Barnegat Bay Shellfish

Environment

The Barnegat Bay estuary is a habitat that supports many species of plants and animals. The goal of this website is to provide information about the various species of shellfish in Barnegat Bay and their environment.

Barnegat Light

An aerial view of the bay shows the Atlantic Ocean to the right (east), the barrier islands Island Beach

(technically, a peninsula) to the north and Long Beach Island to the south.

Separating the two islands is Barnegat Inlet.

(the location of Barnegat Light)

<click here>

for larger map

Bay Scallop

(yes, they have blue eyes)

<learn more>

Have a Question?

Email us and we will do our best to answer it.

support@barnegatshellfish.org

_________________________

2022

NJ DEP Interactive Maps

<click here>

Shellfish Growing Water
Classification Charts

Individual chart <click here>

All Charts Color PDF <click here>

All Charts Black &White PDF <click here>

Q. What are shellfish? For one thing, they are not exactly fish. They have no vertebrate (backbone). They do not have scales or fins and few species can swim, most cannot. The term "fish" to most people applies to an aquatic vertebrate animal more accurately called "fin fish" The dictionary definition is " An aquatic animal, such as a mollusk or crustacean, that has a shell or shell-like exoskeleton. In the culinary world , two major groups of seafood are called shellfish. Mollusks - include clams, oysters, mussels, conch, snails and scallops. Crustaceans - include shrimp, crabs, lobster and crawfish. (Squid and octopus (cephalopods) are sometimes considered shellfish as well.) Learn More about Shellfish <click here>
Osprey at Island Beach State Park ...Live Cam
Osprey Cam <click here>

Barnegat Bay

Barnegat Bay
Barnegat Bay Watershed Q. What is a watershed? A watershed is defined as the area of land where all of the water that is under it or drains off of it goes into the same place, according to the EPA website. Think of a watershed as a large bathtub. When a drop of water hits anywhere in that bathtub it eventually finds its way to the drain.
The Barnegat Bay watershed includes most of Ocean County, NJ and a portion of southern Monmouth County. <click here> for larger map It encompasses 660 square miles and stretches between mile markers 53 and 92 on the Garden State Parkway. It includes fresh water from nine streams and rivers that flow east into Barnegat Bay It is home to 38 municipalities, more than 500,000 people, scores of animal species and a wide range of ecosystems, including forest, marsh, pond and bay.
10 Things YOU CAN DO To Maintain a Healthy Barnegat Bay <click here>
NJ Saltwater Recreational Registry Registration is Free <click here>

This Website is in the process of being upgraded.
The site will continue as some updates and modiications are being made.
The new site has a new look and more information about the Bay, its shellfish and the environment.

Barnegat Bay Shellfish (2011) https://barnegatshellfish.org

Barnegat Bay Shellfish (2021) https://bbshellfish.org

Credits

Barnegat Bay Partnership