September 14, 2018

Watch “The Oyster Farmers” and Taste Their Oysters!

by S-FX.com

barnegat bay drone

“The Oyster Farmers” is an award-winning feature length documentary about coastal life in New Jersey, specifically the Barnegat Bay and the once prolific Eastern oyster. The Barnegat Bay, historically the epicenter of wild oysters on the eastern seaboard, is now poised to recapture its legacy. The film tells the story of how oyster farmers in the Barnegat Bay are leading a renaissance, cultivating a resurgence of the oyster and restoring its heritage.

In association with Oak Leaf Media, the film’s driving force, the ethos of environmental stewardship, coastal culture, and sustainability echoes throughout the film. This documentary aims to raise awareness of our lost oyster culture and to preserve our Baymen’s and Baywomen’s heritage.

Where: Grunin Center for the Arts (on the campus of Ocean County College)

When: Sunday, September 23, 2018 

Reception: 12:30 p.m. – Optional pre-screening reception ($15 per person)

A pre-screening reception will feature raw oysters from the Barnegat Oyster Collective. A selection of oysters will be chosen from local farms. Light refreshments will also be served for those perhaps not as adventurous. Savor the differences between north and south Barnegat Bay oysters and begin an adventure into the importance of sustainable aquaculture.

Screening: 2:00 p.m. – Film screening ($10 per person/12 and under free)

After the screening, hear behind-the-scenes stories and what’s next in a lively discussion with some of the oyster farmers and members of the film production crew. 

To purchase tickets, visit grunincenter.org/event/the-oyster-farmers

 

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UNKNOWN

There is limited data available to quantify Wetland and Riparian Buffer Preservation, or updated data to quantify Wetland Acreage. The BBP has obtained funding and will begin assessment efforts for both targets, in the next few years.

 

 Hard Clam abundance has not been updated since 2012. Recovery of the stock will be guided by the Fishery Management Plan for Hard Clams, which is under development with the NJDEP, BBP, and other organizations. Reclam the Bay and other partners have continued to plant clams for restoration purposes. Continued plantings in strategic locations which maximize survival and reproduction is one strategy to pursue in the coming years. This work can use a model developed by Rutgers with BBP funding which identified areas where planted clams could have the greatest dispersal of their larvae and thus potentially maximally contribute to the recovery of the stock.

 Water Withdrawals were over the target in the 2021 report; USGS has not yet completed its latest update, so a definitive determination of status is not available. However, additional NJDEP data show that it is likely that we continue to not meet the target. Per capita water use has gone down, demonstrating the effectiveness of water-saving appliances and practices, but that decrease has been offset by population gains. 


IN PROGRESS

New maps quantifying Submerged Aquatic Vegetation extent were developed, but poor image clarity resulted in a high degree of uncertainty in the total acreage. NJDEP and Rutgers are working to resolve the uncertainty of these maps, and improve the total acreage estimate. Funding has also been obtained for further research and restoration activities. Several groups are developing potential restoration actions.

The USGS has completed the first phase of its study to identify minimum ecological flows in select Barnegat Bay tributaries. USGS scientists compared streamflow statistics between historical and current time periods to better understand trends in watershed flow conditions. This work provides a foundation for developing ecological flow targets in the Barnegat Bay watershed.  Similar to SAV extent, funding (approximately $450K) has been obtained by the BBP to complete the remaining phases necessary for threshold determination.

 

TARGETS ACHIEVED

No targets can be considered “Achieved” at this time.

 

NOT ACHIEVING

Several Public Swimming Beaches exceeded their safe swimming standards more frequently than during their baseline time period (2016-2018).

While most beaches are routinely safe for swimming, several problematic areas such as Beachwood, Hancock, Windward, and several lake beaches need track-down studies and restoration to pinpoint and address sources of bacteria.

Acres of Approved Shellfish Waters decreased from the last report. While this decrease was small, it represents a loss of previously approved waters. Similar to public beaches, track-down studies and restoration work are needed to pinpoint and address sources of bacteria.

 

Watch “The Oyster Farmers” and Taste Their Oysters!

“The Oyster Farmers” is an award-winning feature length documentary about coastal life in New Jersey, specifically the Barnegat Bay and the once prolific Eastern oyster. The Barnegat Bay, historically the epicenter of wild oysters on the eastern seaboard, is now poised to recapture its legacy. The film tells the story of how oyster farmers in the Barnegat Bay are leading a renaissance, cultivating a resurgence of the oyster and restoring its heritage.

In association with Oak Leaf Media, the film’s driving force, the ethos of environmental stewardship, coastal culture, and sustainability echoes throughout the film. This documentary aims to raise awareness of our lost oyster culture and to preserve our Baymen’s and Baywomen’s heritage.

Where: Grunin Center for the Arts (on the campus of Ocean County College)

When: Sunday, September 23, 2018 

Reception: 12:30 p.m. – Optional pre-screening reception ($15 per person)

A pre-screening reception will feature raw oysters from the Barnegat Oyster Collective. A selection of oysters will be chosen from local farms. Light refreshments will also be served for those perhaps not as adventurous. Savor the differences between north and south Barnegat Bay oysters and begin an adventure into the importance of sustainable aquaculture.

Screening: 2:00 p.m. – Film screening ($10 per person/12 and under free)

After the screening, hear behind-the-scenes stories and what’s next in a lively discussion with some of the oyster farmers and members of the film production crew. 

To purchase tickets, visit grunincenter.org/event/the-oyster-farmers

 

Contact Watch “The Oyster Farmers” and Taste Their Oysters!Contact Watch “The Oyster Farmers” and Taste Their Oysters!
barnegat bay drone