The Barnegat Bay National Estuary ProgramThe National Estuary Program The National Estuary Program (NEP) was established by Congress in 1987 through Section 320 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) to "identify, restore, and protect nationally significant estuaries of the United States." The National Estuary Program is administrated by the Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). There are 28 NEP’s throughout the United States. The goal of the NEP is to prevent activities that:
The Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program The Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program (BBNEP) began in March 1995, when Governor Christine Todd Whitman submitted an application to the US EPA to have the Barnegat Bay/Little Egg Harbor estuarine system included in the National Estuary Program (NEP), that is, to be recognized as an “estuary of national significance.” In July 1995, US EPA Administrator Carol Browner officially named the Barnegat Bay/Little Egg Harbor estuarine system a National Estuary Program. In April 1996, the US EPA and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJ DEP) signed a joint conference agreement and officially convened the Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program Management Conference. During the next eight years of the Program, the Management Conference was engaged in numerous activities to accomplish the development of the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) to meet the goals of Section 320 of the CWA. The CCMP was approved on May 15, 2002. Mission In cooperation with our community, the BBNEP is committed to action to restore, maintain, protect, and enhance the natural resources of the Barnegat Bay estuary and its contributing watershed through the 21st century. We are guided by the following principles:
Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) Under the CCMP, the Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program was charged with developing a coalition of government, private, and commercial interests for the preservation of the Barnegat Bay and Little Egg Harbor estuaries by:
Completed in Spring 2008, the BBNEP's three-year Strategic Plan is the result of a 12-month collaborative effort from all major partners of the BBNEP to identify the key priority issues to focus on over the next three years. This three-year plan will focus the efforts of all partners on those priority challenges facing the ecosystem using a manageable time frame which allows for improved progress and performance measures. The BBNEP Strategic Plan integrates existing CCMP actions and will therefore essentially "take the place" of the CCMP from 2008-2011. The following issues were agreed-upon to be priorities in need of greater focus by the partners:
If you have any questions about this document, please contact Stan Hales, BBNEP Program Director at shales@ocean.edu or (732) 255-0472, extension 3. Ecosystem-Based Management Approach The Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program (BBNEP) utilizes an ecosystem-based management approach to protecting and preserving the natural resources of the Barnegat Bay estuary. Ecosystem-based management relies on the following key principles: 1) partnerships and citizen participation; 2) a science-based approach, which means using the best available scientific knowledge (social, economic, and ecological) as a foundation for decision-making; 3) understanding natural resource interrelationships; and 4) focus on sustainability of whole ecological systems. A long-term view. And a comprehensive perspective, which means finding solutions that support economic prosperity, lasting livelihoods, and ecological health. The program is focusing on the following issues to effect change and understanding of this complex system. Water Quality/Water Supply Water quality in the Barnegat Bay watershed is being degraded by nonpoint and point sources of pollution. Excessive nutrient inputs, coupled with bacterial pollution, upset the natural balance of the Barnegat Bay ecosystem and can directly impair human uses of the bay, including restriction on shellfish harvesting and swimming. A significant amount of this pollution is attributed to development on land and the activities associated with development (e.g., paved surfaces, vehicle use, lawn and garden maintenance, and septic systems) although other sources, such as boats and wildlife populations, also contribute to the problem. Public Participation and Education The public is essential to the protection of the estuary. The BBNEP is focused on increasing public understanding of the workings of the bay and its watershed and how individual actions impact the bay and its natural resources. Habitat and Living Resources The continued health and biodiversity of marine and estuarine systems depends on the maintenance of high-quality habitat. Threats to habitat in the Barnegat Bay watershed include conversion of open land and forest to residential and commercial development, highway construction, marinas, dredging and filling, and bulkheading. Declines in fish and wildlife populations have resulted from fragmentation and loss of habitats and ecosystems; pollution and decreased water quality due to increases in the runoff of sediments, nutrients, and chemicals; and overexploitation of resources. Human Activities and Competing Uses Given Ocean County’s increasing population and popularity as a resort area, the BBNEP recognizes the need to put constraints on the use of Barnegat Bay and its watershed. Effective management of the natural resources of the Barnegat Bay estuary requires careful consideration of the balance between appropriate and necessary uses on the one hand, and protection of natural resources on the other. The two primary areas of competing uses in the Barnegat Bay and its watershed are land use and development activities that threaten environmental quality and contention over the use of boats and personal watercraft. |
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