Coastal Recovery

In a series of flyovers of the Jersey shoreline and coastal areas this summer, photos were taken by the Northeast Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Most of this surveying is still in response to the effects of Superstorm Sandy in October 2012.

The Northeast Region includes Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Delaware, and Virginia.

 Aerial Tour of Hurricane Sandy Recovery Sites: Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, NJ.

At Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, the salt marsh protects the homes of those who live on the shore, acting as a buffer zone for these communities.

This dike protects the refuge from being completely flooded. 

PHOTOS via www.flickr.com/photos/usfwsnortheast/ The Official Photostream for the Northeast Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Fish and Wildlife Service also maintains an online digital media library at www.fws.gov/digitalmedia

The Dangers of Plastic Pollution to Marine Life

Mixed in with the natural trash along the shoreline is a great deal of plastic.

If you walk the Jersey Shore in the off-season you have the beach much to yourself. You might also take notice of more trash washing up because summer cleanup crews are not working. The trash that will be most common is plastic. Plastic accounts for up to 80% of litter in the ocean.

Millions of tons of disposable plastic that has found its way into our waters. The numbers and weight and size of the now famous garbage islands in the oceans of the world make it seem hopeless that we can clean it up.

Everyday plastic used in homes, schools, and businesses amazingly make their way to the world's oceans by many different routes. Yes, some of it is illegally dumped by water-going vessels. But much of it flows down rivers to be washed to the sea. Some are just dumped directly on the beaches and coastlines. Heavy rainstorms can carry plastic garbage into the oceans via sewer lines and storm drains. The bottle you see lying at the shoreline will be caught by a wave and taken hundreds or thousands of miles away before it washes ashore again.

Manufacturers are beginning to step up on the use, disposal, collection and recycling of their plastic products. An article on bottlestore.com states that:

Every year, between 8 and 12 million tons of plastic trash finds its way into the world's water. The sheer amount of ocean-borne plastic waste has accumulated into large concentrated spots in the world's oceans. These masses are known as garbage patches, and they are herded into large concentrations by ocean currents or gyres. Some of these patches are twice the area covered by the state of Texas. The first garbage patch was found in 1997 by Captain Charles Moore, who was in the midst of a sailing race in the Pacific. Since then scientists have found a total of five major plastic pollution patches. They exist in the Indian Ocean, as well as the north and south Pacific, and the north and south Atlantic oceans. When it comes to dumping plastic into the oceans, the worst offender is China, while thanks to new regulations; the United States is a distant 20th place.

This ocean pollution exhibit at a local aquarium in New Jersey shows how marine life
can easily confuse a jellyfish with a plastic bag.    Photo Credit: K.Graham/USFWS

At least 700 known species of marine animals are known to be harmed by plastic debris. Also birds and animal onshore are also affected by eating both plastic debriss or feeding on animals that have previously fed on plastics.

The dangers of plastic pollution to marine life are multiple. Animals can mistake plastic debris for food and consume it. The material can physically clog and overcrowd their stomachs, and because it is almost impossible to digest, it can result in the animal's death by starvation. Larger pieces, such as fishing nets and large bottles, containers, and rings can also entangle and immobilize wildlife, resulting in starvation, drowning or strangulation. Creatures who encounter floating plastic bags have been known to die from asphyxiation.

Scientists are also finds that invasive species of animals or plants may also ride on pieces of plastic to new areas where they may then threaten the native species.

Plastic debris from some types of plastic release toxic chemicals, such as vinyl chloride, styrene, and bisphenol-A, and can also attract other toxins, such as the insecticide DDT and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. Fish and other marine life that consume plastic may be killed by these toxins, or they might pass them onto humans and other creatures who consume them.

Plastics do break down in the ocean, but the process is slow. However, when it is reduced to small pebble, sand or micro sizes it is very difficult to remove and now resembles plankton, which is an essential part of the ocean food chain. Plastic waste is thought by scientists to outweigh zooplankton in the ocean now by a ratio of over 35 to one.

