N O R T H C A R O L I N A S E A G R A N T • S P R I N G • 2 0 1 4 • I S S U E 2 • $ 3 . 7 5 Coastwatch E S T U A R I N E R E P O R T • N . C . S H A R K S • S E A F O O D S A F E T Y • S C I E N C E O N U N C - T V
Coastal Reflections:
Past, Present and Future
Alamance
Alexander
Alleghany
Anson
Ashe
Beaufort
Bertie
Bladen
Burke
Cabarrus
Caldwell
Caswell
Catawba
Chatham
Clay
Cleveland
Columbus
Craven
Cumberland
Davidson Dare
Davie
Duplin
Durham
Franklin Edgecombe
Gaston
Gates
Graham
Granville
Greene
Halifax
Harnett
Henderson
Hoke
Hyde
Iredell
Jackson
Johnston
Jones
Lenoir
Lincoln
McDowell
Macon
Madison
Martin
Mitchell
Moore
Nash
Northampton
Onslow
Orange
Pamlico
Pender
Person
Pitt
Polk
Robeson
Rowan
Rutherford
Sampson
Scotland
Stanly
Stokes
Surry
Swain
Transylvania
Tyrrell
Union
Vance
Wake
Warren
Washington
Watauga
Wayne
Wilkes
Wilson
Yadkin
Yancey
PKY
40
40
40
85 95
77 85
26
Asheville
Asheboro
Greensboro Durham
Charlotte
Raleigh
Nags
Head
Washington
Jacksonville
Wilmington
Fayetteville
Morehead City
New Bern
Rocky Mount
Winston-Salem
Haywood
Buncombe
Avery
Pasquotank
Perquimans
Currituck
Camden
Chowan
Randolph
Montgomery
Mecklenburg
Rockingham
Lee
Richmond
Forsyth Guilford
Carteret
Hertford
Brunswick
Cherokee
New Hanover
F R O M T H E E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R
True engagement takes time and commitment.
It takes a driving issue — a specific need or set of
needs — to galvanize resources, energies and bodies.
It takes the art of discussion, critical negotiations and
prioritization. It requires the execution of a series of
concrete actions conducted by a multitude, not just
a single party, to start down a strategic path that will
lead (hopefully!) to the desired outcome.
My last note to you described our renewed
commitment to engaging and supporting the
activities of the North Carolina Sea Grant Advisory
Board. This month, Sea Grant is hosting a research
symposium as a significant step, in a series of
strategic initiatives, to seek stronger, renewed and
sustained engagement with the range of stakeholders
the program has served for decades. In addition, Sea
Grant is seeking new partners who have a growing
interest in collaborations that focus on the state’s coastal resource science
and outreach needs in new ways.
At the time this magazine went to press, more than 150 people had
registered for the day-long event that will highlight specific research
applications to coastal needs. Facilitated group discussions will identify
current and emerging research and outreach needs across our coastal
communities. Those conversations will suggest ways that Sea Grant and
a range of partners can proactively align resources to address a growing
suite of complex science and community issues that require more than
one approach — and certainly more than one entity.
I am pleased with such a positive response to our request for
engagement, including individuals from local governments, federal and
state agencies, academic institutions, environmental consulting firms,
Cultivating Innovative Responses to Coastal Challenges
I N T H I S I S S U E
Contributing Writers:
Chuck Bangley Morgan Jones E-Ching Lee Vanda Lewis
Katie Mosher Rebecca Nagy Chelsea Pierce Pam Smith
Contributing Photographers:
Corey Adams Liz Bowles Jamie Browne Janan Evans-Wilent
Roland Giduz Frank Graff David Huppert Vanda Lewis
Rhett Register Dan Sears Sharon Settlage Pam Smith
Kathryn Stevenson Scott Taylor Robin Wienke Roger Winstead
North Carolina’s diverse coast offers countless interesting subjects.
The map indicates story settings in this issue —
Morehead City and Raleigh, along with estuarine and coastal waters.
nonprofit organizations and interested citizens.
Graduate and undergraduate students, who will
be joining the discussions and be part of a poster
session, are a welcome perspective and source of
innovative ideas.
The day will start with thoughts and
challenges from Margaret Davidson, acting
director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration’s Office of Ocean and Coastal
Resource Management. In addition, she is the
director of NOAA’s Coastal Services Center in
Charleston, S.C., and previous director of the South
Carolina Sea Grant Consortium.
Her keynote speech will set the stage as we
share highlights of our research portfolio and
consider how we move forward with our partners to
address critical topics.
Ongoing discussions throughout the day will be valuable to our
participants, as well as the continuing evolution of North Carolina Sea
Grant programming. Certainly, we will benefit from feedback that will
guide our resource investments. I anticipate that Sea Grant will provide
new competitive funding opportunities to jump-start work in our focus
areas.
This is the first of many “listening sessions” that Sea Grant will
be facilitating, in big and small groups, across the state to capture other
partnership perspectives and priorities.
We will share our report of the discussions with you in the coming
months. However, if you were not able to join this discussion, please
feel free to reach out to me with your perspectives on critical ongoing
and emerging issues. Send your comments to snwhite3@ncsu.edu.
Roger Winstead
Susan White, Executive Director,
North Carolina Sea Grant
F E A T U R E S
• COA S TA L T IDINGS ...................................................................................2
COASTAL SCIENCE SERVES NORTH CAROLINA:
Sea Grant Funds New Research Projects
North Carolina Sea Grant supports research that encompasses a range
of coastal issues. Katie Mosher gives an overview of projects funded by
Sea Grant’s 2014 to 2016 core cycle. ...................................................................6
Sea Grant Investments and Opportunities
An April symposium highlights results from Sea Grant-backed studies.
Participants will consider the program’s pioneering work, along
with emerging needs. .....................................................................................10
AROUND THE NEXT CURVE:
Report Considers Estuarine Shoreline
Management Strategies
A new report from North Carolina Sea Grant and the N.C. Coastal
Resources Law, Planning and Policy Center considers needs along the
state’s extensive inner coast. ..............................................................................11
SHARKS OF NORTH CAROLINA
From the great white to the sandbar shark, North Carolina’s estuaries
and ocean waters provide a range of habitats for sharks. Chuck Bangley
introduces some sharks that are commonly found in the state. ...................15
THE SEAFOOD SAFETY SQUAD:
Ensuring Quality of Coastal Delicacies
Join Pam Smith as she explores the world of seafood safety and the health
inspectors who make sure consumers are getting the freshest, safest
seafood. Consumer seafood safety tips follow. ..............................................19
• S E A S C I ENCE :
Exploring Science: UNC-TV Expands Research Coverage
There is no shortage of science programming on UNC-TV. Rebecca Nagy
talks to the producers, reporters and educators bringing science news to
viewers across the state and nation. .................................................................24
• MA R INER’ S M ENU:
Spring into Seasonal Seafood
In springtime, blue crabs molt, snapper visit local waters and clams are
harvested. Find some recipes from Mariner’s Menu to get you into the
spring spirit. .........................................................................................................28
coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org 1
Coastwatch
2 coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org
NATIONALOCEANICANDATMOSPHERICADMINISTRATION
U S DEPARTMENTOFCOMMERCE
Coastwatch North Carolina Sea Grant • 2014 • Spring • Issue 2
Editor
Katie Mosher
Managing Editor
E-Ching Lee
Contributing Editors
Rhett Register
Pam Smith
Designer
Linda Noble
Circulation Manager
Sandra Harris
The North Carolina Sea Grant College Program
is a federal/state program that promotes
stewardship of coastal and marine resources
through research and outreach.
It joined the National Sea Grant College Network
in 1970 as an institutional program.
Six years later, it was designated a Sea Grant College .
Today, North Carolina Sea Grant supports
research projects, an extension program
and a communications staff.
Susan White is executive director.
The program is funded by the
U.S. Department of Commerce’s
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
and the state through the University of North Carolina .
Coastwatch (ISSN: 1068-784X;
USPS Periodical # 010464) is published
five times a year (January/February, March/April/May,
June/July, August/September/October, November/
December) by the North Carolina Sea Grant
College Program, North Carolina State University,
Box 8605, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8605.
Telephone: 919/515-2454. Fax: 919/515-7095.
Subscriptions are $15.
Email: eching_lee@ncsu.edu,
katie_mosher@ncsu.edu
World Wide Web address: http://www.ncseagrant.org
Periodical Postage paid at Raleigh, N.C.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
Coastwatch, North Carolina Sea Grant,
North Carolina State University, Box 8605,
Raleigh, NC 27695-8605.
Cover photo of Shallotte River
by Roger Winstead.
Table of contents graphic based on photo of
dinoflagellate courtesy of Adrian Marchetti.
Printed on recycled paper.
Four North
Carolina students
— Andrea Dell’Apa,
Emma Htun,
Hunter Jones and
Jessie Ritter —
recently began their
terms as Dean John
A. Knauss Fellows.
The one-year
program places
graduate students
in Washington,
D.C., to work on
federal policies and
processes affecting
ocean, coastal and Great Lakes issues.
“We are pleased to have these four
exceptional scholars represent North Carolina
as Knauss Fellows in 2014. I look forward
to seeing the contributions they will make
in Washington this year and into the future
as they hone their skills,” says Susan White,
North Carolina Sea Grant executive director.
“I am confident that these fellows are well
on their way to impactful careers in marine
policy.”
• Dell’Apa, who holds a doctoral degree
in coastal resources management from East
Carolina University, is the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration’s Healthy
Oceans goal analyst with the National Marine
Fisheries Service Office of Management &
Budget.
“This incredible opportunity will allow
me to learn how to develop and implement
long-term strategies to enhance sustainable
fisheries, while maintaining ecosystem
benefits, at the national level,” Dell’Apa says.
• Htun will serve in the National Marine
Fisheries Service Office of International Affairs
as a member of U.S. delegations to fisheries or
fisheries-related agreements and international
organizations. She also will contribute to her
host office’s programs in Southeast Asia.
“This is an amazing interdisciplinary
opportunity for me to combine all the
issues I’ve studied — the international
politics of fisheries management paired with
international law
and treaty work,”
Htun says.
Htun, who is
from Fayetteville,
received her
juris doctor and
master’s degrees
in international
and comparative
law from Duke
University Law
School.
• Jones is
assigned as a
climate specialist
within the NOAA Climate Program Office. He
will assist the Earth System Science Program
in administering competitive grants that fund
research to understand the earth’s chemical
and physical processes.
“As a new fellow, coming from a
university where I did work that relied on
climate models to project future ice cover in
the Arctic, this is a great opportunity to move
even closer to the fundamental research going
into understanding our world,” Jones says.
The North Dakota native received his master’s
in environmental management from Duke’s
Nicholas School of the Environment.
• Ritter, who also received her master’s
in environmental management from Duke, is
a fellow on the Senate Commerce Committee.
She will collaborate with staff to prepare and
pass legislation related to oceans, atmosphere
and fisheries.
A Chicago native, Ritter hopes to work
on ocean policy issues throughout her career.
“Having this first-hand experience on Capitol
Hill will be invaluable, whether I work for
government, an NGO, or the private sector
moving forward,” she says.
