GIANT CLAM ADDED TO TRAIL

On Sunday, October 10 the newest giant clam was added to our Clam Trail. The coming out party was graciously hosted by the proud mama clam Tricia Wujciak of Bum Roger Clam House in South Seaside Park. Volunteers who were lucky enough to be in attendance were treated to a variety of shellfish goodies, cookies and a large sheet cake. Our thanks go out to Trich and her family for their very generous support.

BAY HEAD STUDENTS BEACH DAY

On Friday September 24, the Bay Head Elementary School held their annual Beach Day. After the lunch hour the entire student body marched to the Mount Street Beach where several environmental lessons and activities were shown to the students. This year RCTB volunteers Wes Dazell. and Frank Vives were invited to come to the beach and present our lessons on shellfish growing and environmental stewardship. The activities were very well organized and the children were divided into small groups by grade. They were interested in seeing the shellfish and in learning about our program. Parents and teachers were impressed by the presentation and asked if we could expand the program in the school.

RCTB Volunteers Participate in Festivals

On Saturday September 11th the Borough of Lavalette held its annual Heritage Day Festival. Led by borough resident Donna Franzoso, volunteers from RCTB were in attendance at our display table meeting the public and explaining our mission. The weather was ideal and the crowds were large and inquiring. The following members, Mary Townsend, Bruce Beveridge. Wes Dazell, Marty Sedlacko, Lynette Lurig, Frank Vives, and of course Donna were kept busy answering questions and providing information.

On Sunday the Friends of Island Beach Sate Part held their annual Beach Plum Festival. Once again members of RCTB set up our information table. The weather in the morning was rather nasty with threatening dark clouds and a period of heavy rain. Although it cleared up later in the morning the crowd was much smaller than in previous years. The following volunteers braved the poor conditions and remained on site until closing, Jim Merritt, Bruce Beveridge, Wes Dazell, Marty Sedlacko, and Frank Vives. Our thanks goes out to all our volunteers and we invite all members to try to come out to one of the many Fairs and Festivals and to meet and greet the public on behalf of RCTB.

Verizon Filmmaker Visit Upweller

Thanks to the efforts of Charlie Brandt our media and PR go to guy, ReClam the Bay will be the topic of a new video documentary to be seen on Verizon’s Fios channel one. On Monday August 16, filmmaker Bill Schlosser paid a visit to the upweller at Island Beach State Park to shoot scenes of RCTB volunteers as they worked on their weekly maintenance duties. Bill asked questions of the various volunteers and filmed their responses and explanations of our mission. This is sure to be another example of our success in reaching out to the people of New Jersey and making them aware of what we are doing and what they can do to help save Barnegat Bay.

Asbury Park Press Special Series on Bay

Press writers Todd Bates and Kirk Moore and staff have recently completed an outstanding series of articles on the plight of Barnegat Bay. Photos, videos and the entire series can be viewed at the Press web site.

WHYY Features ReClam the Bay

Thanks to Charlie Brandt, our media and PR guy, WWYY the greater Philadelphia leading public media provider serving southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware has highlighted ReClam the Bay in its weekly series of audio and web portraits called “Coming of Age.” Several weeks ago crew members from the station visited the Barnegat Light upweller site and recorded and photographed our members during their weekly maintenance program. To see a video of this go to the WHYY web page:

www.whyy.org/widerhorizons/comingofage.html

WHYY

Seaside Heights kids Learn About Clams

On Monday morning July 19 members of the IBSP upweller team were at the Seaside Heights bay front where they met Lynette Lurig and students and teachers from the Hugh J. Boyd Elementary School Summer Program. The students were shown samples of the shellfish that are grown in the upwellers and the reasons why we are trying to help reclam the bay. While showing the kids some of our one year old clams they discovered a sea anemone had attached itself to one of the clams. Vic Palmieri happened to have a microscope in his car and everyone got to get a good look at it. Manny and the crew were very excited the witness this bit nature up close.

