Autumn 2011

Table of Contents

TAR HEEL BLUE CRABS:
Still the State’s Most Valuable Seafood

What happens to blue crabs when they are landed by North Carolina crabbers? Where are they processed? Where do they go? Jerry Allegood traces the flow of this crustacean — hard, soft and picked.

MASONBORO ISLAND: Measuring Shifting Sands

Kristen Lauren Hall charts the patterns of shoreline erosion and accretion on Masonboro Island over three decades. Pam Smith explores how Hall’s research might help coastal managers.

ADVANCING ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY:
Informal Educators Add New Technology to Teaching Toolboxes

North Carolina groups embark on an East Coast aqueous professional development odyssey. Art Latham recounts the highlights of the training and its far-ranging educational benefits.

PEOPLE & PLACES:
Hatteras Students Use Social Media to Communicate Island’s Story

On the Outer Banks, Art Latham discovers a Hatteras Connection project — funded by North Carolina Sea Grant — that encourages students to use social media to promote their local seafood and island culture.

CURRENTS:
A Really Big Sweep

When the first Beach Sweep was being planned in 1987, organizers knew their efforts could quickly go statewide. They were right. Volunteers with North Carolina Big Sweep will collect tons of trash from waterways for the 25th year.

LOCAL CATCH:
Start Your Appetites: Fall for Food, Fun and Festivities

E-Ching Lee presents a taste of what’s in store for visitors to the N.C. Seafood Festival and its Cooking with the Chefs event in October.

MARINER’S MENU:
Enjoy Autumn’s Bounty

Consider these recipes for steamed flounder with shrimp sauce, broiled tuna Provencal and shrimp bisque — taken from Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas — for your autumn meals.