Funded by the National Sea Grant
College Program, the fellowship honors John
A. Knauss, a Sea Grant founder and former
dean of the University of Rhode Island’s
Graduate School of Oceanography. For more
information, go to seagrant.noaa.gov and look
under Funding and Fellowships. — R.N.
C O A S T A L T I D I N G S
NC Scholars Start Knauss Fellowships
Rhett Register
ABOVE: Left to right, Andrea Dell’Apa, Jessie Ritter,
Hunter Jones and Emma Htun are the
2014 Knauss fellows from North Carolina.
coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org 3
Hurricane Hazel
60 Years Later
The date, Oct. 15, 1954, is
seared into the memory of many North
Carolinians.
That’s when Hurricane Hazel roared
ashore near Calabash at the peak of the
highest lunar tide of the year. The Category
4 hurricane started a path of destruction
that made history books.
With winds clocked at 120 mph and
a storm surge of 18 feet, Hurricane Hazel
literally changed the face of the coast — as
well as perceptions about hurricanes being
purely coastal events.
Hazel rampaged as far inland as
Raleigh and as far north as Lake Ontario at
the Canadian border, still packing winds of
100 mph three days after making landfall.
North Carolina Sea Grant is joining
forces with National Weather Service
forecast offices in the state, along with
local universities, agencies and historians
to recall the impact and legacy of
Hurricane Hazel. Lessons learned from
the past can raise public awareness and
prompt communities to assess risk and
vulnerability — steps toward preparing
North Carolina for similar weather events.
Soon, NWS is expected
to roll out a Hurricane Hazel
webpage, with historical
information and an
interactive map that shows
weather data along the
storm’s path.
Coastwatch will
publish an article with
historical information
and personal accounts of
North Carolinians whose
scrapbooks and memory
banks have vivid entries.
Share your Hazel story
with Pam Smith at pam_
smith@ncseagrant.org. — P.S.
LEFT: Hurricane Hazel caused
damage far inland, including
toppling this tree on Cameron
Avenue in Chapel Hill.
C O A S T A L T I D I N G S
Raleigh Charter High School will represent North Carolina at the National Ocean Science
Bowl competition in Seattle in May. The team won the regional Blue Heron Bowl held at North
Carolina State University. North Carolina Sea Grant was an event sponsor.
The N.C. School of Science and Mathematics and Camden High School placed second and
third, respectively. Green Hope High School took the sportsmanship award. Competitors answered
questions about marine and freshwater ecosystems.
Participants viewed Plastic Oceans, an exhibit by Bonnie Monteleone, about the garbage
gyres in the ocean. Students also watched documentaries from the Beneath the Waves Film Festival
marine education series.
Blue Heron Bowl winners received Open Water SCUBA diving lessons from Discovery
Diving in Beaufort, N.C.;
a field trip from A Time for
Science, a science literacy
nonprofit organization; and
autographed copies of North
Carolina’s Amazing Coast from
Sea Grant.
This year, regional
bowls were funded by a
grant from Eric and Wendy
Schmidt. Eric Schmidt is the
executive chairman of Google
and Wendy Schmidt is the
president of the Schmidt
Family Foundation.
In Seattle, the Raleigh
Charter team will compete
against 25 other teams
from around the country.
The Consortium for Ocean
Leadership supports the
national competition. — M.J.
Blue Heron Bowl Winning Team Advances
ABOVE: Raleigh Charter High School’s winning team for the Blue Heron Bowl, left to right: Priyansh Patel,
Shayne Jacobs, Benjamin Hames, Risigan Logendran, Jay Rao and coach Whit Hames.
Courtesy Blue Heron Bowl
Roland Giduz, North Carolina Collection, UNC Chapel Hill Libraries
Sea Grant Marine
Educator Elected
to National Post
Terri Kirby Hathaway, North
Carolina Sea Grant marine education
specialist, recently was reappointed as
at-large officer to the executive committee
of the National Sea Grant Education
Network, or SGEN.
The network connects Sea Grant
educators nationwide with each other and
with educators outside the organization.
SGEN’s goal is to improve the delivery of
science education-based information,
programming and resources to groups at
the local, regional and national levels.
ABOVE: Terri Kirby Hathaway, second from
left, was reappointed to the National Sea Grant
Education Network.
“I am proud of Terri’s selection to
the SGEN executive committee. This
honor recognizes her expertise in marine
education and commitment to the Sea
Grant network nationwide. I look forward
to seeing the effects of her contributions
in the next two years,” says Jack Thigpen,
North Carolina Sea Grant extension
director.
Hathaway’s current term will end in
2016. She also served as an officer from
2012 to 2014. 	 — E.L.
4 coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org
C O A S T A L T I D I N G S
NC Coastal
Training Educates
The North Carolina Coastal Training Program uses
scientific information and technology to help elected
officials, land-use planners, regulatory personnel and
coastal managers make informed decisions regarding
current issues.
Workshops are held throughout the year for
training on various topics. Part of the N.C. Coastal
Reserve Program, the training program also offers other
opportunities, including seminars, distance learning,
technology applications and demonstrations.
North Carolina Sea Grant is a frequent partner.
	
“Sea Grant and the Coastal Training Program complement
each other. That allows us to avoid duplication while
serving critical audiences,” notes Gloria Putman, Sea
Grant’s coastal resources and communities specialist.
For more on upcoming events and registration
information, go to nccoastaltraining.net. — C.P.
RIGHT: Participants play the North Carolina watershed game, developed
by North Carolina Sea Grant and the N.C. Coastal Federation.
Ascending the spiral staircase of a
lighthouse is a popular summer pastime for
visitors to the North Carolina coast. Climbers
are rewarded with spectacular views from the
top of three iconic lighthouses along the state’s
shoreline.
A 257-step climb to the top of Cape
Hatteras, the tallest lighthouse in the United
States, will reveal panoramic views of the Outer
Banks. The Bodie Island lighthouse was built
in 1872 and stands at 164 feet. Both are open
beginning the third Friday in April.
Cape Lookout, completed in 1859 and
known for its distinctive diamond pattern,
opens in mid-May.
These lighthouses are run by the National
Park Service. For more information on Cape
Hatteras and Bodie Island lighthouse tours,
visit www.nps.gov/caha/. Learn more about Cape
Lookout climbs at www.nps.gov/calo/. — M.J.
CLIMB NORTH CAROLINA LIGHTHOUSES
Janan Evans-Wilent
Courtesy N.C. Coastal Reserve Vanda Lewis
ABOVE: Scaling 207 steps in Cape Lookout lighthouse is equivalent to climbing a 12-story building.
Photos by Vanda Lewis
ABOVE: Shellfish-harvesting waters will be discussed at the water microbiology meeting.
Water Microbiology Meeting Set for May
The 2014 Water Microbiology Conference will be held from May 5 to 9 at the Friday Center
in Chapel Hill. The event is organized by The Water Institute at the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill.
Researchers and practitioners who focus on microbiology and public health issues are
invited to attend interactive workshops and poster sessions.
Topics such as water microbiology and current concerns in recreational and shellfish-harvesting
waters, as well as emerging technologies and quantitative tools, will be discussed.
For more about the conference, visit watermicroconference.web.unc.edu. — C.P.
coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org 5
Local Seafood
Recipes Available
Seafood Sightings, a category on the
Mariner’s Menu blog, assembles inspiring
seafood dishes from various sources
around the state.
This section highlights recipes that
are created by chefs and home cooks,
found on blogs, websites and local media.
They range from appetizers, salads and
soups to stews and entrées.
The recipes promote the use of fish
and shellfish landed by North Carolina
fishermen. Most are quick and easy to
prepare, offering a variety of wholesome
ways to incorporate seafood in meal
planning.
Seafood Sightings is published weekly at
marinersmenu.org/category/seafood-sightings.
If you have suggestions for recipes to
include, send them to vanda_lewis@ncsu.edu.
The Mariner’s Menu blog,
marinersmenu.org, is designed around the
resource book Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years
of Fresh Seafood Ideas, written by Joyce
Taylor. Go to page 28 for some recipes
from the book. —. LV.
C O A S T A L T I D I N G S
Beaufort Shows Boats
LEFT: Visitors to the Wooden Boat Show in Beaufort
also can learn how to build ships in a bottle.
The North Carolina Maritime Museum in
Beaufort hosts the 40th annual Wooden Boat Show
on Saturday, May 3.
Boats will be on display from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Nautical crafts, historic vessels and boat models will
be available for viewing.
Other activities include free boat rides, sailboat races and educational activities. An opening
event on Friday, May 2, will include a reception with live music from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Admission is free. For details, go to ncmaritimemuseums.com. 	 	 — C.P.
Courtesy N.C. Maritime Museum
Sharon Settlage
6 coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org
ater quality. Community develop-ment.
Storm surge. Environmental education.
Marine fisheries. North Carolina Sea Grant’s
new core funding cycle supports research proj-ects
that cover a breadth of coastal issues and
needs.
“North Carolina’s coastal and marine
research community is clearly focused on
priorities identified in our Sea Grant strategic
plan,” notes Susan White, executive director.
“We are eager not only to see critical project
data but also to actively share the results and
recommendations with federal, state and local
agencies, along with community organizations
and residents.”
North Carolina Sea Grant is part of
the National Sea Grant College Program,
within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. NOAA provides federal funds,
while the state provides matching support. In
addition to a core research cycle every two
years, North Carolina Sea Grant provides
seed funding throughout the year, and often
administers state or federal research programs
on specific topics.
Headquartered at North Carolina State
University, Sea Grant is recognized as an
interinstitutional program of the University
of North Carolina system. Researchers across
the state are eligible to compete for Sea Grant
support. The 2014-16 funding cycle features
projects with scientists from East Carolina
University, NC State, NC Central University,
UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC Coastal Studies
Institute and UNC Wilmington, as well as
Duke University. The listing also includes a
regional project that couples in-state researchers
with out-of-state colleagues.
“North Carolina Sea Grant continues
to work with a breadth of UNC system
researchers to ensure priority coastal and
marine issues in the state are being addressed,”
notes Chris Brown, vice president of research
and graduate education for the UNC system.
“New research approaches, featuring technical
innovation and multidisciplinary partnerships,
will provide state-of-the-art yet practical results
that will be applied in support of local coastal
communities and appreciated by countless
visitors who enjoy North Carolina’s coastal
resources.”
The new projects fit into several focus
areas:
ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY
AND CAREER INITIATION
• BUILDING OCEAN AND CLIMATE
LITERACY IN NORTH CAROLINA THROUGH
A PROJECT WET CLIMATE LITERACY
MODULE; M. Nils Peterson, Susan Moore,
Sarah Carrier and Renee Strnad of NC State;
and Laurell Malone of NC Central.
Citizens with an understanding of climate
and environmental issues are better equipped
to face environmental challenges. This project
will develop a new climate literacy classroom
module in collaboration with a national
environmental education curriculum known
as Project WET. The team will evaluate its
effectiveness based on increases in climate
literacy among students and teachers.
HEALTHY COASTAL
ECOSYSTEMS
• METAPOPULATION DYNAMICS
GUIDE OYSTER RESTORATION AND
HABITAT PROTECTION; David Eggleston and
Brandon Puckett of NC State.