Is there any hope of turning the tide back on plastic pollution?

Current solutions can slow down and hopefully prevent the flow of plastic into the ocean, such as laws taxing or barring the use of plastic bags in grocery stores. Many municipalities have laws against dumping plastic into storm drains. The expansion of recycling programs to include more types of plastic has also been helpful, though many plastics recycling centers have more supply than demand. Consumer reusing plastic items, buying in bulk to reduce plastic packaging, and demandin better packaging standards from manufacturers will also help. Making environmentally conscious purchase decisions is an important step individuals can take: not buying beauty or hygiene products that use plastic microbeads (in toothpaste, body wash, etc.), buying fewer plastic water bottles, or minimally reusing them and recycling them or better yet using a more permanent non-plastic reusable bottle.

For more information about plastic pollution, its dangers to marine life, and how to prevent it, please see the links below.

• Plastics In Our Oceans
• Ocean Trash Plaguing Our Sea
• FAQ: Plastic Debris In The Ocean
• Marine Plastic Pollution and Seafood Safety (PDF)
• Plastics in the Ocean Affecting Human Health
• Plastics And Chemicals They Absorb Pose Double Threat To Marine Life
• What We Know About Plastic Marine Debris (PDF)
• Our Oceans: A Plastic Soup
• Marine Plastic Contamination: Implications For Public Health And The Environment
• Vermont State College: Oceanic Pollution
• Eight Million Tons of Plastic Dumped in Ocean Every Year
• Ten Things You Should Know About Marine Debris
• Marine Debris in the North Pacific: Frequent Questions
• 10 Ways to Reduce Plastic Pollution
• Preventing Ocean Litter

Increase in Whales Off NJ May Not Be A Good Thing

A Rutgers researcher says climate change and cleaner waters are causing a "Dramatic Increase in Whales in NJ/NYC but this is also raising safety concerns.

The number of humpback whale sightings in New York City and northern New Jersey has increased by 500% raising the risk of dangerous interactions between the huge marine mammals and humans.

Cleaner waters off our coast is one reason and that is certainly a good thing. But the warming of the ocean due to climate change is not a good thing.

The increase in sightings near one of the world’s busiest ports is a safety concern for both whales and humans, especially with a new wave of migration headed close to shores this fall, said Danielle Brown, a doctoral student in ecology and evolution in Rutgers’ School of Environmental and Biology Sciences and the lead humpback whale researcher and naturalist for Gotham Whale, a New York-based nonprofit that studies and advocates for whales. Many of the sightings have occurred less than two miles from the shore. Brown said there’s a growing risk of dangerous interactions between the whales, the majority of which are juveniles, and humans in New York and New Jersey harbors. A whale is considered of juvenile age from the moment the calf is weaned to when it reaches sexual maturity, which can be anywhere between 6 and 13 years old.

Another attraction to our waters is a growing population of Atlantic menhaden, which are a major food source for the whales. Warmer ocean temperatures are also causing fish populations to move northward.

Humpback adults can reach 60 feet in length and weigh more than 40 tons, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Geographic Society. They are found in every ocean in the world near coastlines, feeding on krill, plankton, and small fish.

Size of a humpback in relation to a human

Typically they will migrate annually from summer feeding grounds near the poles to warmer winter breeding waters. Humpback whale migration begins in the fall,

The increase in whale sightings has also created an unlikely new business venture. Many fishing boats have started whale watching cruises along New Jersey and New York City harbors. While an economic boost to many fishermen, it also raises concerns about boats getting too close.

Fishermen should take extra precautions to protect themselves and the whales. “If you’re on a boat, try to move parallel to them and never cut them off from the direction they are moving, and never chase them,” she said. “The National Marine Fisheries Service recommends a distance of at least 100 feet, and only one boat should be that close at a time, so as not to crowd the whale. If the whales appear to be feeding, give them extra space. Humpback whales are becoming more consistent in our waters, so boaters need to prepare themselves for encountering them more often. If the guidelines are followed, we can all co-exist safely.”

