WORDS OF A FEATHER “You’re Gonna Need a Bigger Boat” Story and photo by HEATHER SHIRLEY Ahh, summer in New Jersey. There’s not much better than it, is there? Long days full <strong>of</strong> sunshine lure us out on the lake and down to the shore. Both are fantastic destinations. Both present unique, complex ecosystems that are vibrant and wondrous. An ecosystem describes “a community <strong>of</strong> living and non-living things that work together,” according to PBS. The size <strong>of</strong> the community doesn’t matter; complete ecosystems can be found in a single tide pool, a lake, a terrarium on your desk or different zones <strong>of</strong> the ocean (tidal, deep water, etc.) Every aspect <strong>of</strong> an ecosystem works together, in balance, to keep the community thriving, including air, soil, plant matter and a variety <strong>of</strong> animals. Among the most important animals are predators, especially apex predators, which sit at the top <strong>of</strong> the food chain. Studies repeatedly show that when these predators are removed or depleted, the entire ecosystem fails. (The Natural Resources Defense Council <strong>of</strong>fers good information about this phenomenon. Go to www.nrdc.org/sites/ default/files/predatorimportance.pdf to learn more.) If predators are thriving, it means an ecosystem is also thriving. Given this, I thought it would be interesting to learn more about the aquatic predators <strong>of</strong> our favorite summer destinations. In the Musconetcong watershed, which encompasses Lake Hopatcong, the apex aquatic predator is a fish known as a muskellunge or “muskie” for short. Though not good for eating, these amazing creatures are coveted game fish, therefore, catch and release practices are encouraged. Though muskellunge are not native to New Jersey, they were first reported here in 1900, in Greenwood Lake, according to the United States Geological Survey. According to Laurie Murphy, 38 LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS <strong>Fourth</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>July</strong> <strong>2023</strong> owner <strong>of</strong> Dow’s Boat Rental in Jefferson, the muskie is fished regularly by a handful <strong>of</strong> local fishermen on Lake Hopatcong. These elusive fish are strikingly beautiful, with elongated silvery bodies that can be covered on their sides with stripes, spots or almost leopardlooking patterns. Muskies average 2 to 4 feet in length and 15 to 35 pounds, although some record holders have been twice that size. They have tremendous, long jaws with large canine teeth. These fish prefer clear waters and establish two ranges in summer, one shallower and warmer, the other deeper and cooler. They patrol both, regularly searching for food. Almost anything constitutes their prey; any fish (including other muskies), muskrats, mice, rats, frogs, even ducks. They can eat prey that is two-thirds their body size. Yowza! Muskies spawn in late spring, and the young grow to 12 inches long by November <strong>of</strong> their first year. As young fish they are vulnerable to a variety <strong>of</strong> other predators, but as adults, only humans and bald eagles pose a threat. They typically live for 12 to 18 years, and there are records <strong>of</strong> 30-year-old muskies. Makes you want to get out your fishing rod, right? Or are you instead rethinking a swim in the lake? Are you tempted to drive to seaside points south, instead? Of course, in the ocean, the apex predators are sharks. New Jersey’s bays and marshes serve as nurseries for three species <strong>of</strong> sharks: the smooth dogfish, the sand tiger shark and the sandbar shark. Of these, sandbar sharks are the most common. Each species gives birth to live young in places like Little Egg Harbor and Barnegat Bay. The juveniles, also called pups, are then abandoned and left to manage on their own. The pups take refuge hiding in the grasses <strong>of</strong> estuaries. There they hunt for fish and crustaceans, growing until they’re large enough to try out the open ocean. Young sharks that survive this initial foray into the Atlantic usually return to the sanctuary <strong>of</strong> their youth. They spend another year there in relative safety, eating, growing and developing the skills necessary to survive. Once they leave their estuary home for good, they spend their life at sea, only returning to the bays to birth more pups. In addition to the breeding species <strong>of</strong> sharks, New Jersey waters also host annual visiting shark species such as the hammerhead, basking, mako, thresher and the big guy himself, the great white. Whether lauded by Discovery Channel’s Shark Week or vilified by Hollywood and uninformed people, sharks fascinate us. Given that, it would seem we would want to do more to protect them. But like so much <strong>of</strong> our wildlife and natural resources, sharks and their ecosystems are under threat from more frequent storms and sea level rise. Both affect salinity and stability <strong>of</strong> fragile Top to bottom: The author shot this photo at an aquarium. Lake Hopatcong’s Bob Neals caught a muskie beneath the ice at Monksville Reservoir in January, 1997. Photo from NJDEP website. ecosystems. The Nature Conservancy, thankfully, is making promising strides to combat this and hopes to expand its progress to more areas <strong>of</strong> New Jersey and beyond. So, gentle readers, enjoy the lovely summer days. And as you cool <strong>of</strong>f and swim or dangle your feet in the lake or ocean, try not to think about what lurks below. Dunnn dunn…duuuunnn dunn…duuuunnn dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun duuuunnn dun! LOCAL LIVE ENTERTAINMENT ▪Music ▪Theater ▪ Dance ▪ Arts Events Outdoor Summer Concerts <strong>July</strong> 13th - Hoi Polloi <strong>July</strong> 20th - Total Soul 7-9 pm Free Family-friendly Entertainment & Games Come find out what the RAA has to <strong>of</strong>fer year round! Follow us on Facebook & Instagram @roxburyartsalliance Roxbury Arts Alliance at Citizens Bank Theater 72 Eyland Ave, Succasunna NJ 07876 www.RoxburyArtsAlliance.org 973-945-0284
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