Conservation and restoration of oyster
beds offer many environmental and economic
benefits. This project will map intertidal oyster
reefs in Pamlico Sound and quantify oyster
demographics. Researchers hope to identify
connectivity among cultch planting sites,
natural oyster reefs and broodstock reserves in
the sound.
• INTEGRATING EUKARYOTIC AND
PROKARYOTIC PLANKTON COMMUNITY
TRANSCRIPTIONS INTO AN ECOLOGICAL
NETWORK ANALYSIS OF THE NEUSE RIVER
ESTUARY; Adrian Marchetti and Hans Paerl
of UNC-CH.
The Neuse River ecosystem continues to
experience eutrophication issues despite efforts
to reduce nitrogen inputs. Using molecular
tools, this project will identify how the bacterio-plankton
communities use different forms
of nitrogen. Managers can then use results to
develop plans and regulations.
• EFFECTS OF SEA-LEVEL RISE ON
COASTAL FRESHWATER WETLAND
ANIMALS; Michael McCoy and Molly
Albecker of ECU.
Animals often adapt in response to
changes in climate within a region. This study
offers initial steps to understanding the effects
of saltwater intrusion from sea-level rise on
an indicator species for coastal freshwater
amphibian communities.
• RAPID DETECTION OF FECAL
INDICATOR BACTERIA IN WATER BY
ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS OF SPECIFIC
CHROMOGENIC SUBSTRATES; Jill Stewart,
Mark Sobsey and James Bartram of UNC-CH.
Current fecal indicator bacteria assays
are slow — with few changes since the 1800s.
C o n t i n u e d
SERVES NORTH CAROLINA
Sea Grant Funds New Research Projects
B Y K A T I E M O S H E R
coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org 7
CLOCKWISE F ROM TOP L EF T: A Sea Grant fellow is working with the N.C. Division
of Marine Fisheries to identify if/how herring navigate around culverts. • Natalie Cohen, a UNC-CH
doctoral student, is part of a team looking at eutrophication in the Neuse River ecosystem. • Storm surges
are among the topics in Sea Grant’s focus on hazard resiliency. • Hans Pearl, whose work will be presented
at an April symposium, continues to work on Sea Grant-funded projects on water-quality topics, including
a new project led by Adrian Marchetti. • Public health issues resulting from stormwater runoff will be
addressed by a team that includes Michael Piehler of UNC-CH and UNC-CSI. • Environmental education
research will be led by Nils Peterson, with colleagues from NC State and NC Central. • Research by
Ashlee Lillis, David Eggleston and Brandon Puckett will identify oyster population dynamics that relate
to reef restoration and habitat protection.
Courtesy N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries
Courtesy N.C. Division of Tourism, Film, and Sports Development Jamie Browne
Kathryn Stevenson Roger Winstead
Corey Adams Dan Sears/UNC-Chapel Hill
8 coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org
CLOCKWISE F ROM TOP L EF T: J. Casey Dietrich of NC State and colleagues from UNC-CH
look to improve tropical storm guidance for coastal communities considering evacuations and other actions.
• Rachel Noble of UNC-CH is studying fecal-indicator bacteria to build better models for water-quality
impacts on beaches. • Coastal tourism and other economic drivers often rely on workers from nearby
communities, the topic of a project led by David Griffith of ECU. • Joel Fodrie of UNC-CH is conducting
summer flounder research as part of a mid-Atlantic regional project. • Robert Roer of UNCW is developing
a new method to determine the age of blue crabs by measuring stomachs. • North Carolina’s beaches and
coastal waters draw many tourists. • A research team led by Pat Long of ECU and including partners from
Saltwater Connections is looking at how tourism trails can offer economic and environmental sustainability.
• Sea Grant is working with Hyde County to identify causes and potential mitigation for flooding issues.
Graphic courtesy J. Casey Dietrich
Dan Sears/UNC-Chapel Hill
Courtesy N.C. Division of Tourism, Film, and Sports Development
Roger Winstead
Courtesy Georgia Sea Grant
Courtesy Robert Roer
Courtesy Fodrie Lab
Courtesy N.C. Division of Tourism, Film, and Sports Development
coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org 9
This research will develop a rapid direct assay
not based on cultures. The improved timing
and accurate results could prevent delays that
could unnecessarily extend closures, resulting
in lost tourism revenues and restricted shellfish
harvests.
HAZARD RESILIENCE IN
COASTAL COMMUNITIES
• UNDERSTANDING DYNAMICS
OF STORMWATER RUNOFF TO BETTER
PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AT NORTH
CAROLINA PUBLIC BEACHES; Rachel Noble
and Michael Piehler of UNC-CH. Piehler also
is part of UNC-CSI.
Researchers will study fecal-indicator
bacteria dispersion from stormwater outfalls
along North Carolina beaches. By pairing
findings with existing data, the team will apply
models of stormwater runoff to predict impact at
high-use beaches.
• STRENGTHENING THE HURRICANE
WAVE AND SURGE FORECAST GUIDANCE
PROVIDED TO COASTAL COMMUNITIES IN
NORTH CAROLINA; Joel Casey Dietrich of NC
State; Rick Luettich, Brian Blanton and Jessica
Losego of UNC-CH; and Jason Fleming of
Seahorse Coastal Consulting.
Using a high-resolution modeling system,
the researchers will expand the utility and
accuracy of wave, storm-surge and flooding
forecast guidance available to emergency
managers in North Carolina. The accurate
prediction of these elements is essential for the
safety of people and property.
SUSTAINABLE COASTAL
DEVELOPMENT
• DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM TRAILS
TO BENEFIT RURAL COASTAL ECONOMIES
AND TO PRESERVE NATIONAL RESOURCES
AND COASTAL HERITAGE; Pat Long, Okmyung
Bin and Hans Vogelsong of ECU; and Karen
Amspacher of Saltwater Connections.
This project will inform communities in
coastal North Carolina regarding advantages
of themed-trail development, including how
best to balance economic revitalization with
the preservation, protection and presentation of
valued environmental and cultural assets.
• LABOR IMPLICATIONS OF
SUSTAINABLE COASTAL DEVELOPMENT:
RELATIONS BETWEEN COASTAL AND
INLAND COMMUNITIES; David Griffith of
ECU and Barbara Garrity-Blake of Duke.
Coastal development in North Carolina
often relies on workers from nearby
communities. This study will consider how
current patterns of coastal development depend
on a labor force whose members have difficulty
making ends meet.
SAFE AND SUSTAINABLE
SEAFOOD SUPPLY
• VALIDATING A NEW AND RELIABLE
METHOD TO DETERMINE THE AGE OF BLUE
CRABS; Robert Roer of UNCW.
This study will test a technique to
determine ages of blue crabs by measuring a
part of the stomach. If the method’s correlation
is validated, it will provide a reliable means of
determining the age of blue crabs, enhancing
managers’ ability to maintain the blue crab
fishery.
• POPULATION CONNECTIVITY OF
SOUTHERN FLOUNDER IN THE U.S. SOUTH
ATLANTIC; Frederick Scharf and Will White of
UNCW; Stephen Arnott of the S.C. Department
of Natural Resources.
In an effort to increase effective
management of southern flounder in North
Carolina, this study seeks to improve
understanding of connectivity among southern
flounder stocks within the U.S. South Atlantic
Basin. The work will focus on spawning and
nursery grounds.
In addition to the North Carolina Sea
Grant competition, researchers in the state were
invited to participate in a mid-Atlantic regional
research program. That funding includes:
• UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACTS OF
CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE DISTRIBUTION,
POPULATION CONNECTIVITY, AND
FISHERIES FOR SUMMER FLOUNDER IN THE
MID-ATLANTIC; Joel Fodrie of UNC-CH.
As part of a larger regional project
sponsored by several mid-Atlantic Sea Grant
programs, North Carolina researchers will
evaluate the implications of climate-driven
shifts in summer flounder stocks — and the
resulting implications for fisheries management.
North Carolina Sea Grant also will
continue its long-term partnership with the N.C.
Division of Marine Fisheries to fund a marine
fisheries fellow to work with state managers on
a specific topic. In 2014, the fellow will continue
to review data for river herring, a traditional
fishery that has had limitations and closures in
recent years. Jeff Buckel of NC State serves as
mentor to the fellow.
“Overall, I’m excited to see the initiation
of this set of projects,” notes John Fear, Sea
Grant deputy director. “The results will provide
new answers on a broad array of topics of great
importance to our state.”
Sea Grant also will continue to provide
small grants, often seed funding or smaller
fellowships for more targeted projects. This
effort, known as minigrants, has been cited
as a “best management practice” with a
record of providing results that often are a
proof of concept that provides leverage for
North Carolina researchers to seek funding
from agencies such as the National Science
Foundation.
The national and state Sea Grant mission
combines outreach with research. Thus, the
North Carolina program has award-winning
extension and communications professionals,
who work not only with academic faculty but
also with partners at local, state and federal
levels, as well as with community organizations.
Outreach efforts in 2014-16 will include
a project with Georgia Sea Grant to develop
community resilience and adaptation plans for
recurring flooding with partner communities in
Hyde County, N.C., and St. Mary’s, Ga.
The North Carolina Sea Grant extension
team also continues to work with North
Carolina Catch and other partners to bring
together fishing families, seafood processors,
chefs, restaurant owners, wholesalers, retailers
and consumers to identify and build value
chains for local seafood.
The communications team produces
Coastwatch magazine five times a year and
shares more information about North Carolina
Sea Grant at www.ncseagrant.org.
Rebecca Nagy contributed to this report.
10 coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org
orth Carolina Sea
Grant’s leaders are immersed
in impacts as they review the
program’s history — a prelude to
updating strategic plans.
“I have been here more than a
year, and each week I am learning
more about the strength of the
investments the Sea Grant program
has made in coastal science over the
past four decades,” notes Susan
White, executive director.
“In business terms, we have a
strong brand that is respected
across the state. We have an
amazing portfolio of research and
outreach across a broad range of
topics. Our challenge is to build on
that success while also providing
incentives for innovators to take
bold steps.”
White cites a multitude of
partnerships, including with
community leaders, internationally
recognized experts, new faculty
and resource managers making
policy decisions. “They all will be
key in helping us identify our path
forward,” she adds.
The value of Sea Grant in North
Carolina was cited multiple times
in the 2013 review of all coastal
and marine science programs in the
state. Requested by the University
of North Carolina system, the
study was conducted by a team
from the American Association for
the Advancement of Science. White
has continued to lead a committee
looking to increase collaborations
in marine sciences across the state.
SHARING SUCCESS STORIES
As White and colleagues devel-oped
plans for a North Carolina
Sea Grant Research Symposium on
April 16, the theme quickly emerged:
Investments and Opportunities.
The event highlights outcomes
from Sea Grant’s core projects
over the past 10 years. Each
agenda segment will provide
snapshots of results that are
being used by resource managers,
community leaders and/or property
owners.
“The audience is there to
participate. Each focus-area
discussion could start with how the
particular results can be shared
with additional users through
new partnerships,” notes Jennifer
Dorton, who has coordinated the
event planning.
“From there, we can move to
additional current and emerging
problems and potential solutions.
