JC NERR Eel Monitoring Community Science Program
Since 2008, the Hudson River NERR has been successfully monitoring glass eels across various sites along the Hudson River with help from local volunteers. In 2021, funds through a National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) Science Collaborative Transfer Grant allowed the JC NERR to adopt this program from the Hudson River NERR and establish its own eel monitoring community science effort.
This program is the first community science volunteering opportunity initiated and overseen directly by staff at the JC NERR, strengthening relationships between the reserve and surrounding communities and providing useful information about the American eel to fisheries managers. Local teachers benefit from the eel monitoring program through the opportunity to incorporate more real-world, locally relevant science into their teachings. The program allows volunteers to experience real world scientific research in cooperation with Jacques Cousteau Reserve and educates participants on the ecological importance of the eels to the estuary and freshwater ecosystems.
The Impact:
- Established a JC NERR “Eel Team” of dedicated volunteers, with over 183 volunteer hours recorded throughout the first two years of the program, and engaged additional community members who expressed interest in future volunteering opportunities.
- Creates K-12 education opportunities to help students grapple with current environmental issues, experience hands-on stewardship, and learn about the ecological importance of eels to estuarine and freshwater ecosystems.
- Establishes new collaborative relationships among JC NERR and other regional programs involved or interested in eel monitoring.
MyCoast: New Jersey
MyCoast: New Jersey was publicly launched in 2021 in partnership with the New Jersey Costal Management Program (NJCMP). This initiative was designed to give community members a platform where they can share photos or stories to document impacts of flooding and places they feel connected to. By using MyCoast, users are capturing important weather and climate related events in their community. The photos linked to tide and weather data help us determine how often a community is flooding and where, leading a collaborative effort to identify and prioritize climate change resilience strategies. While MyCoast reports identify areas in New Jersey under threat to increased flooding from changing precipitation rates and rising seas, it also collects this data for other stakeholders like local governments, business owners, and residents to understand coastal change and make informed decisions. Visit the website or download the mobile app to get started!
Other Community Science Opportunities *If you are interested in participating in the following opportunities, please fill out a volunteer application. Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older.
Ichthyoplankton Sampling: Also known as “Bridge Netting”, this activity occurs at night on the incoming high tide (usually during the week) by the Rutgers University Marine Field Station (RUMFS). Larval fish are sampled using a plankton net suspended from one of the bridges on Great Bay Boulevard (Tuckerton, NJ), and transported to RUMFS for sorting. Start times vary throughout the month. Training occurs on the spot.
(Additional training for species identification of the ichthyoplankton samples can also be provided, if interested.)
Monofilament Line Collection Program: The JC NERR has installed monofilament line (fishing line) collection bins at 6 sites along Radio Road and Great Bay Boulevard in Tuckerton, NJ. These bins serve as disposal receptacles for discarded line from local fisherman. Participation in this program includes collection of monofilament from each bin with a local drop-off at the JC NERR Coastal Education Center. The JC NERR then sends collected monofilament line to an external partner for recycling.