Scientists report that a living reef coastal defense system can reduce wave power significantly, suggesting the approach could offer a new way to protect shorelines from storms and rising seas. Their findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by an international team that included nine Rutgers University researchers, provide one of the most […]
Distinguished Professor Ximing Guo Honored with 2026 Samuel S. Baxter Memorial Award
Ximing Guo, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences (DMCS) at Rutgers University, has been honored by the Water Resources Association of the Delaware River Basin (WRA) with its 2026 Samuel S. Baxter Memorial Award. The award recognizes individuals who best exemplify WRA’s mission through contributions to sound water management. A renowned […]
Haskin Lab Strengthens Oyster Industry Through Research and Collaboration
The Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory has played a central role in supporting New Jersey’s oyster industry through decades of research, collaboration, and science-based management. Since 1953, the lab has worked closely with the Delaware Bay oyster industry and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Fish and Wildlife to address challenges affecting oyster […]
Wind Turbines and Fish: Can the East Coast Have Both?
Miles off the coast of New Jersey and New England, two major forces are converging: the rapid expansion of offshore wind energy and some of the most valuable fisheries in the United States. A new editorial published in Fisheries Oceanography takes stock of what we know — and what we urgently need to find out […]
Scientists Prove Shellfish Can Be Farmed Far From Shore
Rutgers researchers have made a discovery that could change the future of seafood farming in New Jersey. A study led by marine scientist Daphne Munroe has shown that Atlantic surfclams can be successfully farmed in the open ocean. Her research, published in the North American Journal of Aquaculture, proves that offshore aquaculture is not only possible but promising. This […]
Scientists Map Genome of Hybrid Oyster to Advance Sustainable Aquaculture
Oysters are one of the world’s most important seafood products, with farms producing about seven million metric tons each year. Now, researchers have unlocked the complete genetic code of a special hybrid oyster, providing a valuable tool that could help improve how these shellfish are farmed. The study, published in Scientific Data, presents the first […]
Keeping Oyster and Clam Farms Safe from Disease
A new study in Aquaculture looked at how tiny oysters and clams (called seed) can carry diseases when moved between hatcheries and farms. The authors wanted to find out which life stages are most at risk, and how careful water treatment can help protect both farmed and wild shellfish. David Bushek, an affiliate of the […]
Rutgers-designed Oyster Reef Structure Installed to Help Protect U.S. Military Base from Storms
U.S. Air Force officials installed a new kind of structure in the waters of St. Andrew Bay on the shore of the Tyndall U.S. Air Force Base in northwest Florida on Oct. 30 – the first section of a Rutgers University-designed “self-healing” reef made of custom-designed concrete modules and living oysters. The reef is designed […]
Rutgers Haskin Lab Postdoc Collaborates with NOAA Fisheries on Atlantic Surfclam Research
Laura Steeves, postdoctoral researcher at the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, collaborates with NOAA Fisheries to understand how a species important to New Jersey will respond to changing ocean conditions. “The Atlantic surfclam is a shellfish species recognized for their large shells that wash up on beaches along the east coast of the United States. I’ve been […]
Surf Clams Off the Coast of Virginia Reappear – and Rebound
The Atlantic surf clam, an economically valuable species that is the main ingredient in clam chowder and fried clam strips, has returned to Virginia waters in a big way, reversing a die-off that started more than two decades ago. In a comprehensive study of surf clams collected from an area about 45 miles due east […]
