Feather Blenny ~ New Jersey Scuba Diving

Feather Blenny

Hypsoblennius hentzi

Size: to 5"

Habitat: bays, estuaries, protected coastal waters

Notes:

Blennies live on the bottom in oyster beds or mussel beds. If you find an old piece of pipe or a bottle in the river, look inside - you'll probably find a blenny.

Feather Blennies have branching "horns" over the eyes, called cirri.

Similar Striped Blenny has a more pointed profile with almost invisible cirri. I have not yet encountered the third and final species of blenny in our area - the Seaweed Blenny.

River & Inlet

These fishes are most likely to be found on or near the bottom in the rivers and inlets, either resting or swimming around. In addition, many of the types more often found out at sea may be found in the rivers and inlets. In addition, many tropical fishes may be found here as well.

Many of the types presented here are representative of entire families of similar related species. While some are closely related, others are not. These particular species are the most common in our area.

More: River & Inlet ...

Cost of Building Reefs

According to a survey conducted by the Division in 1993 and 1994, an average of $2.2 million is expended annually to construct and manage New Jersey's ocean reefs. The management portion of the project, which includes the salaries of State marine biologists who select reef sites, coordinate construction activities, and conduct biological and harvest surveys, and the costs of operating a research vessel and sampling equipment, amounts to approximately $215,000 each year. Funding for management is composed of $161,000 in federal Sportfish Restoration Funds, which are obtained from excise taxes on recreational fishing tackle, and $54,000 in state funding.

Feather Blenny

River & Inlet

Artificial Reefs Economics

Cost of Building Reefs