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If you missed an issue of Coastwatch, you’ve come to the right place.

cover: Spring 2026 Coastwatch, lighthouse.

NEW: Spring 2026

Tracking blue crabs and their predators, gauging Pamlico Sound’s shrimp population, touring “The Napa Valley of Oysters,” saving cold-stunned sea turtles, tracing the spread of parasites, repairing lake ecosystems with zooplankton, investigating water quality impacts from lithium mining, finding PFAS in pilot whales, and much more…

Winter 2026

The $100-million goal for North Carolina’s shellfish mariculture, supporting students struggling with upheaval, wetland loss at New Bern, a ghost story in Edenton, erosion at Rachel Carson Reserve, new solutions for coastline protection, a colossal squid sighting, tracking landfill leaks, and much more. . .

Winter 2025

Teachers on the Tower, the Coastal Conference in review, accounting for the unaccounted after Hurricane Helene, and more…

Spring 2025

A submersible ride off the NC coast, safeguarding water for 500,000 North Carolinians, networks of recovery from Matthew to Helene, plastic-feasting bacteria, remembering a Sea Grant giant, and more…

Summer 2025

A new world for microbes, bonnethead sharks on the move, NC’s deeper well solution to PFAS, blue crabs and extinction, recycling wastewater for potable use, predicting fishing tourney winners, and more…

Fall 2025

The art and science of weather, the keeper of the Currituck Lighthouse, deepfake whales, community engaged internships, green solutions for Biltmore Hills Park, snake hunting with Bland Simpson, and more…

Winter 2024

Shifting shorelines, changing water temperatures, and much more…

Spring 2024

An ecological transformation of coastal NC has begun…

Summer 2024

The untold stories of African Americans in the NC seafood industry, climate change and your health, the contamination of Indigenous Lands, and more…

Fall 2024

The catastrophic power of Hurricane Helene, mapping poultry farms, and how Jacques Cousteau’s grandson is building the International Space Station of the Ocean…

Spring 2023

Weeks of diving and mapping revealed a ship that had found its way from the turbulence of the Pacific Ocean to its final resting place at the bottom of the shallow, murky Pamlico Sound…

Summer 2023

Sea Grant is among the funders on a 50-year study of salt marsh ecology that has concluded that more than 90% of the world’s salt marshes could succumb to sea level rise by the end of the century…

Fall 2023

In June, a wildfire spread across the Green Swamp Preserve in Brunswick County, temporarily closing the park to visitors. The North Carolina Forest Service led efforts to contain the “Pulp Road Fire,” rather than hauling heavy firefighting equipment through the preserve, which might have caused more damage than the fire itself…

Spring 2022

Over the last four centuries, nine bird species have gone extinct. The reasons why certain bird populations become threatened or extinct can vary… Read about this and more in our Spring 2022 issue.

Summer 2022

Harry Bryant, a 32-year NC Shrimper, Interviewed by Melody Hunter-Pillion. Read about this and more in our Summer 2022 issue.

Fall 2022

Oysters once were as popular as the fast-food burger is today. Since the late-1880’s, people have collected, consumed, and enjoyed oysters up and down the East Coast…

Winter 2022

North Carolina Sea Grant’s Sara Mirabilio is continuing collaborative research to keep sharks away from commercial fishing gear…

image: Coastwatch cover for Spring 2121.

Spring 2021

Magic at 64.4 Degrees: Science, Serendipity, and Farmed Striped Bass…

Summer 2021

The Butterfly Effect: A Winged Crystal Coast Native Inspires Stewardship…

Fall 2021

New Rip Current Forecasts: Safeguarding Beaches Nationwide…

Winter 2021

Podcasting from the Coast: Student Journalists Give Local Voices a Global Stage…

Spring 2020

The Greatest Show on the East Coast: North Carolina’s Nightscapes…

Summer 2020

A Sumptuous Summer: Fresh Seafood and How to Make It Last…

Fall 2020

The Horseshoe Crab Connection: An Ancient Sea Creature and a Safe COVID-19 Vaccine…