These sessions will provide
inspiration and focus for future
research,” she adds.
Experts in the UNC system
agree.
“I am excited to see this new
collaborative initiative by North
Carolina Sea Grant,” notes Chris
Brown, vice president for research
and graduate education in the UNC
system. “It’s increasingly important
to engage an array of stakeholders
— including researchers,
government officials on all levels,
business owners and residents —
to identify and leverage expertise
and resources to address these
strategically. Such discussions
will move North Carolina coastal
and marine research and outreach
programming forward to address
emerging issues.”
John Fear, Sea Grant’s deputy
director, also sees the April
16 sessions as opportunities to
show how research projects link
seamlessly to the organization’s
outreach.
Since he arrived in January,
Fear has hit the ground running.
He already was familiar with
many aspects of the research
history through his service on
the program’s advisory board,
and through partnerships with
Sea Grant when he was research
director for the North Carolina
Coastal Reserve Program.
Fear is especially interested in
the graduate students working with
expert mentors who are leading Sea
Grant research projects. “I look
for these students to seek out —
and at times create — new tools for
data gathering and analysis, as well
as to find new ways to communicate
results. These future leaders
are full of ideas that reflect
generations that grew up with
online resources and connections,”
he notes.
“Also, nearly all research
projects these days could be
considered interdisciplinary, as so
many tackle problems from many
perspectives at the same time.”
Presentations from the April
symposium will be posted online for
follow-up discussions.
“We had a difficult time
selecting topics just from the core
projects, but we will be offering a
wonderful spectrum of biological,
physical and social sciences, as
well as communications studies that
traditionally may have been placed
in the humanities,” White notes.
Future gatherings could focus
on minigrants, North Carolina Sea
Grant’s nationally recognized seed-funding
opportunities that often
provide proofs of concepts that can
be expanded through major grants
from other agencies. In addition,
the program administers research
projects on state and federal
fisheries topics.
Sea Grant Investments and Opportunities
B Y K A T I E M O S H E R
North Carolina’s thousands of miles of estuarine shoreline —
edging sounds, bays and other areas where fresh and salt waters meet
— are known for their rugged beauty and bountiful wildlife. But as more
people move to this inner coast, the region is increasingly experiencing
pressures associated with development.
A new report, released by North Carolina Sea Grant and the N.C.
Coastal Resources Law, Planning and Policy Center, outlines issues the
region will face in the next five years and provides options for managers
and property owners.
“The goal of this research was to be forward thinking. We hope
the information in the final report provides natural resource agencies,
the Environmental Management Commission, Coastal Resources
Commission and coastal communities with a snapshot of the resource
issues that will become increasingly important to coastal North
Carolina,” explains Lisa Schiavinato, Sea Grant coastal law, policy and
community development specialist, who also co-directs the Center.
“The report can assist state and local governments as they plan
for the future, and prepare to face challenges that may affect coastal
economies and resources,” she adds.
The report, Management Strategies for North Carolina’s Estuarine
Shoreline, is the result of more than three years of study of emerging
management and policy issues for the entire North Carolina coast.
The Estuarine Policy Steering Committee included experts from state
agencies, universities and nonprofit organizations, who provided scientific
and technical expertise and worked with the Center to develop policy
recommendations. See page 14 for a list of members and their affiliations.
“The committee’s work was an excellent example of collaboration,”
says John Fear, now Sea Grant deputy director and who had served as a
committee member while he was with the N.C. Coastal Reserve Program.
“Staff from state agencies, NGOs and universities worked together to
identify the issues and develop recommendations on how best to deal with
those issues. I look forward to seeing aspects of the report being utilized.”
This report follows Developing a Management Strategy for North
Carolina’s Coastal Ocean, which focused on current and emerging ocean
policies. Sea Grant and the Center received requests from the public to
conduct a similar study for the state’s estuarine shoreline.
In the estuarine study, four emerging resource issues are highlighted
for coastal counties and municipalities near North Carolina’s estuarine
shorelines. They are: water availability, estuarine shoreline stabilization,
monitoring and enforcement of environmental laws, and sanitary sewer
overflows.
North Carolina’s estuarine system consists of approximately 23
inlets, about 12,000 miles of estuarine shoreline, and more than 3,000
square miles of brackish-water estuaries.
These areas include communities often referred to as the state’s
Inner Banks. Some are currently seeing rapid growth while others are
looking for economic development options. They also may be coping
with related issues, including habitat degradation, water quality and
quantity considerations, erosion and land loss, aging infrastructure,
and conflicts over access.
An executive summary of the report, printed on pages 12 to 14,
also is available at www.ncseagrant.org/s/estuary-sum. The complete
report is at www.ncseagrant.org/s/estuary-rep.
coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org 11
— K A T I E M O S H E R
AROUND THE NEXT CURVE:
REPORT CONSIDERS ESTUARINE SHORELINE
MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
ABOVE: North Carolina’s estuarine shoreline is experiencing increasing pressure from development.
A r o u n d t h e N e x t C u r v e NEXT CURVE
Roger Winstead
12 coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org
MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
FOR NORTH CAROLINA’S
ESTUARINE SHORELINE
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FROM THE REPORT OF THE
ESTUARINE POLICY STEERING COMMITTEE
Full report available at www.ncseagrant.org.
From 2007-2009, the North Carolina Coastal Resources Law,
Planning and Policy Center (Center), North Carolina Sea Grant College
Program and North Carolina Division of Coastal Management (DCM)
partnered to study emerging issues for managing the state’s ocean
shoreline. This study was known as the Ocean Policy Study. This two-year
effort, which included input from a statewide steering committee
and the public, resulted in a final report that was submitted to the North
Carolina Coastal Resources Commission (CRC). The Ocean Policy
Study’s final report, “Developing a Management Strategy for North
Carolina’s Coastal Ocean,” identified five major emerging issues — sand
resource management, renewable energy development, ocean outfalls,
marine aquaculture and comprehensive ocean management – and
developed policy recommendations for each issue. During the Ocean
Policy Study, the Center received requests from the public to conduct
a similar study for the state’s estuarine shoreline. This study is the
outcome of those discussions, thus completing a comprehensive study
of the emerging management and policy issues for the entire North
Carolina coast.
North Carolina’s estuarine, or inner coastal, system consists of
approximately 23 inlets, approximately 12,000 miles of estuarine
shoreline, and more than 3,000 square miles of brackish-water
estuaries. These areas are rapidly developing, and the communities
along the coast’s “inner banks” are experiencing the impacts. Issues
such as habitat degradation, water quality and quantity, erosion and land
loss, aging infrastructure, and conflicts over access are a few examples.
Estimates for global sea level rise (SLR) vary, but locally, SLR
may be higher or lower due to factors such as subsidence, sediment
compaction or uplift. Coastal areas may experience one or more of the
following consequences of SLR: (1) increased levels of flooding; (2)
increased erosion; (3) loss of wetlands and other coastal habitats; (4)
invasion of saltwater into freshwater sources; (5) increased economic
losses due to flooding and storm damage; and (6) damage to and
loss of infrastructure. Other groups, such as the Albemarle-Pamlico
Conservation and Communities Collaborative, reported that North
Carolina is expected to be one of the major three areas in the U.S. most
affected by SLR because more than 2,000 square miles of the coast is
less than three feet in elevation.
In response to the issues presented by subsidence and any rise
in sea level, and in order to protect life and property, property owners
along the estuarine shoreline are resorting to hardening their shoreline.
In addition, local governments are considering solutions to protect
infrastructure from flooding and coastal change. Developing and
implementing solutions require careful examination of the science and
the legal and policy obstacles that are in place. This study will add to
the discussions already taking place at the state and local levels and in
A r o u n d t h e N e x t C u r v e
LEF T: Water availability is a key topic within the estuarine management study led by North Carolina Sea Grant. RIGHT: Estuarine shoreline stabilization is a question for property owners
and the topic of debate at the local and state levels.
N.C. Division of Coastal Management
Robin Wienke
coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org 13
the homes and businesses of those living on the coast.
The three major objectives of this study were to: (1) identify the
emerging natural resource issues that will impact North Carolina’s
estuarine coastline for the next 15-20 years; (2) provide technical
information on the factors associated with them; and (3) recommend
management strategies on how the state may address the issues.
To assist the Center, a steering committee was convened to
provide technical expertise and to work with the Center to develop
policy recommendations. This steering committee was comprised
of 17 members from state agencies, the private sector and academia.
Together, the Center and steering committee identified four emerging
resource issues for the coastal counties and municipalities near North
Carolina’s estuarine shoreline areas. These areas are referred to as
the “inner coast” throughout this report to distinguish them from the
oceanfront shoreline areas of North Carolina that were the focus of the
Ocean Policy Report.
• Water availability
• Estuarine shoreline stabilization
• Monitoring and enforcement of environmental laws
• Sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs)
The Center and steering committee worked from summer 2010
through summer 2013 to fully research these issues and develop policy
recommendations for how the State of North Carolina might address
them. Below is a summary of these recommendations. Not all of the
recommendations presented in this report were fully endorsed by every
member of the steering committee. Where that occurred, it is noted in
the report.
WATER AVAILABILITY
• The State of North Carolina should improve groundwater data
collection.
• The N.C. General Assembly should increase funding for the N.C.
Division of Water Resources’ (DWR) monitoring well network to allow
for an increase in the number of monitoring wells in the inner coast.
• The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR) should establish a central water database.
• DENR should enhance public understanding of the state’s water
resources and water conservation methods.
• The State of North Carolina, its municipalities and water
providers should encourage more efficient water use through water
harvesting, gray water reuse and conservation.
• The State should encourage increased regional cooperation.
• The State should create a comprehensive surface water and
groundwater program.
ESTUARINE SHORELINE STABILIZATION
• The State’s Marsh Sill General Permit conditions should be
revised to ensure all estuarine shoreline stabilization structures are
subject to comparable application and evaluation processes.
• The State of North Carolina should incorporate a hierarchical
system for issuance of permits for activities related to shoreline
stabilization along estuarine shorelines.
• The State of North Carolina should continue discussions with
the Wilmington District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
and other federal review agencies with the goal of drafting a USACE
A r o u n d t h e N e x t C u r v e
C o n t i n u e d
LEF T: The study committee recommendations include creation of a comprehensive surface water and groundwater program. RIGHT: Aging infrastructure is resulting in overflows from
sanitary sewers, those posing a multitude of problems.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Courtesy of City of Raleigh, N.C.
SHARKS 14 coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org
• Lisa Schiavinato, co-chair, North Carolina Sea Grant and
N.C. Coastal Resources Law, Planning and Policy Center
• Joseph Kalo, co-chair, University of North Carolina School of Law
and N.C. Coastal Resources Law, Planning and Policy Center
• Amy Adams, N.C. Division of Water Resources (previous employer)
• Craig Caldwell, N.C. Division of Water Resources
• Anne Deaton, N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries
• David Dycus, N.C. Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services (retired)
• John Fear, N.C. Coastal Reserve Program (previous employer)
and now North Carolina Sea Grant and Water Resources Research
Institute of the University of North Carolina system
• Donna Girardot, Wilmington-Cape Fear Home Builders
Association and Business Alliance for a Sound Economy
• Al Hodge, N.C. Division of Water Resources (retired)
• Jeff Lautier, N.C. Division of Water Resources
• Martin Posey, University of North Carolina Wilmington
• Gloria Putnam, North Carolina Sea Grant
• Spencer Rogers, North Carolina Sea Grant
• John Rummel, East Carolina University
• Jeff Schaffer, N.C. Ecosystem Enhancement Program
• Tracy Skrabal, N.C. Coastal Federation
• Richard Spruill, East Carolina University and
Groundwater Management Associates, Inc.
