Around the Next Curve
AROUND THE NEXT CURVE:
REPORT CONSIDERS ESTUARINE SHORELINE
MAN AG EM ENT STRATEG I ES
V E : North Carolina 's estuarine shoreline is experiencing increasing pressure from development.
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.
Cbastal 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 slate 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 tire entire North Carolina coast.
The Estuarine Policy Steering Committee included experts firm 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 Progr am.
"Staff from state agencies, NGOs and universities worked together to
identify the issues and develop recommendations on how best to deal with
those issues. 1 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 stale'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.0rg/s/estuan4ep.
- KATIE MOSHER
COASTWATCH
SPRING
20Ц
I WWW.NCSEAGRANT.ORG 11
