizens to become “guardians of the
bay” by “gardening the bay.” This is accomplished by
providing a living classroom where young and old can grow and care for
shellfish that will be released into Barnegat Bay. Hundreds of citizens get
“hands on” experience by becoming shellfish gardeners who, count, clean, and
care for millions of clams and oysters. They learn about water quality and its
relationship to the environment by observing growth and even mortality. Then they spread these messages to the
general public through school programs, upweller demonstrations, fairs and
festivals, media coverage, and through public education like the Clam Trail. In
this way, they teach the public about the bay, and encourage them to take
action in its restoration and improvement. As the program continues to grow,
the impact of this community education and stewardship initiative is helping
citizens to both “Reclam the Bay”, and to “Reclaim
the Bay.”