Wes also was able to demonstrate how clams like to dig into the sand when he placed some sand in a camera lens cap and added some clams. It was not long before the clams were franticly trying to dig into the sand. Manny wants to sent out his thanks to Wes, Vic, Bob, and Dolores for their help with one of the best demos that he believes he was involved in.

Wooden Boat Show

Certified Shellfish Gardeners, Bruce Beveridge, Charlie Brandt, Wes Dalzel and Frank Vives manned our table at the annual Wooden Boat Show in Huddy Park on Saturday July 17 in Toms River. They were joined by our very enthusiastic volunteer Vic Palmeri in the afternoon. Despite the oppressive heat the event attracted a very large crowd and many interested visitors stopped to inquire about ReClam the Bay and about its mission. The recent news articles about the problems that the BayKeepers are experiencing prompted many questions as people were curious to know if we would be affected by the actions of the DEP. Also many people have been reading about our group and our spat on shell project just recently completed in Ocean Gate. Our message has been reaching more and more people each year as we continue to be involved in the many fairs and festivals in Ocean County.

Reply to DEP restriciton on shellfish gardening

This is the first paragraph of the News release prompted my reply:
larry.ragonese@dep.state.nj.us
larry.hajna@dep.state.nj.us

IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 7, 2010

Contact: Lawrence Ragonese (609) 292-2994
Lawrence Hajna (609) 984-1795


COMMISSIONER AIMS TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND SHELLFISH INDUSTRY

(10/P53)TRENTON* Commissioner Bob Martin today banned research-related
gardening of commercial shellfish species in coastal and inner
harbor waters
classified as contaminated, and also is seeking immediate removal
of species
now being grown in such waters. The goal is to protect the public
health and
the economic health of the state's nationally significant shellfish
industry.

Towards those goals, the Commissioner also said he intends to
revamp the
state's long-term shellfish gardening rules, and announced the DEP
will not
issue new permits for gardening of commercial shellfish, even for
ecologicalrestoration projects, in prohibited or restricted waters.

Reply:
July 13, 2010
Dear Commissioner Martin:
We would like to take issue with the contents of the news release issued by your office on June 7, 2010 (10/P53)
I am the volunteer president of an education and outreach organization called ReClam The Bay, Inc. (RCTB). Through the Barnegat Bay Shellfish Restoration Program we are partners with Rutgers Cooperative Extension, The County of Ocean, Barnegat Bay Partnership (formerly Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program) and in fact, DEP. We use shellfish to educate people; especially the relationship of shellfish health and bay water quality. We have seen, first hand, how growing shellfish attracts young and old. It is estimated that we have reached over 20,000 people since starting in 2005 on a one to one basis, several hundred thousand more through our radio spots. In 2008 our unique approach to environmental education for tourists (ecotourism) with our Clam Trail earned RCTB the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Tourism because it encourages people to come to NJ to learn about the environment. This translates into an educated public and tourist revenue.
A number of us firmly believe that a correctable mistake is being made and we ask that you please reconsider the decision outlined in the news release that will effectively eliminate an extremely powerful tool to combat water pollution; public involvement. We also note that the news release really sounds like the old DEP and the old way of doing business and is wasting taxpayer money.
You and Governor Christie have said publically that you are going to change the way that DEP does business. The news release underscores that things at the DEP have not changed. The statements contained in the news release (some of which are simply wrong) have been kicking around DEP for at least 5 years. DEP spent hundreds, if not thousands or hours and convened meetings at tax payer expense to address the many short comings in the original statement that is obviously the basis of the news release. A major meeting dealing with this very topic was held in June of 2009 at the Assumpink Wildlife Refuge. After all the time and money was invested, the contents of the news release completely ignored the points raised at the meeting and in a draft policy that Bob Connell authored. Rather than using the consensus and knowledge, DEP issued this tired, old, unchanged, unwise and in some cases inaccurate statement. The draft ruling to which I refer was circulated, and we were led to believe that “after a few minor changes” it would be enacted. The old DEP did not keep its word and the policy to which the news release refers has yet to be formalized through any proper regulatory process. DEP has had a bad reputation for “bait and switch” activity. Issuing this news release says “business as usual”.
Here is a simple example of what is wrong. Quoting the DEP statement:
…In those endeavors, a variety of commercial shellfish, including oysters, hard clams and blue mussels, are grown for study purposes. However, poachers could target those locations and steal the shell fish, which could be sold to consumers.

