Publications:
Fact Cards
 The
Barnegat Bay and Little Egg Harbor estuarine system
extends along 40 miles of New Jersey's shoreline and
encompasses most of Ocean County, New Jersey. The population
of the bay's watershed has swelled by more than twenty
percent in the 1990s yet, for the most part, Barnegat
Bay continues to be a vital and healthy environment
for both the citizens and the natural resources of the
watershed.
Facts About the Estuary
- Boat
traffic in and around the bay, including personal
watercraft use has grown significantly, raising
concerns about user conflicts and cumulative impacts.
- Increased
development is removing native vegetation and pervious
surfaces, resulting in a loss of natural habitat
for wildlife and decreased infiltration of rainwater
into drinking water aquifers.
- The
660 square mile watershed has a year round population
of 500,000 people but a summer population of well
over 1 million.
- The
bay is a recreational playground for tens of thousands
of boaters and anglers and brings in an estimated
$1.65 million in tourism dollars each year.
- The
bay area supports a $2.7 million commercial fishery.
- Approximately
one million recreational fishermen fish North Carolina
coastal
waters annually.
Health
of the Estuary
- Most
freshwater inputs into the estuary are groundwater
based, either as direct groundwater seepage into
the bay, or as baseflow in bay tributaries.
- The
mix of fresh water and saltwater produces special
conditions important for survival of crabs, fish,
birds and other wildlife. Prominent species that
thrive in the bay include winter flounder, white
perch, inland silverside, northern pipefish, bluefish,
weakfish, striped bass, blue crab and hard shell
clams.
- Extensive
salt marshes, freshwater marshes and forested wetlands
provide natural buffers that minimize the impacts
of coastal storms, protect inland habitats, and
reduce erosion.
- Submerged
aquatic vegetation such as eelgrass and seagrass
provide important food sources and habitat for fish,
ducks and other marine animals in the bay.
Accomplishments
of the Estuary Program
- Recently
upgraded 5,000 acres of restricted shellfish waters
for the first time in 25 years.
- The
bay will have a "No Discharge Zone" designation
by the 2001 boating season.
- Initiated
a $500,000 project to control nonpoint source pollution.
Conducted Educators Roundtables on environmental
issues to include in school curricula.
- Established
two sewage pumpout boats to serve the northern and
southern portions of the bay. In addition, 66 pumpout
facilities have been installed in Ocean County as
part of the Clean Vessel Act Program.
- Working
with the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust and the
Trust for Public Land to increase open space and
sensitive lands acquisitions.
- Comprehensive
Conservation Management Plan, approved in 2001,
contains 70 actions to protect water quality and
supplies, habitat and natural resources, and competing
uses.
For
Viewing and Printing:
Before printing one or more of these National
Estuary Program files,
check out each of their text only versions for
quick viewing.
To view each of the PDF versions, you will need Adobe
Acrobat Reader software, which can be downloaded FREE
from Adobe's site through a direct link.
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