North Carolina Sea Grant provides research, education and outreach opportunities relating to current issues affecting the North Carolina coast and its communities. Since 1970, North Carolina Sea Grant has prided itself on being a valuable resource for scientists, educators, local officials, government agencies, coastal businesses and the public to find unbiased, scientifically sound information about the state’s coastal ecosystems.

In our most recent federal review, North Carolina Sea Grant earned high praise. Jonathan Pennock, director of the National Sea Grant program, noted that the North Carolina program not only achieves and sustains the national Standards of Excellence, but also offers best practices for the network overall. “North Carolina Sea Grant is a well-managed, cost-effective and impactful program that provides valuable services to your stakeholders, and your successes contribute to the strength of the National Sea Grant College Program,” he wrote in a summary letter. Read the full letter here.

North Carolina Sea Grant facilitates funding for millions of dollars of research, outreach and education programs each year. Our initiatives and projects touch a broad range of topics, including fisheries, seafood science and technology, water quality, aquaculture, community development, law and policy, and coastal hazards. Read our mission and vision.

Through a combination of federal and state dollars, we facilitate university-based research to answer complex questions about the state’s diverse coastal ecosystems and meet the needs of coastal communities. This research fuels outreach and education programs that promote discovery, learning, new research and awareness across the state and the nation.

Headquartered at North Carolina State University, we are a multicampus program within the University of North Carolina system. Sea Grant has offices in Manteo, Morehead City and Wilmington. Our researchers come from public and private universities across the state. As part of the National Sea Grant Network, we receive funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), through the U.S. Department of Commerce.

If you are interested in learning more about our funding opportunities and cycles, learn about what we do. Or contact a member of our team at a Sea Grant office near you.

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