shellfish gardener program

 

 

ReClam the Bay and BBSRP Shellfish Gardeners Program

The Barnegat Bay Shellfish Restoration Project (BBSRP) is looking for individuals who are interested growing clams and oysters and educating the public about the Barnegat Bay Watershed. Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Ocean County will offer a program to train shellfish gardeners. The Shellfish Gardener Training Course, which is similar to the Master Gardeners Program, will include spring and fall classroom work, field trips and a supervised summer practicum.

During the past three years volunteers in the Barnegat Bay Shellfish Restoration Program have raised millions of clams and hundreds of thousands of oysters in nurseries in Barnegat Bay. Beside the fact that we are successfully raising shellfish, the most important part of our program is to educate the public about water quality issues in the Barnegat Bay Watershed. We do this by inviting the public to join in our efforts at our seven shellfish nurseries at various locations around the bay. In addition, ReClam the Bay, our non-profit organization, advertises our work in the news media and on their website. ReClam the Bay helps to support the Barnegat Bay Shellfish Restoration Program through fundraising and education.

SHELLFISH GARDENER TRAINING COURSE (See syllabus for details)

Barnegat Bay Shellfish Restoration Program

Goals:

  • Train and certify new volunteers to safely raise shellfish in Barnegat Bay
  • Educate new volunteers about the ecology of the Barnegat Bay Watershed and how their actions affect the Bay
  • Encourage stewardship of Barnegat Bay by volunteers as they help educate the general public

 

Open House: open to the public at no charge (4/24/2012) 7:00 to 9:00

    • BBSRP, Mission and Goals 
    • NJ DEP Bureau of Shellfisheries
    • Rutgers IMCS Link to Barnegat Bay
    • ReClam the Bay
    • Break to rearrange people
    • Shellfish In the Classroom
    • Barnegat Bay Ecology and Water Quality Monitoring
    • Description of Shellfish Gardener Training Course
    • Q and A time
    • Registration for the course opportunity

BARNEGAT BAY SHELLFISH RESTORATION PROGRAM

SAMPLE SYLLABUS

The public is welcome to audit the classes free of charge

Classes are held at 7:00 PM at the the Rutgers Extension office 1623 Whitesville Rd.
Toms River, NJ Directions

 

Spring 2012 Syllabus  - Classes start May 1, 2012

 

  • Shellfish and Barnegat Bay Ecology
    • Program Pre-test; extra registrations
    • Barnegat Bay Ecology
    • Class Introductions
    • Types of shellfish and their habitat (

 Growing Shellfish and Data Collection Part 1

    • Hatchery to planting
    • Documenting growth and mortality 
  • Water Quality and Barnegat Bay
    • Importance of water quality monitoring
    • Water quality testing techniques

 Upweller Care and Public Education and Data Collection Part 2

    • Types of data to be collected
    • Upweller care and management
    • Public Education and publicity

 Other Shellfish Restoration Programs

    • Great South Bay Hard Clam Restoration
    • Hands on Activity

 Safe Shellfish Gardening and Review for Mid-term Assessment

    • Junior Shellfish Gardeners’ Program
    • What happens at Fairs and Festivals (
    • Assignment of upweller groups or committee teams
    • Review for Assessment (Cara Muscio)

 Setting Oysters on Shells

    • Spat on Shell Oyster Production
    • Mid-term Assessment (

Field Trips:

--A Day on Barnegat Bay; Waretown, NJ 9am

Plan for summer field experience: Baymen discussion (Parsons/Pritchard)*

--Trip to Island Beach State Park Upweller (date to be confirmed)

*Recommended for all shellfish gardeners       

Program fee is $75. Includes binder with course materials and RCTB sticker upon completion of spring program.