Native Fish Coalition New Jersey Chapter

Native Fish Coalition New Jersey Chapter While the complete restoration of native species assemblages and the removal of nonnative fish is not always attainable, it is our goal.

Native Fish Coalition is a nonpartisan, all-volunteer, grassroots, donor-funded, non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation, preservation, and restoration of native fish. It is the belief of Native Fish Coalition that no stream, river, pond or lake is truly healthy or “restored” until its full complement of native species is intact and it is devoid of non-native species and hatchery-rai

sed fish. While clean water and healthy riparian zones are a necessary foundation for establishing healthy ecosystems, they are not an absolute indication of overall ecological health. The purpose for forming Native Fish Coalition was to address issues that fall through the cracks, and turn partial solutions into total solutions. Our goal is to work with like-minded entities to best utilize our skills and resources to promote meaningful reform even when that means challenging the status quo, and to bridge the gap between fish and water conservation organizations, as well as other groups. We are part of a small but rapidly growing group of like-minded advocates who are committed to protecting, preserving, and restoring our wild native fish. That shared vision and the structure of our organization allows us to achieve consensus and act quickly and decisively to protect this invaluable and irreplaceable resource. Native Fish Coalition sees no issue as too big or too small, too easy or too challenging. We use information and education, research, habitat restoration and enhancement, reclamation, and regulations to promote complete and long-term solutions. While concessions are sometimes necessary, we will not agree to ineffective or dangerous compromises, quick fixes, or temporary solutions. We see education, negotiation, public advocacy, and legislation as important tools for achieving our objectives. We have assembled a group of experienced advocates who have dedicated themselves to understanding the many threats facing our native fish and the most effective ways to combat those threats. It is our intent to find common ground wherever possible and work with as many organizations, government agencies, businesses and clubs as we can. If you feel as we do, we would greatly appreciate your support. No donation or offer of help is too small or too large.

04/23/2026

Tonight we chose a new state chair, Aaron Jasper, to lead us through the Little Pond Brook dam removal project as well as other NFC business in New Jersey. Aaron brought this fantastic native brook trout stream to our attention initially and was instrumental in securing a donation that will cover engineering and permitting. This also frees me up to help surrounding states as National Vice Chair - North as NFC is rapidly growing through grassroots efforts.

04/21/2026

American Brook Lamprey spend the first four to five years of their lives blind and buried in stream substrate, where they filter feed tiny organic particles from the water. Growing up to 12 inches long, they develop functioning eyes and their distinctive disk shaped mouth only during the final eight to nine months of their lifespan. Unlike their relative, the Sea Lamprey, American Brook Lamprey are not parasitic. In fact, American Brook Lamprey do not eat at all as adults, because they lack a functioning digestive system.

These lampreys prefer cool, clean streams with strong flows and silt free gravel bottoms. Because of these specific needs, they are considered an indicator species, meaning their presence indicates a healthy stream. Their range extends from Alabama into southern Canada, and from Arkansas to the Atlantic coast.

In New Jersey, American Brook Lamprey populations have declined and distribution is fragmented into small, isolated populations. The species has disappeared from parts of its historic range.

What threatens them?
• Excessive sedimentation and siltation of spawning habitats
• Altered flow regimes caused by dam operations, water extraction, and land use changes

How are they being protected?
• The American Brook Lamprey is listed as a Species of Special Concern in New Jersey, which strengthens protections for the waters they live in.
• Fisheries Biologists in NJ are working to better understand their distribution and behavior by monitoring their spring spawning sites.

04/14/2026
Our state Division of Fish and Wildlife have an excellent team of forward thinking fisheries biologists that pay dividen...
03/28/2026

Our state Division of Fish and Wildlife have an excellent team of forward thinking fisheries biologists that pay dividends for our native fish.

The Mud Sunfish is one of New Jersey’s rarest native sunfish. Sedentary, nocturnal, and mud loving, these secretive fish prefer heavily vegetated forest ponds and slow, muddy streams. They can be recognized by their dark brown color, rounded tail, and 3-4 faint bands along their sides.

Mud Sunfish spend much of their time hiding under banks, in thick vegetation, or partially buried in the mud. Their forward facing eyes help them hunt small fish and aquatic invertebrates. They can begin spawning as early as December and continue through May, building round, open nests in sandy areas surrounded by vegetation. Remarkably, they can spawn in water as cold as 44°F, which is much colder than what most other sunfish can spawn in.

In New Jersey, most Mud Sunfish are found in the Pinelands and Outer Coastal Plain, where acidic water (low pH) prevents many non native sunfish from successfully reproducing. Still, their low abundance and low reproductive rate make them vulnerable to catastrophic events, competition with non-native sunfish, and low genetic diversity.

What threatens them?
• Introduction of non native sunfish
• Loss of native aquatic vegetation
• Changes to water quality, including increased pH
• Drainage or loss of swamp habitat

How are they being protected?
• Mud Sunfish are listed as a Species of Special Concern in New Jersey, providing stronger protection for the waters they live in.
• More info can be found in the State Wildlife Action Plan: https://dep.nj.gov/swap/sgcn/profile/?wdt_md_p_t_id=10&wdt_md_p_t_col_name=species_for_url&wdt_md_col_value=mud-sunfish

Fun Fact: Mud Sunfish can make a grunting sound, usually produced by males during spawning as a mating call or to defend their territory!

03/27/2026

Today we got a commitment for a $50,000 donation earmarked to help remove a small dam on our adopted stream, Little Pond Brook in Oakland, NJ. This will open more than 2/3 of the available upstream habitat which is currently without native brook trout because of this dam. NJ NFC will partner with the Borough of Oakland who owns some of this stream and with East Jersey Trout Unlimited to see the project through completion. A big shout out to Aaron Jasper of the NJ board for his tremendous work and outreach to local landowners.

01/24/2026

Aaron will be in the house tomorrow (Saturday) to help NJ NFC in our booth. Aaron introduced us to our now adopted stream, Little Pond Brook, a native brook trout tributary to the Ramapo River in northeastern NJ.

A good first day for NJ Native Fish Coalition at the Edison, NJ Fly Fishing Show. We saw many friends, met many new peop...
01/24/2026

A good first day for NJ Native Fish Coalition at the Edison, NJ Fly Fishing Show. We saw many friends, met many new people, and talked about native fish. We will be back at it tomorrow morning. Looks like Sunday will be a ghost town down there thanks to the impending storm.

Address

P. O. Box 10
Pownal, ME
04069

Telephone

+12073996270

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