A r o u n d t h e N e x t C u r v e
E s t u a r i n e P o l i c y S t e e r i n g C o m m i t t e e
Regional General Permit or other regulatory mechanism for marsh sills,
thus placing federal marsh sill permits on a level playing field with other
erosion control structure permits.
• There should be an expansion of education and outreach to
estuarine shoreline property owners, developers and contractors to
increase awareness of all stabilization techniques, including marsh sills
and vegetative plantings.
• DCM should facilitate classroom and field training for field
agency staff on evaluation of all shoreline stabilization techniques,
including marsh sills. Other state and federal agencies should be given
the option to receive training.
• DCM should have staff with sufficient expertise and training
to educate and assist property owners with design and evaluation of all
shoreline stabilization measures for the estuarine environment.
• Together with appropriate partners, the marine construction
industry should be encouraged to develop a voluntary certification
program and/or training for marine contractors in alternative shoreline
stabilization techniques.
MONITORING AND ENFORCEMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS
• In order to have a complete and effective permitting cycle to
safeguard North Carolina’s water supply and public waters and resources,
the N.C. General Assembly and DENR should provide additional funds
for water supply and quality compliance monitoring and enforcement
efforts, including the implementation of a systematic inspection program.
• The N.C. General Assembly and DENR should establish
a department-wide electronic system for sharing compliance and
permitting information, both internally and with the public.
• The N.C. General Assembly and DENR should coordinate and
streamline compliance monitoring and enforcement through the use of
tablets, laptops, smartphones and similar technology in the field.
• DENR should grant each division, particularly the DWR and
N.C. Division of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources (DEMLR),
the authority to develop expedited enforcement procedures for minor
violations to streamline the enforcement process.
SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOWS
• The N.C. Environmental Management Commission (EMC)
and DENR should incorporate into existing rules the requirement that
municipal wastewater collection systems with 100,000 gallons per day
(GPD) or higher have a certified operator as an Operator in Responsible
Charge (ORC).
• The EMC and DENR should revise Title 15A Rule 02T.0403
to require that a minimum of 10% of a deemed permitted collection
system’s lines be cleaned on an annual basis.
• The N.C. General Assembly should put in place a dedicated fund
for water and wastewater infrastructure maintenance and repairs.
• The State should establish a working group of experts to discuss
and develop recommendations to address the issues associated with
SSOs, as well as broader water and wastewater infrastructure issues, in
North Carolina’s rural counties and municipalities.
• Local governments should focus on capital improvements
planning and asset management planning, to aid in budgeting for
improvements that will avoid and minimize the effects of wastewater
collection system failures.
SHARKS coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org 15
C o n t i n u e d
SHARKS
B Y C H U C K B A N G L E Y
BELOW: Sandbar sharks are the most common
large sharks in North Carolina.
The sounds, estuaries and ocean waters in and around North Carolina provide a variety of habitats
for water-dwelling species, including an abundance of sharks. Here is a quick look at some sharks
that are commonly found in the state.
Courtesy N.C. Aquariums
16 coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org
SHARKS IN THE SOUNDS
Most sharks found in North Carolina’s
sounds and estuaries are transient, making a
quick trip into the estuary to feed or migrate
through. However, some will use the sounds
as nursery habitat and their young may stay
for months. Here are some species regularly
encountered in the sounds.
• Atlantic sharpnose sharks
(Rhizoprionodon terraenovae) are among the
most common in North Carolina waters. The
adults can reach 4 feet in length and are found
both in estuarine and oceanic waters, usually
during the summer and autumn. Sharpnose
sharks use Core Sound and other sounds to the
south as nurseries. Their foot-long pups can
be very common in these areas, often caught
by recreational fishermen looking for puppy
drum and Spanish mackerel. Adults generally
are greenish-grey with white spots, while pups
usually are lighter colored.
• Blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus
limbatus) are among the larger sharks in the
sounds, reaching lengths of 8 feet, although
most measure 6 feet or less. They occur in
ocean waters from late spring to late fall,
and usually move into the sounds during the
summer and autumn. These fast predators
chase schools of menhaden and mullet, and
will sometimes make spinning leaps out of the
water while feeding. Recreational fishermen
target these sharks for the strong fight they
can put up when hooked. Blacktip sharks have
black margins on every fin but the anal fin.
The leading edge of their dorsal fin starts just
above or slightly before the trailing edge of the
pectoral fins.
• Bonnethead sharks (Sphyrna
tiburo) are small members of the hammerhead
shark family, with adults reaching a maximum
length of 5 feet. They occasionally occur in
the southern reaches of Pamlico Sound and
become common from Core Sound south, as
well as close to the beach on the ocean side of
the barrier islands. Bonnetheads primarily feed
on crustaceans, especially blue crabs, and can
be seen sweeping their heads across the bottom
to detect electrical signals given off by buried
prey. These sharks have smaller, more rounded
“hammers” than other hammerhead species.
• Bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas),
which can top off at 10.5 feet, are the apex
predators of the North Carolina sounds. They
can tolerate brackish and fresh water, and for
that reason can be found in nearly any body of
water that has a connection to the ocean. Adults
and juveniles have been sighted in the Newport,
Neuse and Pamlico rivers, and even parts of
the Albemarle Sound. Bull sharks attack large
prey, as evidenced by bite scars on resident
bottlenose dolphins in the Neuse River and
reports of large red drum eaten off fishermen’s
hooks. This species can be dangerous to
humans and should be treated with caution.
Bull sharks are recognizable by their wide
body, blunt nose and proportionally small eyes.
• Smoothhound sharks (Mustelus
canis), also referred to as smooth dogfish, can
grow to be more than 5 feet long, although
most individuals encountered in the sounds
are juveniles. Adults arrive from offshore in
the autumn and spring then leave, possibly
giving birth in Back, Core and Pamlico sounds.
Juveniles can be found in shallow areas of
the sounds year-round, and also will venture
out of the inlets into nearshore ocean waters,
where they can be a common bycatch for pier
fishermen. Smoothhounds prey mostly on
crustaceans, such as shrimp and crabs. This
species is usually light to dark grey in color, has
large catlike eyes and has small barbels on its
nostrils.
SHARKS IN THE OCEAN
All of the sharks in the sounds also can be
seen in the ocean, but many species in North
Carolina waters rarely enter estuaries. The
coastal waters of North Carolina lie along a
BELOW: Nick Preziotti, Jennette's Pier educator, caught and released
this 42- inch scal loped hammerhead at the pier in Nags Head.
At l a n t i c S h a r p n o s e S h a r k
B l a c k n o s e S h a r k
Bl a c k t i p S h a r k
Shark illustrations by Duane Raver
Courtesy Jennette’s Pier
coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org 17
C o n t i n u e d
major migration corridor for marine species, and
most shark species occurring along the U.S. East
Coast will enter the state’s waters at some point
during the year. Though attacks are extremely
rare, many of the species on the ocean side of
the barrier islands are large and potentially
dangerous to humans, so exercise caution when
interacting with these species. The following are
some of the more common and noteworthy of
North Carolina’s coastal sharks.
• Blacknose sharks (Carcharhinus
acronotus) are relatively small, reaching a
maximum size of about 5 feet. These sharks
can be found close to the beach south of
Cape Hatteras during the summer and will
occasionally enter inlets. This species grows
more slowly than other small sharks, such as
sharpnoses and bonnetheads, and is subject to
lower catch limits than those species. Blacknose
sharks have a distinctive black mark on the end
of their snouts, and are generally yellow-grey
in color.
• Dusky sharks (Carcharhinus
obscurus) are among the largest coastal sharks,
reaching lengths of 12 feet and measuring nearly
4 feet at birth. This is a very slow-growing
species, taking as many as 17 years to reach
reproductive maturity. This species is one
of the most hard-hit by fishing pressure. By
law, hooked dusky sharks must be released.
Juveniles overwinter off Cape Hatteras, and
adults can be found farther offshore year-round.
Dusky sharks can be difficult to tell apart
from other sharks. They usually are dark grey
in color and have curved dorsal fins, with the
leading edge even with the trailing edge of the
pectoral fins.
• The great white shark
(Carcharodon carcharias) is the largest
predatory fish in the ocean, reaching lengths
of 21 feet and weights of well over two tons.
White sharks tagged off Cape Cod have been
tracked to North Carolina waters, where they
generally stay well offshore but occasionally
venture close to the beach. White sharks can
occur year-round in North Carolina waters, but
usually are seen during the winter and early
spring. With their bright white bellies, large
black eyes and triangular teeth, white sharks are
easily distinguished from other local species.
• Sandbar sharks (Carcharhinus
plumbeus) are among the most common large
sharks in North Carolina waters, and can reach
lengths of 8 feet. The population has severely
declined from overfishing but there is some
evidence that sandbar sharks are starting to
recover. Sandbar sharks can be found year-round
in North Carolina waters, but are most
common in the late summer and autumn.
Juveniles born in the Chesapeake and Delaware
bays overwinter off Cape Hatteras, and also
will enter Pamlico Sound. Sandbar sharks are
usually light grey or brown, and have large, tall
dorsal fins with the leading edge beginning
ahead of the trailing edge of the pectoral fins.
• Sand tiger sharks (Carcharias
taurus) can grow to 12 feet and can be found
year-round in North Carolina waters, especially
around structures such as wrecks and live-bottom
habitats. Developing sand tiger sharks
will consume their siblings in the womb until
only two remain, and at birth are more than
4 feet long. Despite their savage start and
fearsome appearance, sand tiger sharks are
usually docile around humans, which makes
them popular with divers and aquariums. With
their proportionally small fins, pointed snouts
and jagged teeth, sand tiger sharks are easily
identified.
• Scalloped hammerheads
(Sphyrna lewini) are the most common large
hammerhead species in North Carolina
waters. However, this species has been
affected by overfishing, with 75 to 90 percent
of its population extirpated — removed
completely — in the Atlantic Ocean. For
BELOW: Visitors can stay on dry ground and sti l l see a variety of sharks
at the N.C. Aquariums, such as this sand tiger shark.
Bo n n e t h e a d S h a r k
B u l l S h a r k
Du s k y S h a r k
Scott Taylor for N.C. Aquariums
18 coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org
this reason, hammerheads are managed
under lower quotas and higher size limits
than other large coastal sharks. Three other
large hammerhead species — the smooth,
great and recently discovered Carolina
hammerhead — occasionally can be found
in North Carolina waters. The scalloped
hammerhead is distinguished from smooth
and great hammerheads by the shape of its
“hammer,” which is curved and has a notch
in the center. The Carolina hammerhead is
visually indistinguishable from the scalloped
hammerhead, and can only be told apart
genetically or by counting its vertebrae —
Carolina hammerheads have fewer than
scalloped hammerheads.
