 Get ready to take your fish tagging to the next level!
The American Littoral Society's Fish Tagging Program is thrilled to announce a new partnership with Fish-Trak, a free and innovative fish tagging and tracking app. This collaboration will revolutionize how our members record and track their tagged fish, bringing cutting-edge technology to our decades of conservation expertise. "The Littoral Society has long been a leader in marine conservation, with nearly 1 million fish tagged through its program since 1965," said Emily McGuckin, Fish Tagging Program Director. "This partnership marks a significant leap forward in combining decades of conservation expertise with cutting-edge technology."  February is Black History Month, a time to reflect on the contributions and experiences of Black Americans throughout history.
This year, we had the privilege of speaking with historian James E. Johnson, author of "Black Biographies of the Lower Delaware Valley: Antebellum to the Great Migration," to delve into his research and the rich history of Black communities in South Jersey. In addition to the book, published in October 2024, Johnson is the author of numerous historical articles that have appeared in several NJ historical society magazines, as well as The New York Times, South Jersey Times, and American Baptist Quarterly. He also contributed to The Rutgers University Press books "The Governors of New Jersey, Biographical Essays" and "Black New Jersey: 1664 to the present day". From Activism to Academia Johnson's journey is as compelling as the stories he tells. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Johnson moved to Clayton, NJ (just south of Glassboro) in his late teens. While there he came to appreciate the "laid-back lifestyle" of many residents.  Winter's beauty often comes with a hidden environmental cost. As snow melts, the salt used on roads, parking lots, and sidewalks washes directly into our local streams, sometimes briefly raising their salt content to levels as high as the ocean.
This surge of salinity can have significant consequences for aquatic life and the health of our waterways, while also having an adverse impact on roads and bridges. However, it can be hard to correlate the affects of excess road salt use, which is why it is crucial to collect data on the amount salt in freshwater streams during the colder season. That information can help in development of effective solutions. According to Dr. John Jackson of the Stroud Water Research Center, the amount of salt in our local waterways has dramatically increased over the past few decades, thanks in large part to the growing use of road salt during winter. In addition to environmental issues, road salt also accelerates the breakdown of concrete on roads and bridges.  Students from CRHS getting instructions for collecting benthic macroinvertebrates From 2018 to 2023, the American Littoral Society embarked on a vital project, collecting data from five freshwater streams in Cumberland County, NJ.
Funded by the William Penn Foundation and in partnership with local non-profits, this initiative aimed to establish a baseline for stream health and track changes over time. These streams, all tributaries of the Cohansey and Maurice Rivers, ultimately flow into the Delaware Bay, highlighting the crucial connection between healthy streams and a healthy bay. One of these sites, Loper Run, located adjacent to Cumberland Regional High School (CRHS), became a focal point for student involvement and a compelling case study in environmental change. In 2018, with the help of CRHS students, the Littoral Society installed a rain garden along Loper Run. This wasn't just any rain garden, it was strategically placed to intercept a clear line of erosion from the school parking lot, preventing sediment runoff from polluting the stream.  Mantoloking, NJ following Superstorm Sandy in 2012. (Photo by Greg Thompson - US Fish & Wildlife Service) In recent years, coastal storms have had a heavy impact on the North Atlantic coast of the United States.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) was tasked in 2013 - just after Superstorm Sandy, which caused $37 billion in damage to New Jersey alone - with investigating measures to manage future flood risk “in ways that support the long-term resilience and sustainability of the coastal ecosystem and surrounding communities, and reduce the economic costs and risks associated with flood and storm events.” Initial work led to recommendations for massive storm surge barriers along the New Jersey Atlantic shoreline. However, the USACE recently released a New Jersey Back Bays (NJBB) Feasibility Study that provides a different roadmap for protecting lives, property, and ecosystems across this vulnerable region. Here’s what everyone should know about the plan:  Winter is upon us and with it comes the opportunity to see and learn about wildlife that visits this area during the colder season. Join the American Littoral Society for two exciting options to get you acquainted with pinnipeds and migratory birds: Seal and Bird Ecology Cruises aboard the Seastreak ferries, and Seal and Winter Waterfowl Walks on Sandy Hook itself!
Volunteers trained by the Littoral Society will help guide participants on the Seastreak cruises, which begin on Saturday, January 4 and conclude on Sunday, March 30. The cruises venture into the NY/NJ Bight to find seals, a wide variety of winter birds, and even an occasional whale. Tickets are available through the Seastreak website. If you would prefer to stay on land, we have four seal and winter waterfowl walks scheduled in January, with the initial excursion on Saturday, January 11 at 11 a.m. The walks are timed to coincide with when seal are most likely to be hauled out around Sandy Hook. Find registration pages for this and other dates through our Upcoming Events calendar.  'Tis the season to recycle Christmas trees! Once again, the Littoral Society is collecting trees for use at our Slade Dale Sanctuary living shoreline project.
Trees can be dropped off by anyone at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (708 NJ-88, Point Pleasant, NJ), in the field behind the parking lot (the location will be marked). Point Pleasant borough residents can leave their trees curbside for normal Dept. of Public Works pickup. Be sure to remove all ornaments, tinsel and lights before discarding the tree. For more information, contact Zack Royle at the American Littoral Society, [email protected]. In 2019, the American Littoral Society constructed a living shoreline at Slade Dale Sanctuary, a 13-acre preserve located in Point Pleasant, NJ. Living shorelines use nature-based methods to stabilize shorelines while also creating or enhancing habitat, increasing biodiversity, filtering water, storing carbon and protecting communities. They also tend to be far less expensive to construct and maintain than hard structures. The bonus is that living shorelines can grow over time.  We would like to thank all our members and supporters for all they have given towards coastal conservation this year. Many have contributed their time, energy, and passion in addition to monetary donations.
Together, we have achieved so much, such as:
 New Jersey Senator Cory Booker has long been a champion for the environment and an advocate for the natural and built communities of the Delaware Bayshore.
To keep Sen. Booker informed about the Littoral Society’s ongoing efforts to protect and restore this vital region, our restoration staff and Executive Director Tim Dillingham recently hosted a field tour with members of his team. Leah Hill, Senator Booker’s Legislative Director, joined us from Washington, D.C., along with Mackenzie Belling from his South Jersey office. Together, we spent a beautiful day exploring the innovative work underway on the Maurice River and Delaware Bay. With Restoration Project Manager Shane Godshall and Restoration Technician Toni Rose Tablante crewing our trusty skiff, the group toured key restoration sites, including Basket Flats and the Northwest Reach. These areas showcase the Littoral Society’s nature-based approaches to combating the impacts of climate change.  Flooded streets in Ocean City, N.J., after a winter storm in March 2013. (Photo by U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Evan Lyon) In 2020, former NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Commissioner Catherine McCabe issued an administrative order requiring the NJDEP to begin a regulatory reform effort to help reduce greenhouse gases and other climate pollutant emissions while making our natural and built environments more resilient to the unavoidable impacts of climate change.
This year the New Jersey Protecting Against Climate Threats (NJPACT) rules were finally released, kicking off the process – which included opportunities for public comment – to have them put in place to regulate future development in the state. These reforms were said to represent a PACT with the current residents of the state to help stave off the worst consequences of climate change and adapt to those already occurring, while also creating a more sustainable and resilient world for our children and grandchildren. The following is a Q&A with Lucia Osborne, the American Littoral Society’s Delaware Bay Program Director, examining the history of these new rules, why they are important, and what they will mean for New Jersey. |
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