Your staff concealed the fact that the clams and oysters which most education and outreach organizations grow are two to three years away from being the size that consumers would buy. Also, is your staff not aware that Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Commission still seems to allow the use of seed which is at least 6 months from harvest size for shellfish gardeners? We do not grow “poacher worthy” market ready shellfish in contaminated water. We do grow shellfish seed, in this kind of water because we need to grow them where the public can see them and they fall well within the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Commission guidelines. They are less than 20mm (the size of your pinky) when we put them in the bay. And we only put them in legal areas.

One other suggestion which came from your Department was to use non-edible shellfish in restoration projects. That completely misses the point. Clams and oysters are part of the heritage and even pride of the coastal waters in NJ. The reason people participate in these shellfish restoration programs is because they can relate to clams or oysters, they really don’t care about ribbed mussels. Since the use of noncommercial shellfish was raised by DEP in that June 2009 meeting we conducted a survey of our members. We asked how many would be participating in our project if we were working with ribbed mussels. Not one person responded positively.
We understand that the NY/NJ Baykeeper is more targeted by DEP for how they operate, than is our program. If the Baykeeper’s program is dismantled rather than altered to meet some concerns, then who will focus the water quality issues on the northern Monmouth County waters? With budget cuts, there is no way that DEP will try to raise awareness there.

Local people can, and do, use their knowledge to cause behavioral change and that is the most effective way to improve water quality. Barnegat Bay is not as bad as those waters north of here, yet! We all know that the waters that NJ/NY Baykeepers are trying to restore fell into decline because people were not involved, and did not care. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This is why closing education out is so shameful. The DEP, by denying public use of our endangered estuaries, is actually playing a major role in the estuaries demise.
I truly understand the DEP concern about contaminated shellfish being consumed by humans. Tiny shellfish are of no value to poachers. But they are extremely valuable as teaching aids. Shellfish are used to have citizens monitor size, understand the need for control, and learn about a living creature and it relationship to its environment.
In 2009 RCTB spent $110,000 (most of it from privately raised donations) and $275,000 in volunteer hours to raise public awareness. Where would the state come up with $385,000 to raise awareness and teach people the importance of water quality?
You may wonder if what we are doing effective? The answer is YES, we can document people who have changed their daily activities because of what they have leaned in the program. We welcome change at DEP, but please enlist the aid of those who deal with this day to day. If you were to use the draft policy that taxpayers already paid for your NEW policy, it can protect the industry AND enable the general population to play a major role in improving water quality. Please reconsider your decision to eliminate the growth of juvenile shellfish for educational purposes.
Sincerely,
Rick Bushnell, President ReClam the Bay

CHILDREN VISIT IBSP UPWELLER

On Monday June 28, the IBSP upweller was visited by a group of enthusiastic and interested children. The group, led by teachers Patti Perrini and Kate Caffee, were part of the Ocean County Parks and Recreation Department’s Cattus Island Park sponsored “Days on the Bay” summer camp. The children were shown how the upweller works as a nursery for baby clams and oysters. They were shown the variety of shellfish in the upwellers and how they grow from the tiny seed clams to those that were one year old and older. Volunteers explained the value of shellfish to the ecology of the Bay and how the children could do their part to help keep the Bay healthy.

On Saturday, June 12th, ReClam The Bay participated in the first LBI Fest on Long Beach Island. Fourteen RCTB volunteers supported the event at our education booth and the RCTB Raw Bar in the food tent.

