Environmentalists say that New Jersey’s beaches have come a long way since the troubled times of the late 1980s.

An organization that helped to clean up the pollution at the Jersey Shore is restarting a campaign to protect marine life and the Atlantic Ocean from what they say are renewed threats.

Some may be familiar with Clean Ocean Action’s biannual beach sweeps. Thousands of volunteers come to clear away hundreds of pounds of garbage. Now, the group says it is taking the fight for the ocean back to the basics.

“Clean Ocean Action is reviving their campaign for a clean ocean zone and that is to permanently protect the ocean from pollution and industrialization,” says conservation biologist Trisha DeVoe.

The organization supports a pause of offshore wind projects - as deaths of marine mammals continue to mount. The issue in New Jersey is now taking on political undertones.

"The feds have taken the lead on this…There continues to be no evidence that these tragic deaths, whether it’s a whale, dolphin or somebody else, are associated with any offshore wind activity. That's just a fact,” Gov. Phil Murphy said on News 12’s “Ask Gov. Murphy” program.

As Clean Ocean Action looks to recruit new volunteers, it is offering a plan to protect the New York/New Jersey coastline from industrial development.

“Here again the ocean is threatened with industrialization from a number of different sources,” says Seaside Park Mayor John Peterson.

“It makes me sick to know that we're potentially going backward and keeping the ocean clean. It's our last pure open space on Earth,” says advocate Leslie Mangold.

Clean Ocean Action says it has proposed legislation to present to the federal government. Thursday’s event is about getting more volunteers on board - from all backgrounds - all for the common goal of preserving the Atlantic Ocean.