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Why the Age of a Fish Matters

Fisheries

Matt Bues, winner of the Coastal Research Fellowship from North Carolina Sea Grant and the North Carolina Coastal Reserve and Estuarine Research Reserve.

Jun 1, 2026

Matt Bues Wins 2026 NC Coastal Research Fellowship

Bues, a master’s student in marine biology at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, is investigating how North Carolina’s estuaries support the development of commercially important fish eggs and larvae.
composite image of Coastwatch Spring 2026 cover of lighthouse and beach panorama.

Apr 14, 2026

Coastwatch Explores the NC Oyster Trail and More

The Spring issue of North Carolina Sea Grant’s Coastwatch magazine includes plans for day trips and weekend excursions on the NC Oyster Trail, a new study on blue crabs and their predators, a look at the long-term impacts of lithium mining on water quality, research on strategies for saving cold-stunned sea turtles, and much more.
image: oysters on the half shell.

Apr 13, 2026

Touring North Carolina’s “Napa Valley of Oysters”

North Carolina Sea Grant and North Carolina Coastal Federation, in partnership with the North Carolina Shellfish Growers Association, administer the NC Oyster Trail, which features more than 90 sites statewide, stretching from the beaches of Cape Hatteras to the mountains of Cashiers.
image: A white shrimp. Photo credit: NOAA.

Mar 31, 2026

Gauging Pamlico Sound’s Shrimp Population

A new North Carolina Sea Grant study shows that combining shrimpers’ local knowledge with traditional science leads to a clearer picture of why shrimp populations fluctuate. 
image: Otolith cross-section.

Mar 26, 2026

Why the Age of a Fish Matters

Scientists estimate fish ages by analyzing ear bones, scales, or spines, thanks to work at NOAA's Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Beaufort, North Carolina. Here's why it matters.