In a thank you to Mayor Mancini, Councilman Bill Knarre of Long Beach Township and George Gahles President of the LBI Business Alliance: Rick said:

"As president of ReClam The Bay I would like to thank you for your generous financial contribution resulting from the proceeds of the first ever LBIFest. People always want to know where the money from these events goes and I’m happy to say that over $2,000 of it is going to improve the bay that we all love so much.

RCTB graciously accepts this but feels that it is really a contribution to the bay and RCTB is just a way to use the money in an effective manner. This will enable RCTB to buy thousands of clam and oyster seed, maintain the 5 shellfish nurseries on LBI and take summer environmental education to thousands of visitors. It is about perfect; business and municipal leaders come together, visitors and residents learn what to do, and the bay improves.

I might also add that conceiving, planning and producing such an event demonstrates a kind of dedication that is truly admirable. The vision of the event might have come from a few but the production of the event was the work of many; especially Stacey Fuessinger of Just Bead It and Don Brown of the Greenhouse Café (both are sponsors of Giant Clams) as well as the many, many others who handled the details.

Thank you from the bottom……of the Bay!"

Sedge Island Field Day

After a hearty buffet breakfast at the Beachfront in Waretown and an informative talk by two local clammers, about one dozen volunteers were transported to Sedge Island by boat. They spend the rest of the day acquainting themselves with the facilities and working on necessary chores that are needed to maintain our shellfish grow out. The following photos show some of us busily occupied with various activities.

REPAIRING NETS

SORTING OYSTERS

CLEANING THE TAYLOR FLOATS

Tiny Shrimp Found in Upweller

Volunteer Vic Palmieri retrieved specimens of tiny animals (grass shrimp?) from the IBSP upweller on Monday June 7. He e-mailed me these pics and how he was able to take them with his microscope. I have copied part of his e-mail below and thought I would share these interesting photos with you.

Those small shrimp like specimens I collected from the IBSP upweller were alive and well in the bottle when I got home. I did have a problem getting good images in the microscope because in microscope scale these little animals are thick. Also, they were thicker than the depth of the well slide so once the cover slip was placed on top of the water on the slide a water bubble formed. The bright edges you see are the edges of the bubble.

Visually or with the electronic eyepiece you could easily see the animals breathing and movement in the internal organs. The eyes were very interesting.

A LED light source was used. In the first image the microscope condenser was opened all the way to allow the most light. This was the best for showing the eye structure. I am not sure what that is to the right of the eye but it looks like it is connected to the digestive tract(?) Below the digestive tract is that linear feature that has alternate small and large nodes along its length. Anyone know what they are? The bright arc over the animal is the bubble's edge.

The next image was also taken under full light and shows the dark digestive tract(?) Tail appendages are also visible.

Frank

Press Visits IBSP Upweller

Members of the Asbury Park Press reporting staff paid a visit to the IBSP upweller on Monday, June 7th. Todd Bates the chief environmental reporter was accompanied by Tanya Breen, photographer, and Tom Spader, videographer. Manny’s usual crew was there at 12:30 p.m. in order to prepare for the visit and get the site looking good. Rick made the trip up from LBI to be the spokesman for the video and to answer many of Todd’s questions. Manny and Marty were also interviewed at length. Todd who is gathering information for an upcoming series featuring Barnegat Bay also spent a day at Sedge with Jim Merritt last week. We will be looking forward to the articles which will be published some time in July.

Waretown Field Day

I received this e-mail this morning from Marty and you should all be receiving it in a personal e-mail soon.

All RCTB members are invited to attend our field trip on Saturday, June 12. The day's events will begin with an optional Breakfast around 0830 at the Bayfront Marina and Grill which is located at the very end of Bryant Road in Waretown. (This is the eastern end of Rt 532 which has a Parkway exit). We encourage your support of this restaurant as the owner, Keith Boyce, is a friend and supporter of RCTB, and assists us with security of our lease site next to his property.

Official activities will begin at 10:00 at the Gazebo next door with an interesting and informative presentation by a lifetime Bayman, commercial clammer and aquaculturist arranged by Gef. Next Jeffrey and some volunteers will replace some of our predator screens out front on the lease site. This should last until approximately 1130.

