The Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program

Who to Call List

Beach closures

Ocean County Health Department Beach Report web site is http://www.ochd.org/beach. Or call the O.C. Health Dept. Bathing Beach Hotline at 732-341-9700, ext. 7776 in northern O.C. and at 800-342-9738 in southern Ocean County. Available 24-hours/day.

Boating incidents/accidents

Call the New Jersey State Police, Marine Services Unit, which patrols the Barnegat and Little Egg Harbor bays. If you need to report marine littering, dumping, distressed boats, unsafe boating, boating accidents, overdue boaters, erratic drivers, speed wash/wake violation, or the like, please note down the name of the boat (if possible), its location (GPS coordinates would be very helpful), and any other information which would help Marine Services investigate the problem.

If you’re boating in the Atlantic City to Little Egg Harbor inlet area, please call the Atlantic City Station at 609-441-3586. If you’re boating in the Barnegat Bay area, call the Point Pleasant Station at 732-899-5050.

Diesel truck/bus idling violations

Call 1-877-WARN-DEP to report suspected violations of the idling standards. New Jersey law limits (with numerous exceptions) diesel engine idling to three minutes. NJDEP inspectors will issue citations to drivers and the owners of businesses where violations occur. Also see www.stopthesoot.org

Dumping or other Environmental Crimes, Incidents, Abuses or Complaints

Call 1-877-WARN-DEP (1-877-927-6337) for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, or 1-800-535 DUMP (3867) for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.

Fishing, Commercial

Port Agent for NOAA is Gene Steady. He’s in Toms River at 732-349-3533 and is in constant touch with the commercial fishermen.

Fishing, Recreational

JCAA (Jersey Coast Anglers Assoc.) 732-506-6565.

Gardening and Landscaping Questions

Contact the Ocean County Master Gardeners’ Hotline Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon, (732) 349-1245 (serving all of Ocean County) or Wednesday evening, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Thursday morning, 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon at (609) 978-1554 (serving the southern Ocean County area). The Master Gardeners can also be reached at: ocean@aesop.rutgers.edu

Land Preservation

Ryan Allen at the Ocean County Department of Planning, coordinator of the Natural Lands Trust Fund (732-929-2054).

Pump-out Boats

Can be contacted on the marine VHF radio channel 9 or call Borough of Seaside Park (732-793-5505); Tuckerton Seaport (609-296-8868); or Brick Township Public Works (732-262-1085).

River Cleanups

New Jersey Community Water Watch (732-249-4108). Also, call Dave McKeon or Pete Waldemaier at the Ocean County Planning Department, who can coordinate a cleanup using county resources; or call Sgt. Spina at the Ocean County Jail (732-929-2043 x 4832). To get prison-workers from Sgt. Spina, the clean-up must be substantial.

Statistics

For Ocean County. www.oceancountygov.com, click on “county statistics”; www.co.ocean.nj.us/planning; or Ocean County Data Book.

Stormwater

The NJ Stormwater Management Rules and Regulations and the NJ Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual are on-line at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/stormwater

Tourism, Ocean County

Bobbi Steele, Director Ocean County Public Affairs/Tourism 732-929-2000.

Water Quality

Call the NJDEP Marine Water Monitoring Program (aka shellfish program), and ask for Bob Connell (609-748-2000) for information on bacteria, nutrients, and other conventional parameters.

Call the Ocean County Health Department (732-341-9700) and ask for Bob Ingenito or John Protonentis.

Look at our website, http://www.bbep.org/dwnloads/Mon_Plan.pdf for the Monitoring Plan which shows the different monitoring parameters other agencies test for.

West Nile Disease

The Ocean County Health Dept. 732-341-9700 x 7502 for sightings of sick or dead crows.

Wildlife (Injured)

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/rehablst.htm for list of certified wildlife rehabilitators. Also, Barnegat Animal Clinic at 530 N. Main Street, Barnegat, NJ 08005 (609-698-2141) will treat any injured wild animal for free as long as the animal is released to them for future care and treatment. They work closely with certified wildlife rehabilitators, Donald Bonica of Toms River Avian Care, and NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife.

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