A Pallid Sturgeon Moon

Pallid sturgeon juvenile yearling at 5 months. USFWS Image

The August Full Moon is sometimes called the Sturgeon Moon, a name given by fishing tribes for whom this large fish of the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water was most readily caught during this month.

All five U.S. Atlantic sturgeon distinct population segments are listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

These populations are threatened by entanglement in fishing gear, habitat degradation, and habitat impediments such as dams and other barriers and vessel strikes.

The juvenile pallid sturgeon yearling (Scaphirhynchus albus) shown above is a bottom-dwelling, slow-growing fish that feed primarily on small fish and immature aquatic insects. This species of sturgeon is seldom seen and is one of the least understood fish in the Missouri and Mississippi River drainages. It is an ancient species that has existed since the days of the dinosaurs.

Pallid sturgeon - Photo by South Dakota Game Fish and Parks; Sam Stukel

In New Jersey, we are more familiar with Atlantic Sturgeon and shortnose sturgeon. They are an anadromous fish species that are also multiple spawners. This species can inhabit marine, brackish fresh waters. As adults, the Atlantic sturgeon will migrate along the Atlantic coast. These fish will then begin to ascend the lower reaches of large rivers, such as the Delaware, in the spring to begin their spawning runs. Spawning normally occurs over bedrock, boulders and gravel bottoms. Adult Atlantic sturgeon will then return to the sea after spawning.

The pallid sturgeon's habitat is the Mississippi River downstream of its confluence with the Missouri River, and its range includes Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Tennessee

Like other sturgeon, the pallid sturgeon experienced a dramatic decline throughout its range since the mid to late 1960s. Nearly all of its habitat has been modified through river channelization, construction of impoundments, and related changes in water flow. These changes blocked the pallid sturgeon's movements, destroyed or altered its spawning areas, reduced its food sources or its ability to obtain food, and altered water temperatures and other environmental conditions necessary for the fish's survival.

The pallid sturgeon was listed as endangered in 1990 and recovery efforts include research to learn more about its life history and habitat requirements, artificial propagation to improve its numbers, habitat improvement and reducing mortality from commercial fishing.

In September 2010, threatened status for the Shovelnose Sturgeon and pallid sturgeon listed to protect pallid sturgeon by treating shovelnose sturgeon as a threatened species where their ranges overlap.

Project WILD Workshop for Educators Offered in November

Project WILD is an interdisciplinary conservation and environmental education program offered by NJ Fish & Wildlife that focuses on wildlife and habitat. 

The goal of Project WILD is to develop awareness, knowledge, skills, and commitment resulting in informed decisions, responsible behavior, and constructive actions concerning wildlife and the environment. 

Project WILD’s mission is to help students learn how to think, not what to think, about wildlife and the environment.

A special PW workshop for educators is being offered on Friday, November 22 in Hunterdon County. 

For more information visit the following links:

Project WILD Information

Hunterdon County Workshop Information

Flesh-Eating Bacteria in New Jersey?

False color scanning electron micrograph of Vibrio vulnificus bacteria 

Let's not panic, but you might see headlines like this one from Rutgers,  "Flesh-Eating Bacteria Move Into New Waters" in which a Rutgers infectious disease expert discusses how to stay safe as the bacteria that causes necrotizing soft tissue infections moves into new, more northern waters.

Sounds really bad, right? But what is it, and does it affect us in New Jersey?

Vibrio vulnificus is a bacterial species that can cause an infection that kills the body’s soft tissue. V. vulnificus may not be a commonly known bacteria, but is is the most common cause of death due to seafood in the United States. It is the cause of 95% of deaths in the United States that are known to have happened because of ingested seafood. It also occurs when an open wound comes in contact with salt water or brackish water.

