Governor's Surf Fishing Tournament

The annual Governor's Surf Fishing Tournament is held on the first Sunday in October at Island Beach State Park and this year that is Sunday, October 3.
A variety of species are eligible for entry in the tournament each year. Overall length determines the winner. All fish must meet minimum length tournament requirements.

The individual who catches the overall largest fish wins the "Governor's Award," and has his/her name engraved on the Governor's Cup, which is permanently displayed at the park. Fishing equipment is awarded to winners who catch the largest fish in each species category. Winners from the early entry drawing and the tournament must be present during the afternoon awards ceremony to claim their prizes or they will be forfeited.

Brochure and Registration Form (pdf, 130kb)

The early entry incentive ended September 11, so anglers will be required to register at the tournament. Questions can be directed to 609-748-4347.

Earth Science Week October 10-16

The American Geological Institute (AGI) invites teachers and students to take part in Earth Science Week 2010 during October 10-16.

Earth Science Week 2010 will encourage people everywhere to explore the natural world and learn about the geosciences.

“Exploring Energy,” the theme of Earth Science Week 2010, will engage young people and the public in learning about Earth's energy reources.

Since October 1998, the American Geological Institute has organized this national and international event to help the public gain a better understanding and appreciation for the Earth Sciences and to encourage stewardship of the Earth.

Click on the following links to see the many ways that everyone can participate in Earth Science Week.

• Mission and Theme:
  Check out the Earth Science Week mission and objectives.
• Events Near You:
  Find Earth Science Week events in your community.
• Earth Science Week Newsletter:
  Read our newsletter.
  
• Past Earth Science Week Highlights:
  Look at what went on during past Earth Science Weeks.
• Future Dates:
  Link here to information about future Earth Science Week dates and themes.
• Our Sponsors:
  AGI would like to extend a special thank you to all who have provided support for Earth Science Week.
• Order an Earth Science Week Toolkit!

 AGI hosts Earth Science Week in cooperation with sponsors as a service to the public and the geoscience community. Each year, local groups, educators, and interested individuals organize celebratory events. Earth Science Week offers opportunities to discover the Earth sciences and engage in responsible stewardship of the Earth. The program is supported by the U.S. Geological Survey, NASA, the National Park Service, the AAPG Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, ExxonMobil, ESRI, and other geoscience groups.

Free NJ WILD Outdoor Expo

The first ever NJ WILD Outdoor Expo will be held this weekend, September 25 and 26, at the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area in Upper Freehold, Monmouth County, just off Rt. I-195.

Parking and entrance to the event are free.

The Expo will highlight a host of outdoors adventures such as fishing, hiking, kayaking, camping and hunting that are available in New Jersey's forests, parks and wildlife management areas. There will be demonstrations and hands-on activities geared to avid outdoorsmen and women, as well as to novices, throughout the weekend. An outdoors-supplies flea market and food vendors will also be on site.

Camping demonstrations will be held for families looking to get outdoors together. An "Orienteering Treasure Hunt'' will test participants' compass skills. Archery and shooting ranges will be operating. And there's fun for the kids too, including an opportunity to meet and take photos with the wolves appearing in the new movie "The Sorcerer's Apprentice."

The Expo will be held each day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. Some activities will be offered at a modest fee, and some events require pre-registration.

For a listing of programs and directions to the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area, visit http://www.wildoutdoorexpo.com/

The Expo is sponsored by the DEP's Division of Fish and Wildlife and Division of Parks and Forestry, as well as the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey. It is partly financed by a $10,000 grant from the Weatherby Foundation International.

Detecting When A Species Is Nearing Extinction

It doesn't take a scientist to know what the major causes of animal extinctions are today. Even youngsters learn in school that habitat loss or degradation, invasive species, hunting, and pollution are the major causes.

A much more difficult topic is trying to to predict when a population will become so endangered that it it is doomed to extinction if no action is taken.

Theoretical biologists study this "tipping point" and look for signals of a critical slowing down that indicates that a population is taking longer to bounce back from small declines.

A recent article in Science magazine, discusses a simple laboratory experiment that might help land managers know when they need to step up their conservation efforts.

Using tanks with established populations of water fleas,  the scientists mimicked environmental degradation in half the tanks by gradually cutting back on the blue-green algae they were fed and watching for that tipping point.

The study provides experimental evidence for generic early-warning signals that have been theoretically predicted, so that studies of populations might not require detailed knowledge of the species, but only a comparison group or baseline data on population trends.