A New Jersey state senator is pushing for a bold renaming of the Delaware Bay, proposing that the iconic body of water be officially dubbed “The Bay of New Jersey,” in a move reminiscent of President Donald Trump’s decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.”
The legislation, introduced on Thursday by Republican State Senator Michael Testa, would require all state agencies to begin using the term “The Bay of New Jersey” across official platforms, including signage, state publications, websites, and public communications, according to NJ.com. It also mandates that federal authorities be notified of the change.
“I look at the robust fishing industry — commercial fishing industry and recreational industry of the State of New Jersey,” Testa told the outlet. “I think that the fact that we have to call the bay that we fish in the Delaware Bay – they’ve had a claim to that long enough.”
The bay, which plays a crucial role in New Jersey’s economy through tourism, shipping, and fishing, has carried the name “Delaware Bay” since 1610. The designation honors Thomas West, the third Baron De La Warr, who served as governor of the Virginia colony. That history is noted on Delaware’s official government website.
Testa, a longtime backer of President Trump, promoted his renaming effort on social media with a nod to Trump’s campaign slogan, posting, “Make New Jersey Great Again!” on X.
His proposal follows a headline-grabbing move by Trump about six months ago, when he declared the Gulf of Mexico should now be referred to as the “Gulf of America.” That announcement drew both support and satire, including a playful response from Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, who suggested renaming the Long Island Sound.
“While the maps are changing, here’s an idea,” Lamont posted on X, sharing an edited map renaming the waterway the “Connecticut Sound” and tagging New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
In addition to the renaming measure, Testa introduced a second bill this week proposing that New Jersey reclaim a piece of land along the Salem County coastline that had been ceded to Delaware under a decades-old border agreement.
{Matzav.com}