The group boarding a handful of boats in Beach Haven on the last day of June included members of, and other stakeholders connected to, the New Jersey Bay Islands Initiative. Established just a few years ago, the NJBII aims to protect and promote the bay islands’ critical functions: providing habitat for migratory birds, shellfish and terrapins; slowing wave action across large swaths of open water; reducing marsh erosion; and mitigating storm impact on developed areas, such as Long Beach Island.