Pressures on New Jersey shellfish waters

摘要

Since 1978, the State of New Jersey has been able to restore more than 90,000 acres of shellfish waters to harvestable status. These restoration efforts have resulted in classifying approximately 88 percent of the shellfish waters in the state as harvestable. (Harvestable waters include all shellfish waters from which shellfish are available for either direct market or market after additional purification, such as depuration.) Therefore, the state's goal to classify 90 percent of the waters as harvestable by 2005 is close to being achieved (Fig. 1). Additional waters have improved to a less restricted harvesting status. Most of the improvement in water quality prior to 1995 was directly related to improvements in domestic waste treatment. Evaluations of shellfish waters may be found at www.state.nj.us/dep/watershedmgt/bmw. New Jersey is a densely populated state with a highly developed waterfront area. Much of the infrastructure, particularly in the northern coastal areas, has been in place for many years. As a result, existing pressures on water quality in shellfish waters are comprised primarily of non-point sources and unpermitted discharges.