Jetty Rock Foundation, along with other partners, are supporting the Ocean County Soil Conservation District, COASTAL Project (Conservation Opportunities Advancing Sustainable Technologies for Aquaculture Leases). This projects looks to local oyster farmers to assist in restoration efforts by utilizing their existing commercial leases to grow out spat on recycled shell for deployment.
Tommy Burke, Owner and Farmer of Sloop Point Oysters, assisting with fish trap deployments on his farm in northern Barnegat Bay.
Jetty Rock is committed to providing $50,000 over the 5 year lifespan of this project to increase restoration efforts in and around the Barnegat and Great Bay areas.
Oyster farmers taking this additional work on is a testament to their hard work and vision for the sustainable nature of the shellfish they are growing. Knowing the day in and day out physical effort and monetary commitment, JRF is proud to support initial payments to the farmers to jump start their efforts to gather the necessary materials to begin this project.
Staff from Ocean County Soil Conservation District and Stockton University conduct water quality sampling on and around the Tuckerton and Mill Creek oyster reefs.
Throughout the summer the JRF team joined staff from the Soil Conservation District and Stockton University to conduct baseline and continued sampling of various sites. A number of methods were used to gather data on water quality, additional species present around the lease sites, and other important environmental details.
Fish sampling is conducted to see the diversity around the oyster leases during the grow out period of the project. A large blue claw crab caught and then released at Sloop Point Oyster Farm.
The spat on shell being grown out on the leases was also sampled, counted, and measured to determine the progress throughout the summer months. Each oyster on each shell was counted and inventoried.
Counting and measuring the spat on shell at Sloop Point Oyster Farm.
Staff will continue to monitor and gather data from each site as the oysters grow. We look forward to joining them and provide updates throughout the year.
Recycled clam and oyster shell (from the LBT Shell Recycling Program) covered in oyster spat.