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Read the 2026 State of the Bay Report

What is the State of the Bay Symposium?

Every five years, environmental scientists deep-dive into the health of Barnegat Bay evaluating everything from local inland rivers and coastal habitats to storm water and organisms in the bay. Now, the results of the official 2026 State of the Bay Report are in, and we brought together leading local experts to get direct answers on what current research says about local beach safety, water quality, water supply, and our living resources.

This wasn't just a science presentation; it was a roadmap for our community. Attendees joined leading environmental experts and decision-makers for an engaging morning of panel discussions, clear findings, and open Q&A. Folks talked directly with scientists, regulators, and environmental leaders shaping policy across NJ. Learn practical, impactful steps they can take to help restore and safeguard the bay.

The 2026 Symposium has just concluded, and meeting notes and transcripts will be posted to this site very soon. Stay tuned!
October 14, 2026
8:30am-12:30pm
Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts
Lot 2 College Dr, Toms River, NJ 08753

Expert Insights into the Important Issues

The 2026 State of the Bay Symposium brought together experts from around the state of NJ to inform the public on the most recent advances in our scientific understanding of the Barnegat Bay. This event featured 3 expert-led panel discussions focused on water quality, living resources, and water supply, along with an address from Barnegat Bay Partnership director, Andrew McGowan.

Agenda

8:30AM – 8:45AM: Arrival

8:45AM-9:15AM – Welcome Address, Andrew McGowan, BBP Director

9:15AM-10:15AM – Panel Discussion 1 – Water Quality
Matthew Von der Hayden and Rachel Baldwin, Stafford Township
How can municipalities improve their water quality?
Sheri Shifren, NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Swimming Beaches
Kimberly Cenno, NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Nitrogen in the bay
Sarah Gentile, NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Shellfish Approved Waters

10:15AM-10:30AM – Break

10:30AM-11:30AM – Panel Discussion 2 – Living Resources
Nina Colagiovanni, NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Seagrass in the Bay
Michael Auriemma, NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Hard Clams in the Bay
Joseph Smith, US Fish and Wildlife Service
Salt Marshes in the Bay

11:30AM-12:30PM – Panel Discussion 3 – Water Supply
 Dan Hoy, NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Water Supply Planning
Rob Karl, Brick Township Municipal Utilities Authority
Water Consumption
Jonathan Kennen, USGS
Ecological Flows 

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.