This project has two main objectives: to complete a surf clam inventory survey and develop estimates of relative abundance of finfish and crustaceans within the raritan-sandy hook BAY complex

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection $640,442 on January 1, 2026, under the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act of 1986 (CFDA 11.407) to complete a surf clam inventory survey and develop estimates of relative abundance of finfish and crustaceans within the Raritan-Sandy Hook Bay Complex. The surf clam survey represents the first inventory in New Jersey state waters since 2019 and will generate data to calculate total and per-harvest-zone standing stock of surf clams, inform surf clam and finfish fisheries management decisions, and establish the frequency with which the survey must be conducted to set harvest quotas for this coastal fishery. Performance occurs in Trenton, New Jersey, with a period of performance extending from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2030. The Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act provides formula-based grants to states for managing shared fish resources that cross state lines, with this project supporting New Jersey's cooperative management of transboundary fishery stocks.

The proposed surf clam inventory will be the first surf clam survey in new jersey state waters since 2019, thereby providing valuable insight into the condition of this once-flourishing fishery resource. Data provided by the survey activities will be used to calculate total and per-harvest zone standing stock of surf clams. Results from the investigations will be used to inform surf clam and finfish fisheries management decisions. The surf clam survey will also be used to determine the frequency with which this survey will need to be conducted, as results provide the means to set harvest quotas for this coastal fishery.