• The spinner shark (Carcharhinus
brevipinna) is a close relative of the blacktip
shark and shares its habit of making spinning
leaps out of the water. Spinner sharks can
grow larger than their blacktip cousins,
reaching 10 feet. They can be told apart from
blacktips by their sharper, longer snout, a
dorsal fin with a leading edge starting after
the trailing edge of the pectoral fins, and a
black-tipped anal fin.
• The tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)
is one of the largest and most potentially
dangerous of North Carolina’s coastal
sharks, reaching 18 feet in length. Tigers are
nicknamed “trashcans with fins,” feeding
on a wide variety of prey including large
fishes, dolphins, sea turtles, other sharks, and
occasionally scavenging garbage. Usually
found well offshore, tiger sharks have been
known to enter Beaufort Inlet and record-sized
individuals have been caught from fishing piers
and in the surf. With their square-shaped snouts
and stripes, tiger sharks are unmistakable.
• The thresher shark (Alopias
vulpinus), usually an open-ocean species, will
venture close to shore in North Carolina waters,
especially in the winter and early spring.
Juveniles ranging from 4.5 to 6 feet in length
overwinter close to shore near Cape Hatteras
and Cape Lookout. Their 15-foot parents will
occasionally chase schools of menhaden into
nearshore waters. Half of a thresher shark’s
total length is made up of its tail, which can be
swung around in front of the shark to stun and
herd small schooling fishes. Thresher sharks
fight hard when hooked and are targeted by
recreational and charter fishermen.
RECOMMENDED READING
Sources consulted for these species
descriptions include Sharks, Skates and Rays
of the Carolinas by Frank Schwartz, Sharks of
North America by Jose Castro, and Sharks of
the World by Leonard Compagno.
Courtesy N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores
S a n d b a r S h a r k
S p i n n e r S h a r k
T i g e r S h a r k
BELOW: To learn more, visit the Nor th Carol ina Aquariums to par ticipate
in their educational p rograms on sharks and other species.
ABOVE: This diagram names the physical characteristics of a typical shark.
Diagram by Chris_huh, via Wikimedia Commons
coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org 19
SCHOOL
The art world prizes prov-enance
— establishing the
origins, ownership, custody
and safe keeping of works
to authenticate their value.
The seafood industry focuses on
traceability — documenting the origins
and handling of seafood products from
oceans or farms to processors, suppliers,
retailers and food-service providers. This
tracking enables fish and shellfish to meet
consumers’ expectations of food safety.
THE SEAFOOD SAFETY SQUAD:
Ensuring Quality of Coastal Delicacies B Y P A M S M I T H
Traceability is just one element in a
complex network of rules, regulations,
standards, guidelines and safeguards that
help ensure delivery of the safest possible
seafood from water to plate.
Considering the amount of seafood
consumed by Americans, that’s a tall order.
According to the latest calculations by
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, or NOAA, Americans
consumed some 4.5 billion pounds of
seafood in 2012 — about 14.4 pounds per
capita. Despite this, relatively few cases of
seafood-related, food-borne illnesses were
reported in that same period.
In North Carolina, credit for that
good news, in part, goes to the cadre
of environmental health specialists who
help shield the public from an array of
health hazards, says Jeff French, regional
environmental health specialist with the
N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’, or DMF’s,
Shellfish Sanitation Section.
C o n t i n u e d
Pam Smith
20 coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org
According to French, when it comes
to seafood safety, it’s essential to arm
these specialists with a vast array of
knowledge. This includes up-to-date “best
practices” across the different parts of the
seafood industry and the latest regulatory
compliance changes.
It’s a lot to keep up with. That’s where
the N.C. Environmental Health State of
Practice Committee, or SOP Committee,
comes in. The SOP Committee was formed
in the early 1980s to provide continuing-education
opportunities for practicing
environmental health specialists, better
known as health inspectors.
The late Joyce Taylor, a long-time
North Carolina Sea Grant seafood education
specialist, helped develop and present early
editions of the Seafood Quality and Safety
Workshop, working with Wayne Mobley of
Shellfish Sanitation.
French, Sea Grant seafood technology
and marketing specialist Barry Nash, and
Steve Murphey, Shellfish Sanitation envi-ronmental
health specialist, carry on that
important mission as members of the all-volunteer
SOP Committee. Each year, they
organize a comprehensive three-day course,
titled Seafood Quality and Safety Workshop:
A Practical Workshop for Environmental
Health Specialists, to present timely informa-tion
on seafood-related topics.
A M O V E A B L E F E A S T
The curriculum content purposely
varies from year to year. “We look for
new information, new consumer focus,
new products and new experiences to
incorporate,” French says.
The workshop location also changes
annually to accommodate the participation
of professionals from mountain, piedmont
and coastal regions.
A recent SOP workshop drew more
than 25 participants to North Carolina
State University’s Center for Marine Science
and Technology, or
CMAST, in Morehead
City. Sea Grant and
DMF co-sponsored
the event.
Participants
helped to evaluate
a value-added
seafood product
being developed by
Nash and Charles
Hudson, research
and development
chef from Asheville’s
Sunburst Trout
Farms. The two
dished up samples of
a trout burger along
with an evaluation
form calling for
comments on taste
and texture.
The trout burger
could be rolled out
this year as the next
value-added product
in the Sunburst line,
Nash says. Data from
sensory surveys
are an important
part of the product-development
process, along
with profit-point
and food-safety
considerations.
Nash previously
conducted workshops for seafood dealers,
processors and regulatory officials in
seafood sanitation and Hazard Analysis and
Critical Control Point, or HACCP, seafood
safety practices. He collaborated with the
Seafood Laboratory at CMAST to provide
the training.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
requires all seafood processors to develop
and implement a HACCP plan to identify
and control food hazards at all critical points
in production, he told workshop attendees.
L E A R N F R O M E X P E R T S
French notes that since the earliest
years, the hallmark of SOP workshops has
been landing seafood safety experts, such
as Nash, from agencies, academia and the
Vanda Lewis Pam Smith Vanda Lewis
• FACING PAGE, TOP: Workshop participants
taste-tested trout burgers from Sunburst Trout
Farms. • MIDDLE: Jeff French arranges fish for
a species-identification exercise in the NC State
Seafood Lab in Morehead City. • BOTTOM:
Glen Long, owner of Motts Channel Seafood
Market, and his manager Thom Franz place freshly
cut tuna steaks in a chilled display. • THIS PAGE,
TOP: French, left, watches David Gritton from
Southern Foods demonstrate the art of the fillet.
• BOTTOM: Steve Murphey and Barry Nash
prepare for a hands-on demonstration.
coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org 21
industry as speakers.
The Morehead City roster included
representatives from Darden Foods Group,
parent company of Red Lobster, Olive Gar-den
and Longhorn restaurants; Harris Teeter
Supermarkets; and Inland Seafood, a major
seafood distributor in the Southeast region.
Each company has developed
corporate protocols for managing seafood
safety. In addition, each contributes to global
safety standards as members of the National
Fisheries Institute, or NFI. The companies
also are represented on NFI’s Better Seafood
Board.
NFI is a nonprofit organization
dedicated to global seafood safety,
sustainability and nutrition. The board
focuses on stamping out seafood fraud.
With nearly 30 years in
the field, French himself is an
expert in finfish and shellfish
safety.
Health inspectors can
rely on their senses when
it comes to finfish, French
says. Qualities of fresh
	
fish are:
• Eyes that are clear
and not cloudy.
• Whole fish and
	
fillets with firm and shiny
flesh. Whole fish should
have bright reddish gills.
• A fresh and mild
smell, not fishy or like ammonia.
For shellfish, including clams, oysters
and mussels, it’s all about knowing their
home address. Health inspectors should
examine the mandatory information tag
attached to the carton or mesh bag. Tags
provide dealer name and certification
number, harvest date and location, type
of shellfish, quantity, and any consumer
advisories. Tags must be kept on file for 90
days because they are important for tracing
the source of shellfish in the event of illness.
The N.C. Department of Environment
and Natural Resources, which includes
the Shellfish Sanitation Section, sets
strict controls on growing, harvesting
and consuming shellfish from pollution-free
waters. Some bodies of water are
permanently closed to shellfish harvesting.
Others may be closed temporarily after
heavy storms.
Such restrictions are important
because eating raw shellfish, particularly raw
oysters, could pose serious health risks for
pregnant women, the elderly, young people
or people with compromised immune
systems, French warns. These filter feeders
can harbor Vibrio vulnificus, a bacteria found
in warm coastal waters. Consuming Vibrio
can lead to nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and
stomach pain — and even death in some
cases.
T R U T H O R
C O N S E Q U E N C E S
Surprisingly, a lurking danger for
seafood lovers is not necessarily a bad
product, but rather, a bad label, says
Shellfish Sanitation’s Murphey.
“A lot of good people spend a lot
of time keeping consumers safe from
bad seafood products,” Murphey says.
“Unfortunately, there is a lot more seafood
fraud than inspectors to go around.”
A 2010 study by Oceana revealed that
one-third of 1,000 samples tested were
mislabeled — mostly imported products,
and mostly lower-value substitutions
for more expensive fish. Red snapper is
among the most commonly replaced high-value
fish, he pointed out to workshop
participants.
Most cases of fish fraud involve eco-nomic
deception, including short weighting,
overtreating products or falsifying the origin.
However, some substitutions do pose
health concerns. For example, escolar often
C o n t i n u e d
Vanda Lewis Vanda Lewis
22 coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org
is fraudulently labeled as white tuna. Eating
this species can cause severe, intensive
gastrointestinal problems.
Illegal and deceptive practices by
some in the industry hurt the legitimate
dealer or supplier and undermine consumer
confidence, Murphey says.
But sometimes, the perpetrator pays
a price. Recently, the Federal Register
reported that two importers were found
guilty of falsely labeling shrimp. They were
barred from importing shrimp — one for five
years, the other for three years. The Federal
Register is the U.S. Government’s official
daily publication that reports legal notice of
administrative rules.
The Name that Critter session at the
Seafood Safety and Quality Workshop
helped familiarize participants with seafood
imposters. The photo array also included
some exotic, but legitimate, fish that
inspectors may encounter in the increasing
number of ethnic seafood restaurants and
markets across the state.
T A K E - H O M E M E S S A G E
Alicia Pickett, senior environmental
health program specialist for New Hanover
County Health Department, praises the
SOP annual seafood workshop for helping
participants keep up with industry trends
and food-code changes at federal, state and
local levels.
“I have taken the workshop course
twice and come away with renewed
confidence in keeping the public safe,” she
says.
Like other workshop participants,
Pickett shares valuable workshop information
with her health department colleagues and
encourages them to take advantage of the
opportunity to earn continuing education
credits. New Hanover County environmental
health specialists provide multiple layers
of protection in hundreds of food-service
settings across the county, including
restaurants, schools and
markets.
Health inspectors are
registered with the state
oversight board and are
authorized to enforce state
rules.
Pickett does not see
herself as an adversary
when she conducts an
unannounced inspection.
