Great Bay (New Jersey) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Great Bay |
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Islands near Great Bay during summer.
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 Great Bay
Location in New Jersey
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| Location | New Jersey |
| Coordinates | 39°30′36″N 74°21′55″W / 39.51000°N 74.36528°W |
| Type | Bay |
Great Bay is a large body of water in southern New Jersey. It's found in Ocean and Atlantic Counties. The bay is about 10 miles (16 km) north of Atlantic City.
The Mullica River flows into Great Bay. Together, they form an important area called an estuary. An estuary is where a river meets the sea, mixing fresh water with salty ocean water. Great Bay connects to the Atlantic Ocean through a narrow opening called the Little Egg Inlet. This bay is special because it's one of the cleanest and most natural marine wetland areas in the northeastern United States.
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About Great Bay
Great Bay is not very deep, averaging about 5 feet (1.5 meters). The bottom of the bay has many tiny plants called algae. It also has some larger plants like seagrasses.
Eelgrass is a type of seagrass that grows in Great Bay. It's an important part of the underwater plant life. These eelgrass beds are usually found in shallower areas, about 3 feet (1 meter) deep or less.
The bay also has large areas of sand and mud flats. These flats cover about 5.2 square miles (13.58 square kilometers). They are created by sand and mud brought in by the Mullica River. Sand also moves in from the ocean through the Little Egg Inlet.
Amazing Sealife in Great Bay
Great Bay is home to many different kinds of fish. It's a very important place for young fish to grow up. This area is like a "nursery" for fish such as bluefish, weakfish, and menhaden.
Many fish also come here to lay their eggs. This is called "spawning." Some fish, like sandlance and winter flounder, spawn in the winter. Others, like bay anchovy and silversides, spawn in the summer.
Fish Species in the Bay
Scientists studied Great Bay in the 1970s to see what fish lived there. They found 66 different kinds of fish! Most of the fish they caught were smaller species. These smaller fish are often food for bigger animals.
The most common fish found were:
- Bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli)
- Atlantic silverside (Menidia menidia)
- Silver perch (Bairdiella chrysoura)
- Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus)
- Striped killifish (Fundulus majalis)
- Sea herring (Clupea harengus)
- White perch (Morone americana)
- Northern puffer (Sphoeroides maculatus)
- Oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau)
- Striped anchovy (Anchoa hepsetus)
Commercial Fishing in Great Bay
People also fish in Great Bay for food. Some of the seafood caught here includes:
- Northern quahog (a type of clam, Mercenaria mercenaria)
- Blue crab (Callinectes sapidus)
- White perch
- Winter flounder
- American eel (Anguilla rostrata)
The bay is especially important for blue crabs. It's a major place where they lay their eggs and where young crabs grow. There are also many eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) beds in the bay. These beds are very productive and help new oysters grow.
The Mullica River - Great Bay Estuary
The Mullica River - Great Bay estuary is a huge natural area. It includes the entire Mullica River and Great Bay. It stretches from the river's small streams all the way to where it connects with the New York Bight through Little Egg Inlet.
This area also includes all the wetlands along the river and bay. These wetlands are important habitats for many animals. This estuary is very clean and natural. It provides a home for many different types of fish and shellfish. It also supports nesting and migrating waterbirds, birds of prey, and waterfowl.
The Mullica River flows through the New Jersey Pinelands. Most of this area is protected by special plans and wildlife management areas. This helps keep the environment healthy.
Birds of the Estuary
The coastal marshes in the Mullica River - Great Bay estuary are very important for birds. Many waterfowl, raptors, wading birds, and shorebirds use these marshes.
Osprey are large birds of prey that build their nests on platforms in the salt marshes. Many migrating and wintering waterfowl also visit the estuary. On average, over 12,000 waterfowl are counted here during winter surveys.
