Bay - See

─Photos by Stephanie Faughnan (Top): A crew put together a film featuring the Ocean County Sheriff’s Marine Unit on saving the Barnegat Bay. (Bottom): Britta Forsberg of Save Barnegat Bay joined the Sheriff’s Department at the end of their filming to discuss the marine unit.

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above and beyond. According to Forsberg, Mastronardy considered her inquiry and said his department already had a marine unit with a boat. However, the Barnegat Bay advocate was on a mission – and pressed harder. First, came the questions about how often the Sheriff’s boat went out to patrol the waters. The two then moved on to discuss the type of equipment in use. Forsberg had a plan - and one that ultimately made sense. “I explained to the Sheriff that we really needed a bigger presence on the bay,” shared Forsberg. “I told him I wanted to help him put together a proposal that would get the department an appropriate vessel that could go into shallow waters and help more.” The brainstorming between the county law enforcement head and the non-profit leader resulted in a matching grant award that has furthered the work intended to keep the Barnegat Bay safe. County records document that the Ocean County Sheriff’s department was able to purchase a new boat used in conjunction with a matching grant from the state. The Ocean County Sheriff’s department purchased the Reconcraft 24-foot patrol vessel with Waterjet Propulsion and Trailer for $249,814. Fortunately, it came with a warranty as Ocean County Sheriff’s officers had to use another vessel to embark on another special mission at the end of last month. “The purpose of the jet boat is that because it doesn’t have propellers, it doesn’t disturb any of the life at the bottom,” Mastronardy explained. “It’s really what we need to keep the bay healthy.” Lori Van Lenten, Fiscal Officer of the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office said the State of New Jersey provided the money to pay for the officers who patrol the protected zones of the Barnegat Bay and educate boaters as to why they should not venture into areas of restoration and the future health of the bay. “The State DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) awarded us $240,000 for salaries, and $30,000 to produce an educational video,” Van Lenten said. A film crew went out with members of the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department Marine Unit to put together informational resources. Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Rory Gronczewski headed out into the bay with other members of the marine unit for action shots in the patrol region. According to Gronczewski, one of the purposes of the video is to educate the public about the Sedge Island Conservation Zone at the southern end of Island Beach State Park. The marine unit primarily patrols on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from Memorial Day until Labor Day. The team works hand in hand with New Jersey State Police as they are first line patrol units. “One of the big things we are involved with the State Police are the floats and boats gathering at Tices Shoal,” said Gronczewski. “That’s in July when there are a lot of people out on the bay.” The targeted areas patrolled by the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department generally run from the Seaside Bridge to the bridge leading into Long Beach Island. Those assigned to the marine unit bring a variety of skills and handle different

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