While we have made great improvements in issues such as water quality, wildlife and public access in the NMS waters, there continue to be issues that are detrimental to optimal man/nature interaction and general enjoyment of the waters included in the NMS.
Some issues are non-contentious and have almost universal support, but simply are not making meaningful headway, while other issues, on the face of it, may be contentious. Often, even the issues that may appear to be contentious still have a common goal, but there is disagreement about the methods.
Contentious debate is unpleasant and therefore the debate is often avoided, but this does not make the issue go away. Only debate and analysis in a proper forum provides the chance that optimal solutions will be developed.
At present no such forum exists. A structure like an NMS makes it more difficult for the issue of concern to be ignored, and by keeping it on the table over a long period of time, adjustments can be made. Very often the issue does not need to be regulated, but instead improved education resolves the issue.
This is a list of issues that have been raised by various stake holders. These issues have not been vetted as right or wrong, they are simply concerns that have been raised and that, if resolved, will result in improvements that benefit everybody.
Lack of general boater courtesy Lack of awareness with regard to river and bay wildlife and river quality issues Lack of awareness with regard to NMS recreational and commercial opportunities Reductions in recreational boating interest Storm runoff water quality issues Lack of native oysters Lack of spartina grasses Lack of edible species awareness Clamming restrictions (check out the neat graphic) Dissolved oxygen deficiencies Ineffective bulkheading Ineffective river scaping Poor land side trash management Bridge replacements issues Land side impervious surface issues Lack of dredging Limits in NMS access Inadequate ecosystem man/nature sustainable education Lack of protection of culturally significant NMS activities such as boat racing, hunting, fishing and port facilities Overall poor and non-optimized fisheries yield Local fish to table inadequacies Poor feeder creek conditions Fertilizer overloading Poor insecticide practices PCB's and other industrial residue River and bay bottom degradation Silting Lack of existing regulation (law) enforcement
This is a long list and is sure to grow, but if a mechanism can be developed where, as a local community, we make slow headway on most of them, the future will be much brighter. The vast majority of these issues do not need a huge investment to achieve improvements, but they do require general awareness by all stake holders and constant attention.
An NMS will provide a forum. None of this can be solved through special interest pressure, it can only be solved if the bay and rivers are presented as a valid common stake holder.
At their March 30th meeting the NJCDC voted to oppose the nomination of Sandy Hook Bay, Navesink and Shrewsbury Rivers and there tributaries for a National Marine Sanctuary. Earlier this week the NJOA and JCAA both reached consensus to oppose the nomination as well.
Or at a shipwreck site, there could be a ban on removing artifacts, Bohne said.
CANCELLED PER JAY-OWNER OF BAHR'S LANDING!!! **UPDATE - MARCH 21, 2016** - Rik van Hemmen AND the Navesink Maritime Heritage Association will be ‘moderating’ a discussion on Wednesday, March 23 beginning at 7 p.m. at Bahrs Landing Restaurant, 1 Bay Avenue in Highlands, NJ. According to the email invitation to “members” of the Navesink Maritime Heritage Association, this ‘round table discussion’ will feature “supporters and questioners from local organizations who have an interest in this subject.”
Petition in opposition to Sandy Hook Bay National Marine Sanctuary
MARCH 13TH SANDY HOOK BAY NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY NOT OPEN TO PUBLIC
New Gretna, NJ - The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) has been contacted by the Navesink Marine Heritage Association, the organization pursuing to have Sandy Hook Bay, Raritan Bay, the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers and their tributaries designated as a National Marine Sanctuary, and informed that the Sunday, March 13th meeting to be held at the Key Point Yacht Club is not open to the pubic since the meeting location is a private facility. Those wishing to attend Sunday's meeting need to request permission to attend from Rik van Hemmen, vice president of the Navesink Maritime Heritage Association at 732 224-1133.
The general public will still have an opportunity to weigh in on this proposal. The Wednesday, March 16 meeting at the Red Bank Library, 84 West Front Street in Red Bank is being held at a public facility and no one can be turned away. Click on the facebook link below to let us know if will be attending the hearing.
is in its scoping phase. The individuals who are proposing the nomination are seeking local support. Wednesday night's meeting in Red Bank will be well attended if the fishing forums predictions come true.
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