At 1130 we will board the boats for the ride across the bay to beautiful Hensler Island, one of the sedges. This is the site of the Pete McClain House, also known as the Sedge House where NJ Fish and Wildlife's Natural Resource Education Center is located. It is also the site of our second clam lease. The island is unofficially governed by "King" Jim Merritt, who will greet us and give us a tour of the facilities on one of the neatest spots on the planet. We will have lunch (bring your own from home) then do some work with the oysters and clams. We'll be replacing a couple of predator screens and examining what gathers on them. The boats will return members to Waretown when activities are done, estimated to be around 4 PM.

Boat owners are encouraged to bring their boats to assist in the transport. So far, we expect Jeffrey with the RCTB boat and Marty and Wes with each of theirs. Hopefully more! If your boat draws too much water to get through the shallows to Sedge, no problem! You can anchor off in the Mud Channel or the Bahamas and we can shuttle you in. Call Jim, Marty or Jeffrey for guidance. Please call Marty 732-604-0734 if you will bring a boat. This is for planning purposes- not a firm commitment!

What to bring! Appropriate clothing for the weather. It has been warm, but if the wind is off the ocean which today is 54 degrees, it could be chilly! Bay water has been warm- mid 70s on the out-going tide. Bring Water Shoes if planning to go in the water as some shells are sharp. Bring your own lunch, beverages. and sunscreen. No alcohol is allowed on State property!

Info/ Questions? Call Jim 609-658 7965, Jeffrey 732-674-4034, or Marty 732-604-0734.

For your planning purposes, there will a screen cleaning at Sedge on Sat July 17th, and the RCTB Sedge Weekend is booked for Fri-Sun August 27-29. We must have a minimum of 10 people sign up for this 3-day/2-night event to cover costs.

Looking forward to seeing you all on Saturday! There is no cost for this field trip except for paying for your own breakfast if desired, and a good time was had by all at this event in the past! In the event of inclement weather, the Sedge portion of the trip would likely cancel, but the Waretown portion could go on. Marty

Frank

Barnegat Bay Day

One of the largest environmental festivals of the year, the annual Barnegat Bay Day, took place on Sunday June 6th in Island Heights. Of course, Reclam the Bay was well represented with the following volunteers : Bob and Doreen Gleeson, Charlie Brandt, Bruce Beverage, Wes Dalzell, Marthy Sedlacko and me manning the table. The temperature was in the nineties and that may have had some affect on the turnout as the crowd size appeared to be somewhat smaller that last year. We did get to speak to quiet a few people and some indicated that they would like to volunteer and inquired about how they could help. We explained our levels of volunteers and how they could help at the upwellers without joining the classes. This was another successful fair and there will be many more to come this season so we urge you to join us at one or more in the future.

Count Clam

Frank

Waretown Founder's Day

The 2010 Fair and Festivals season is in full swing with events scheduled for practically every weekend throughout the summer months. Yesterday, May 29th, RCTB volunteers Wes, Charlie, Debbie and Frank set up our table at the Waretown Founder's Day at the Priff Elementary School campus. They were joined by Chelsea and Marty later in the morning. The weather was comfortably cool and the mostly family centered crowd seemed to be enjoying themselves as they strolled around the site. We had quite a few interested visitors stop by and listen patiently as we explained our mission and how shellfish can do their small part to help clean up Barnegat Bay. One interested visitor was ex Philadelphia Eagle player Jon Runyan, who is now running for Congress in the 3th Congressional District. Charlie attempted to cram our 12 weeks of clam knowledge in the time alloted but the Waretown mayor had other plans for Jon's time. Charlie does a great job explaining the clam growing and cleaning process to the children who visited our table. The families who came by were interested in what we do and our message is being spread to more and more people each year. All and all the day could be considered to have been a great success. This blog was written by Count Clam (F. Vives)

Screen Cleaning

Have you every wondered why we need to clean the predator control screens on the clam beds? A picture is worth a thousand words!

Only the Beginning

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