Coastal Creature Feature
The December creature was the Striped Bass. New Jersey, with its coastal rivers, sandy beaches and shallow bays, contains prime striped bass habitat, making it a premier location for anglers hoping to land the big one! In fact, the world-record for a striped bass caught by rod and reel is 78 lbs., 8 oz., and 53 in., landed off a jetty in Atlantic City, NJ, in 1982. Unfortunately, PCBs, a pollutant, still plague this great fish. For over 20 years, fish advisories have urged citizens to limit or eliminate their consumption of striped bass caught in NY/NJ waters due to PCB contamination. Congratulations to Dennis Von Linden of Union for being chosen among the correct creature entries this month.
February Creature: Everyone enjoys finding one of these fragile treasures as you comb the beach. Often, only the bleached white skeleton is left, but sometimes after a big storm the beach is strewn with fresh specimens that still have their velvety covering of tiny spines. The distinctive petal shape on the top is actually five sets of pores that take in water to power tube feet used for eating and movement. To enter for a chance to win a COA T-shirt, send your guess for the February Creature by mail, fax, or e-mail (PO Box 505, Sandy Hook, NJ 07732; FAX 732-872-8041; Education@CleanOceanAction.org). Winner announced in April newsletter.
(Coastal Creature Feature appears every other month in the Clean Ocean Advocate.)