“We’re first and foremost
educators. We work
closely with our eating
establishments and markets
to ensure owners and
managers understand and
follow seafood safety code
regulations,” she says.
For his part, Johnny
Chen is proud to post the
near-perfect county health
department inspection rating
cards in full view of patrons
at each of his five eateries
in the Wilmington area.
He knows high numerical
ratings are good for his
restaurants — a business he
built slowly as area consumers
developed a palette for sushi,
and regulators adopted
parameters for handling,
storing and serving items that
may contain raw fish.
Beginning in the 1980s, New Hanover
County Health Department also has regu-lated
seafood markets and vehicles that are
not regulated by the state, Pickett explains.
County environmental health specialists
issue annual permits and conduct unan-nounced
inspections throughout the year to
enforce seafood safety compliance. Health
inspection rating cards are not issued to
seafood markets or vehicles in New Hanover
County, but valid permits must be displayed.
In other counties, such as Craven, health
inspectors issue numerical rating cards to
eating establishments and letter-grade cards
to seafood market and vehicle operators.
These must be displayed along with permits.
Seafood market and vehicle operators
may lose their permits if they do not comply
with seafood food-code requirements.
Glen Long, Motts Channel Seafood
Market owner, prides himself in meeting
every benchmark for seafood safety —
from a HACCP plan to product traceability
• THIS PAGE, TOP: Johnny Chen, owner, and his niece Jing,
manager, aim for high health-inspection ratings at all five of Chen’s
sushi restaurants in Wilmington. • BOTTOM: Chen knows that
high sanitation ratings are good for business. • FACING PAGE:
Charlotte environmental health specialist, Chiante Hamilton, holds
a ribbonfish during the Name That Fish workshop session.
Pam Smith Pam Smith
coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org 23
and spotless coolers to a picture-perfect,
properly chilled fresh seafood display. The
New Hanover County seafood market
owner says he’s picky and buys only from
suppliers whose standards meet his high-quality
criteria. For Long, that means no
additives and no substitutes.
“If I won’t eat it, I won’t sell it,” Long
insists.
Long’s formula for receiving high
ratings from inspectors and customers alike
is straightforward. He says: “Keep it clean,
keep it fresh and keep it cold.”
Shellfish Sanitation’s French could not
have said it better.
North Carolina Sea Grant has several
publications about seafood technology,
product safety and marketing. These include:
• Handling Seafood Safely;
• Quality Counts: A Consumer’s Guide
to Selecting North Carolina Seafood;
• Branding Seafood: Developing a
Marketing Plan to Sell Value-Added Seafood
Products; and
• Seafood Traceability: A Practical
Guide for the U.S. Industry.
To find these and other documents,
go to www.ncseagrant.org and search for
seafood.
C O N S U M E R
S E A F O O D
S A F E T Y T I P S
Regulation, handling and inspection
standards for seafood are meant to
ensure that products at the market are
safe and fresh.
However, consumers also play a
critical role in maintaining seafood safety
from point of purchase to the dinner
plate.
Mariner’s Menu, North Carolina Sea
Grant’s premier seafood resource book
by Joyce Taylor, devotes an entire chapter
to seafood safety. Here are a few tips to
keep in mind when purchasing, storing
and preparing seafood:
• Buy only from reputable sources.
• Buy only fresh seafood that has
been properly iced or refrigerated.
• To avoid cross-contamination, do
not buy cooked seafood if it is displayed
in the same case as raw seafood.
• Transport seafood on ice.
Refrigerate or freeze as quickly as
possible once home.
• Store fresh fish to be used within
three days in the refrigerator on a bed of
crushed ice, keeping it as close to 32 F as
possible.
• Freeze fresh fish to be used within
three to six months.
• Store live clams and mussels in the
refrigerator in a shallow pan, allowing for
ventilation by covering with a damp cloth
or paper towel. Use within two or three
days. Discard any that die.
• Cook live crabs and lobsters the
day of purchase. Discard any that die.
• Shrimp, scallops and freshly
shucked oysters will keep up to seven
days on ice in the refrigerator.
• Cooked crabmeat should be used
within a week.
• Before handling seafood, wash
hands for at least 20 seconds with hot,
soapy water.
• Rinse raw seafood under cold,
running water to help remove bacteria.
• Do not let raw seafood come in
contact with any other raw or cooked food.
• Do not place cooked seafood in
the same container that held raw seafood
unless it has been washed thoroughly with
hot, soapy water.
• Marinate seafood in the refrigerator,
not at room temperature. Set aside a
portion of marinade for basting or dipping
before adding raw seafood. Dispose of
marinade that has come in contact with
raw seafood.
• Scrub live oysters, clams and
mussels with a stiff brush under cold,
running water before shucking or cooking.
• Cook seafood thoroughly, 10
minutes per inch of thickness. Add five
minutes to total cooking time if fish is
cooked in a sauce or wrapped in foil or
parchment. Cooked fish should reach an
internal temperature of 145 F.
• Oysters in the shell should be
steamed four to nine minutes or broiled
three to five minutes after gaping. Discard
any that do not open.
• Shucked oysters should be fried
three minutes at 375 F; broiled three
minutes, 3 inches from heat; baked 10
minutes at 450 F; or boiled for three
minutes.
• Clams and mussels should be
steamed four to nine minutes. Discard any
that do not open.
• Thaw frozen seafood overnight
in the refrigerator or under cold, running
water. Do not thaw seafood at room
temperature or with hot or warm water.
• With seafood preparation, as with
all foods, cleanliness matters. Wash hands,
counters, cutting boards and utensils — as
well as anything else that comes in contact
with raw seafood — thoroughly with hot
soapy water, detergents or antibacterial
agents. A tablespoon of bleach mixed
with one gallon of water is an effective
homemade cleaning solution.
For more information, check out the
Mariner’s Menu blog at www.marinersmenu.
org. Or look for the book in local stores.
Vanda Lewis
24 coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org
EXPLORING S E A S C I E N C E
EXPLORING SCIENCE
UNC-TV Expands Research Coverage
	 	 	 	 	 	 B Y R E B E C C A N A G Y
BELOW: Oysters filter dozens of gallons of water a day and are invaluable to their ecosystem.
David Huppert
bring the science stories into classrooms and to
learners of all ages.
• LOCAL S TORIES
Since the first airing of North Carolina
Science Now, viewers have trekked across the
state tagging fish, searching for Lincoln,
tracking storm surges and learning how to brew
beer, all from the comfort of their own home.
A weekly segment within UNC-TV’s public
affairs program, North Carolina Now, the Science
Now stories give viewers a behind-the-scenes
look at the science and the scientists.
coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org 25
SCIENCE
S E A S C I E N C E
C o n t i n u e d
A RED D RUM F LOPS ONTO
THE D ECK O F A R ESEARCH BOAT
AS A T EAM F ROM T HE UNIVERSIT Y
OF NORTH C AROLINA AT CH APEL
HILL F REES I T F ROM A N ET.
WAVES O F B RACKISH WATER
SLOSH U P AGAINST T HE BOAT
AS SUNSHINE G LIT TERS O N T HE
NEW R IVER N EAR J ACKSONVILLE.
If the fish is big enough, it will be tagged
with a tracking device. Thus, researchers can
learn where it swims and find out more about
the habitat it needs. This catch-and-release
may be an inconvenience to the fish, but it will
yield important data.
Tracking the red drum’s movement
helps researchers understand the best way to
manage and maintain the fish’s population.
Thanks to expanded science coverage on
UNC-TV, viewers now can witness meaningful
research taking place in North Carolina. This
expansion — that includes special segments
in statewide and national news programs —
goes beyond traditional television broadcast
to include a website where the videos are
available, as well as information for teachers to
26 coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org
S E A S C I E N C E
Frank Graff, producer and reporter, and
education specialist Lucy B. Laffitte collaborate
on North Carolina Science Now to provide a
comprehensive science lesson for the audience.
“I’m very pleased with the way Frank is
approaching science,” Laffitte says. She notes
that Graff’s innate curiosity for all things
science, combined with his consummate story-telling
ability, has been a great asset to the
show.
UNC-TV turned to partners to enhance
the program. Funding from GlaxoSmithKline
enables Science Now to cross the state in search
of compelling and educational science stories.
“By collaborating with people like North
Carolina Sea Grant and the Museum of Natural
Sciences, we are able to produce science
content that could be delivered in a whole new
way,” Graff adds.
Sea Grant has helped UNC-TV bring the
researchers and their work to viewers. “We have
enjoyed various partnerships with UNC-TV over
the years to help tell stories of coastal science,”
notes Katie Mosher, Sea Grant communications
director. “This is especially exciting because it is
providing science content on a regular basis to
wide audiences.”
Many of the programs focus on coastal
science.
In the fish-tagging story, researchers from
UNC-Chapel Hill’s Institute of Marine Sciences
brought viewers to see how they conduct
finfish research. The team caught, tagged
and released red drum in an effort to track
their movements and learn about important
habitats. Additionally, UNC-TV consulted with
researchers from NC State’s Center for Marine
Sciences and Technology, who also use tags and
tracking devices to study fish mortality.
A fishery management plan for the
red drum, designated the state’s official
saltwater fish, was first implemented in 1984.
Regulations, approved by the N.C. Marine
Fisheries Commission and based on research
like that seen on the program, enabled the
population of juvenile red drum to rebound.
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries now lists
red drum as recovering and the population of
juvenile red drum as on the rise.
Not all of the programming is science in
the traditional sense. In “Looking for Lincoln,”
viewers meet Christopher Oakley, a professor
at UNC Asheville, who is a former Disney
animator and President Lincoln history buff.
As Oakley works on a project to animate the
Gettysburg Address, he realizes the man in a
picture was not Lincoln as it was
always thought. Through image
modeling, Oakley discovers
the real Lincoln in the crowd,
uncovering a never-before-seen photo of the
16th president.
Some stories have even made it far beyond
the borders of North Carolina and attracted
national attention. “The one about amateur
astronomers in Chapel Hill was picked up by
NASA,” Graff recalls.
“The Real Star Power,” which features
amateur astronomers taking part in the
Staunton River Star Party, focuses not only on
the science, but the people as well. While the
program allows stars to shine, the people who
conduct the science are not left in the dark.
One of the greatest successes of North
Carolina Science Now has been its dedication to
providing outreach to educators and students.
Along with each story that airs, UNC-TV’s
online science pages supply additional
components that provide a comprehensive
look at the science for students. The stories and
related lessons are outlined to identify which
N.C. Essential Science Standards and Next
Generation Science Standards are covered. This
allows teachers to incorporate the videos and
lessons into their curriculum.
“The website is kind of like one-stop
shopping and the videos are a good length for
the classroom,” Graff says.
He provides a reporter’s blog with each
story, allowing him to add a personal touch to
his coverage of science stories.
“It’s also a way to report more information
CLOCKWISE F ROM R IGHT:
• UNC-TV videographer Peter Bell wades into
Middle Marsh, to get some close-ups of oysters. •
Researchers from the UNC Institute of Marine Sciences study
the connection between healthy habitat and a robust red
drum population. • One program followed Sara Schweitzer,
a coastal waterbird biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources
Commission, who tracks egrets in the marshes near Beaufort.