Infections caused by the bacterium, which is also known as the scarier "flesh-eating bacteria," are becoming more common in northern waters. Why the increase? It is because surface temperatures are rising due to climate change. A recent study showed that infections are increasing in areas with typically colder water, such as the Delaware Bay.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 80,000 people contract Vibrio infections each year, 52,000 from contaminated seafood. Although most infections subside within a few days, about 500 people are hospitalized and 100 die, usually within a few days of infection, annually.

Another bacterium, Aeromonas hydrophila, causes similar infections and is found in fresh or brackish water. Most infections occur between May and October when water temperatures are highest.

David Cennimo, an infectious disease expert at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, said that while the infections are rare, people should take preventive measures when swimming in natural waters and act quickly if infection is suspected. When Vibrio infects soft tissue, it looks like a severe skin infection. The area may be very inflamed and very red, with blisters. It may also become dusky-blue like a severe bruise. You may have a fever, and in severe cases, confusion. Seek emergency medical care immediately as the infection can progress rapidly to death.

The majority of infections by these bacteria are gastrointestinal, like food poisoning – in which case they are usually relatively benign. Patients experience watery diarrhea, vomiting, cramping, abdominal pain and sometimes fever. Symptoms usually start one day after ingestion and last for three days.

For most people, the skin infection is easily treated with antibiotics. However, necrotizing infections can be very serious and move very fast. The bacteria have mechanisms to evade the immune system. You are especially at risk of a severe and rapidly progressive Vibrio infection if your immune system is compromised by conditions such as liver disease, cancer, diabetes or HIV, or receive immune-suppressing therapy or are recovering from stomach surgery. The cause of death from these infections is overwhelming sepsis, when the body’s response to an infection causes damage to its own organs.

How can people protect themselves?

If you have open cuts, consider avoiding the water, especially saltwater and brackish water. Cover the wound with a waterproof bandage if there’s a possibility of contact with water or raw seafood or raw seafood juices. In addition, the CDC advises that you cook all seafood thoroughly and wash your hands after handling raw shellfish. Alert your doctor if you develop a skin infection after contacting saltwater or brackish water, raw seafood or raw seafood juices.

If you are in an at-risk group, wear clothes and shoes that can protect against cuts and scrapes when in saltwater or brackish water, and protective gloves when handling raw seafood.

SOURCE:  Rutgers Today by Patti Verbanas

September at Sandy Hook

A few items from the Sandy Hook NPS Fall Event Guide (pdf).

Canoeing on Sandy Hook Bay
U.S. Life-Saving Station Parking Lot (between Lot D and Lot E)
Saturday, September 14, 9:15 AM - 12 PM
Take a two-mile morning paddle to explore Sandy Hook bay from an ideal vantage point-the water itself. Rangers guide a two and a half hour tour of the bayside waters and Skeleton Hill Island. Go to www.recreation.gov to make your reservation.

Battery Gunnison/New Peck Restoration
Saturday, September 14, 12 PM - 5 PM
The Army Ground Forces Association is a volunteer group in 1943 coast artillery uniform restoring and interpreting Battery Gunnison/New Peck and it's 6-inch guns. Visitors are invited to stop by on this work and training day to chat and learn about the historic time period of September 1943 and the restoration and preservation projects currently underway.

Cold War Day
Nike Missile Radar Site -
Parking Lot L
Nike Launch Site - Park in Lot across from Hercules Missile on Hartshorne Drive (Main Park Road)
Sunday, September 15, 12 PM - 4 PM
Guided tour of the Nike Integrated Fire Control (IFC) Area will allow you to see the inner workings where nuclear-armed Nike Hercules missiles were controlled and guided during the Cold War defense of the New York metropolitan area. While taking a guided tour of this one-time top-secret missile site, you will have the opportunity to meet and talk with some of the veterans who worked on Cold War-era Nike Air Defense System

Information at www.nps.gov/gate/planyourvisit/