Fisheries and Aquaculture

Specialty Areas: Commercial and Recreational Fisheries, Shellfish Aquaculture, Marine Resources Management 

Our Marine Extension Agent is Dr. Douglas Zemeckis, County Agent II (Associate Professor), who delivers educational programming and conducts applied research on issues related to commercial and recreational fisheries, shellfish aquaculture, and marine resources management. In addition to serving Atlantic County, Dr. Zemeckis also serves Ocean County and Monmouth County, as well as other coastal counties as required. 

Current educational programs which serve clientele in Atlantic County and throughout New Jersey include: 

• Introductory Fisheries Science for Stakeholders (IFISSH) 

• Coastal Stewardship Course, Barnegat Bay Shellfish Restoration Program (BBSRP) 

• Marine Extension Program Seminar Series (MEPSS) 

• Earth Day, Every Day 

Rutgers Cooperative Extension has a wide range of  fact sheets and bulletins  available on marine fisheries, aquaculture, and resource management issues. 

Dr. Zemeckis is also involved in many different research projects related to marine issues here in Atlantic County and throughout the New Jersey coast, including several ongoing or recently completed projects: 

• Climate Change Resiliency of New Jersey’s Commercial Fishing Ports 

• Offshore Wind Farm Contributions to a Regional Environmental And Ecological Monitoring System 

• Structured Habitat Survey , Bottom Trawl Survey , and  Hard Clam Dredge Survey – Fisheries Monitoring Plan  of  Ocean Wind 1  Offshore Windfarm 

• Can Cutting Bar Modifications Reduce Bycatch and Increase Catch Efficiency in the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery? 

• Sand Ridge Structuring of Fish Habitat Function on the Continental Shelf of New Jersey, Brigantine Shoal 

• Evaluating the Feasibility of Macroalgae and Finfish Mariculture in New Jersey 

• Increasing the Capacity and Profitability of US Aquaculture by Matching Practical Seafood Attributes with Post-Pandemic Consumer Demand 

• Shell Recycling Program in Atlantic City 

If you have any questions about marine fisheries, shellfish aquaculture, or marine resources management, then please contact Douglas Zemeckis (zemeckis@njaes.rutgers.edu, 732-349-1152).