• Left to right: Frank Graff, David Huppert, Lucy Laffitte.
• Boats docked in a marina in Beaufort,
near IMS and the Duke Marine Lab.
Frank Graff
David Huppert
Courtesy David Huppert
Liz Bowles/UNC-TV
Courtesy UNC-TV
coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org 27
S E A S C I E N C E
that simply can’t be included in the TV story,
either because of length or the flow of the story,”
he continues.
To ensure the integrity of the science
presented, an advisory board of science and
education professionals offers a technical review
of the stories.
“The advisory board has been a huge help,”
Graff says of the volunteer board, adding that
the members help double-check the technical
facts in each episode.
The journalists and advisors collaborate
to make sure each week’s programming tells
an accurate story. This is especially true of the
episodes that discuss complicated science.
For Susan White, executive director of
North Carolina Sea Grant, who
serves on the advisory board, it is
time well spent.
“This is a win-win
partnership for Sea Grant and
UNC-TV as we can brainstorm
on ideas for content together
— and consider opportunities
for partnering to deliver stories
about the science and these
interesting characters in science,”
White explains.
“The opportunities for
teaching about the science and
technologies explored across
North Carolina are enormous
and UNC-TV is an excellent,
professional venue to deliver
these stories.”
• NATIONAL
REACH
A national
series called Quest
also adds to the
expanding science
programming
provided by UNC-TV.
As one of
six public media
stations that
participates in
Quest, UNC-TV
is able to bring
North Carolina
stories in science,
technology,
engineering and
mathematics —
commonly called
STEM — to a national audience. Funding for
this season of Quest programming is provided
by the National Science Foundation.
“Quest is a multiplatform science and
education series with collaborators from public
media stations throughout the country,” says
David Huppert, producer for Quest North
Carolina. He aims to create compelling and
educational multimedia STEM content for
different audiences.
Laffitte, also the education manager for
Quest, manages six education staff members at
six stations across the country. She orchestrates
the content for the education page, which
includes correlating Web posts to education
standards, and designing, producing, testing
and piloting videos, animations and games.
Quest also seeks input from local partners,
such as Sea Grant. “We work with Sea Grant
to identify compelling stories, characters and
issues relevant to North Carolinians, as well as
our national audience,” Huppert notes.
Sea Grant’s Mosher agrees. “We are
pleased to have the opportunity to suggest
stories from research teams at a wide range of
universities, as well as community and agency
partners.”
The episode on restoring oyster reefs,
which aired last fall, featured Sea Grant-funded
researchers using laser-scanning technology to
determine the best locations for oyster beds.
Oysters are a vital part of the marsh
ecosystem. They filter water and provide habitat
for other organisms, including other oysters.
That program also focused on fishermen
and conservationists who use bags of oyster
shells to break up wave energy and protect the
shores of Beacon Island from erosion. The bags
also provide habitat for oysters.
There are still many more local science
stories to tell. “We haven’t even scratched the
surface on all the great science going on in
North Carolina,” Huppert says. “In the future,
I’d like to focus on some of the innovators the
president alluded to when he named Raleigh
the next high-tech hub.”
He is referring to the Next Generation
Power Electronics Innovation Institute at NC
State. President Barack Obama launched this
$140 million initiative, which is partly funded
by the Department of Energy, in January. The
institute will unite academic, government and
industry partners to focus on energy efficiency.
With many stories already completed and
more in the works, the individuals who create
North Carolina Science Now and Quest have a major
goal in mind — sharing the mystery and wonder
of science.
“I want viewers to leave with a sense of,
‘Wow! That’s cool!’” Graff says.
North Carolina Science Now airs every
Wednesday during North Carolina Now at 7:30
p.m. on UNC-TV. Past segments and additional
information can be found at science.unctv.org/
content/ncsciencenow. The next Science Now
story will air in April.
All national Quest programs can be found
at science.kqed.org/quest/. Quest North
Carolina can be found at science.kqed.org/
quest/stations/north-carolina/. Check your
local listings for Quest programming.
Frank Graff
Frank Graff
28 coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org
MARINER’S MENU
Spring into Seasonal Seafood
NORTH CAROLINA’S COASTAL WATERS OFFER AN ABUNDANCE
OF SEAFOOD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. IN SPRING, BLUE CRABS MOLT,
OFFERING SOFT-CRAB SPECIALTIES. SNAPPER IS AMONG THE FINFISH HARVESTED.
CLAMS MAY COME FROM WILD HARVEST OR MARICULTURE OPERATIONS.
Coastwatch spotlights several recipes that highlight these species from the
Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas resource book. They are sure to be “keepers.”
To learn how to select, handle and prepare seafood, get a copy of the book from North Carolina Sea Grant.
Contact Sandra Harris at 919-515-9101 or sandra_harris@ncsu.edu. Or check your local bookstore.
Visit the Mariner’s Menu blog at marinersmenu.org for more recipes. — V.L.
DOWN EAST CLAM CHOWDER
Prepare this hearty chowder to entertain large groups of family or friends.
• 1 quart coarsely chopped chowder clams
• 1/4 pound salt pork, sliced
• 1 quart water
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups diced potatoes
• 1 cup instant potato flakes for thickening (optional)
In large saucepan, fry pork over medium heat until crisp. Remove pork and discard. Add clams, water, onion, salt and pepper to pan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and cook slowly until clams are tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add potatoes and onion, and cook until potatoes are done, about 20 minutes. Add potato flakes and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Serves 10 to 12.
BAKED CLAMS WITH
GARLIC BUTTER
Clams in the shell should be heavy and tightly closed, or should close when tapped lightly. They should have a pleasant, briny odor. Discard any with open or broken shells.
• 36 littleneck clams
• 1/4 pound margarine or butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic
• 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped green onion, including tops
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• rock salt
Scrub clams thoroughly with a stiff brush under cold, running water. Open clams and discard top shell.
Combine margarine, garlic, green onion, parsley, wine, crumbs, salt, pepper and half the Parmesan. Blend until smooth.
Place clams on the half shell in a bed of rock salt in a cooking pan. Spoon margarine mixture evenly over clams. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and bake at 450 F until clams are done and cheese is melted, about 6 to 8 minutes. Serves 6.
HOT SOFT-CRAB SANDWICH
Combine this seafood sandwich with a fresh salad or a bowl of soup to make a filling and delicious evening meal.
• 8 soft-shell crabs, cleaned
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• flour
• 1/2 cup margarine or butter
• 8 sandwich rolls, warmed
• mayonnaise or tartar sauce
Sprinkle crabs lightly with salt and pepper. Dust with flour. Heat margarine in large skillet over medium heat until sizzling. Sauté crabs until crisp and brown on one side, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn and repeat on other side. Drain on paper towels. Serve on warm rolls with mayonnaise or tartar sauce. Serves 8.
BROILED SNAPPER WITH HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
Broiling is an ideal way to cook fish fillets. The intense, dry heat cooks very quickly.
• 4 medium snapper fillets
• 2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
Brush fillets with margarine. Lightly salt and pepper. Broil about 4 inches from heat until fish flakes with a fork, about 10 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.
While fish is cooking, prepare Cooked Hollandaise Sauce.
Cooked Hollandaise Sauce:
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup firm cold butter, cut into eighths
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika
• 1/16 teaspoon cayenne pepper
In a small saucepan, beat together egg yolks, water and lemon juice. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until yolk mixture bubbles at edges. Stir in butter, one piece at a time, until melted and sauce is thickened. Stir in salt, paprika and cayenne. Remove from heat. Pour over cooked fish. Makes about 3/4 cup. coastwatch | spring 2014 | www.ncseagrant.org 29
MARINER’S MENU
Photos by Vanda Lewis
Add some new recipes to your repertoire this spring as more seafood becomes available, including, from top to bottom, Down East clam chowder, baked clams, soft-crab sandwich and broiled snapper.Periodicals
Postage Paid
North Carolina Sea Grant at Raleigh, NC
North Carolina State University
Box 8605
Raleigh, NC 27695-8605
D O N A T E
Make a donation to the North
Carolina Sea Grant Program
Enhancement Fund in honor of
a friend or family member.
Contributions support Sea Grant
programming and graduate studies in fisheries,
habitats, seafood science and technology,
marine education, law and policy, coastal
hazards, and community development. All
donations to the fund are tax deductible as
allowable by law.
Honor a friend or family member. Include
the honoree’s name and mailing address so we
can acknowledge both of you. Also note if you
would like us to list the donation in a future
issue of Coastwatch.
To make a credit-card donation, visit
giving.ncsu.edu and select Give Now. Check the
option to give to a fund that is not listed, then
type “North Carolina Sea Grant Program
Enhancement Fund.” You can add a notation
if the donation is in honor or in memory of
someone.
Checks are still accepted. They should be
made payable to the “NC State Foundation,”
with “NC Sea Grant Enhancement Fund” in the
memo field. Send to North Carolina Sea Grant,
NCSU Box 8605, Raleigh, NC 27695-8605.
Thank you for supporting North Carolina
Sea Grant. We appreciate your investment in our
research, education and outreach programs.
S U B S C R I B E
Request a one-year subscription
of Coastwatch. Until June 30, 2014,
get two or more one-year subscriptions for
$12 each. Send checks to Coastwatch, North
Carolina Sea Grant, NC State University, Box
8605, Raleigh, NC 27695-8605. Educators
receive a discounted rate of $10 for the first
year. For more information, call 919-515-9101
or email sandra_harris@ncsu.edu.
C O N N E C T
Keep up with North Carolina
Sea Grant. Visit www.ncseagrant.org
for news and upcoming events. Visit www.
nccoastwatch.org to read Coastwatch stories. Like
us at www.facebook.com/ncseagrant. On Twitter,
follow @SeaGrantNC or @ncsg_katiem.
N O R T H C A R O L I N A
S E A G R A N T
Your link to research and
resources for a healthier coast.
www.ncseagrant.org
www.facebook.com/ncseagrant
@SeaGrantNC or @ncsg_katiem
N O R T H C A R O L I N A S E A G R A N T • A U T U M N • 2 0 1 3 • I S S U E 4 • $ 3 . 7 5 Coastwatch M A R I T I M E A R T I F A C T S • E N V I R O N M E N T A L L I T E R A C Y • C O L L A B O R A T I V E S C I E N C E • C O A S T A L G R A S S B E D S
Adding Value:
Seafood, Science and Students
N O R T H C A R O L I N A S E A G R A N T • H O L I D A Y • 2 0 1 3 • I S S U E 5 • $ 3 . 7 5 Coastwatch P E L A G I C F O O D W E B • L I T E R A R Y T R A I L S • M A R I N E M A M M A L S • R E S T O R I N G S H A D
Continuing
Collaboration:
Building a Better Fishtrap Coastwatch R E S T O R I N G W E T L A N D S • C O A S T A L S H A R K S • R E D W O L V E S • R E M E M B E R I N G J O Y C E T A Y L O R
Oysters:
Economy, Environment
and Tradition
N O R T H C A R O L I N A S E A G R A N T • W I N T E R • 2 0 1 4 • I S S U E 1 • $ 3 . 7 5