Expiration date: 2/26/2015
LOCATION: Decimal Latitude: 39.114195° North; Longitude: -74.891949° West
The proposed work would take place off-shore from South Reeds Beach, between Reeds Beach and Cooks Beach Roads, in Middle Township, Cape May County, New Jersey. The work would occur off-shore from Block 29, Lots 1 and 2 (property owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge), and within an existing shellfish lease (A-23) held by Elder Point Oyster Company. A location map is included with this notice.
ACTIVITY: The applicant proposes to construct an experimental oyster reef in Delaware Bay. The project would include placement of two rows of bagged conch shells 200 feet long (each) in a parallel herringbone pattern. The configuration would be comprised of an inner row of bagged conch shell that is 1’ (2 shell bags) high from the bottom and approximately 50’ off-shore from the toe of the beach slope (approximately 150 feet waterward of the mean high water line or MHWL). The outer row would be 2’ (3 shell bags) high, 5’ wide and approximately 100’ off-shore from the toe of the beach slope (approximately 200 feet waterward of the MHWL). The rows would consist of reef segments that are 5’ x 10’ each, with 3- to 5-foot gaps between segments to allow for horseshoe crab movement. Reef segments would be staked in place with rebar. A total of 30 segments would cover approximately 1,500 square feet (0.034 acre) within the overall 0.28-acre project area.