A forum on Friday, Dec. 9, discussing shellfish resources in Barnegat Bay is open to concerned citizens as well as scientists, government officials, commercial farmers and students. The meeting will be held at 1 p.m. at the Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science (MATES) in Manahawkin, 195 Cedar Bridge Rd., behind Southern Regional High School.
ReClam the Bay, the LBI Foundation Science Committee and Mordecai Land Trust with the assistance of the Barnegat Bay Partnership and it members will host the Barnegat Bay Shellfish Forum.
The outcome of the meeting is directed toward “effective restoration” of shellfish, said Rick Bushnell of ReClam the Bay.
“We will share our collective knowledge and experiences so we can forge implementation initiatives that will address effective restoration of the shellfish resources including aquaculture, shellfish stocks and shoreline stabilization,” he said.
The forum on Barnegat Bay’s shellfish “will foster discussion on what we know, what we want to know, and how to progress,” Bushnell said. “This is for shellfish-centric people to talk about the three main ideas and what is being done.
“Vital areas are: improving shellfish stocks; implementing sustainability and living shoreline projects that involve shellfish; enabling productive aquaculture.”
Register at tinyurl.com/barnegatbayshellfishforum.
There is no admission charge to the forum. A lunch is optional and can be ordered on the registration page of the website.
— Maria Scandale