Winter 2020

Science Is Everywhere: Marine Education’s Boundless Possibilities…

Spring 2019

Testing the Waters: Ensuring Shellfish Are Safe to Eat

Summer 2019

Sea to Table: Restaurants Celebrate Coastal Cuisine

Fall 2019

Revisiting Floyd 20 Years Later: Survivors’ Firsthand Accounts from 1999

Winter 2019

A Brief History of Sea Level Rise: Our Moving Coastline

Winter 2018

Oyster Culture: Serving Consumers and Communities

Spring 2018

Long-Term Investments: Fishing Communities Plan for Future

Summer 2018

Seacoast Plants: Flourishing in Harsh Conditions

Fall 2018

Endurance Test: Florence and Michael Pummel North Carolina

Winter 2017

Focus on Floodplains: Increasing Resiliency after Matthew’s Floods

Spring 2017

Resilient Coastal Communities: North Carolina’s Past, Present and Future

Summer 2017

Chasing the Moon’s Shadow: Total Solar Eclipse Draws Eyes Skyward

Fall 2017

Coastal Treasures: Celebrating Cultures, Recognizing Resources

Holiday 2017

Insight, Perception & Resilience: Collaborative Research Benefits Communities

Winter 2016

Secrets Revealed: Coastal Waterway Treasures

Spring 2016

Change is the Word: Research Efforts Meet Shifting Needs

Summer 2016

Community Collaborations: Bridging Coastal Economies and Ecosystems

Fall 2016

Focus on Fran + 20: Improving North Carolina’s Resilience

Holiday 2016

Creating Change: Connecting Students of All Ages

Winter 2015

Nurturing Nature: Oyster Restoration

Spring 2015

Springtime Synergies

Summer 2015

Summer Showcase: Coastal NC State Parks

Fall 2015

Measuring Up: Oysters Take Center Stage

Holiday 2015

Minigrant Strategies: Maximizing Investment Returns

Winter 2014

Oysters: Economy, Environment and Tradition

Spring 2014

Coastal Reflections: Past, Present and Future

Summer 2014

Workboat Chronicles: Sharing History, Culture

Fall 2014

Hurricane Hazel: Friday, Oct. 15, 1954

Holiday 2014

To Market, To Market To Buy a Fresh Fish

Winter 2013

Research, Recreation and Repast: Treasuring Gifts of the Sea

Spring 2013

Exploring the Deep: Learning What Lies Beneath

Summer 2013

Amazing Places: Via Book, Trail, Byway

Fall 2013

Adding Value: Seafood, Science and Students

Holiday 2013

Continuing Collaboration: Building a Better Fishtrap

Winter 2012

Catching Fish: Science Behind the Hooks

Spring 2012

Dune Builders: From the Atlantic to the Gulf

Summer 2012

Exploring the North Carolina Coast

Fall 2012

Celebrating Seafood: North Carolina’s Bounty

Holiday 2012

North Carolina Aquaculture: Science-based Solutions

Winter 2011

Genome Mapping: Hybrid Bass Yield Data

Spring 2011

Attracting Oysters: Science of Settlement

Summer 2011

Supper Surprises: Unusual Ingredients, Interesting Meals

Fall 2011

Blue Traveler: North Carolina Crab Markets

Holiday 2011

Hurricane Irene: Community Cooperation and Recovery

Winter 2010

Sustainable Solutions: Exploring New Opportunities

Spring 2010

North Carolina Black Pearls: Shimmering Potential

Summer 2010

Future Harvests: America Invests in N.C. Estuaries

Fall 2010

Seasonal Seafood: Cooking with the Chefs

Holiday 2010

Ship Salvage: Hidden History’s Elusive Value

Winter 2009

Coastal Water Quality: Stepping up the Pace

Spring 2009

Angling Research: Texting and Tagging Technologies

Summer 2009

Tracking Terrapins: Sharing Territory with Crabs

Fall 2009

Floyd +10: Remembering, Learning from Disaster

Holiday 2009

Bay Scallops: Reviving Dwindling Populations

Winter 2008

Finding Fish

Spring 2008

Generating Real-Time Data

Early Summer 2008

Barrier Island Investigations

High Season 2008

Halting Invasive Species

Fall 2008

Quality Counts: When it Comes to Choosing Seafood

Holiday 2008

Migration Mysteries: Crabbers Capture New Clues

Winter 2007

Fishing Town Struggles

Spring 2007

Waterfront Access Meetings: Highlight a Spectrum of Needs

Early Summer 2007

Wanchese Waterside

High Season 2007

Fading Fish Houses

Fall 2007

Bats as Bioindicators

Holiday 2007

Splendor of the Sky

Winter 2006

Aquaculture: Water Woes

Spring 2006

Naturally North Carolina

Early Summer 2006

Along the Waterfront

High Season 2006

Currituck Heritage

Fall 2006

Storm Surge: Katrina’s Legacy

Holiday 2006

Salter Path Paradise

Winter 2005

A Natural Development

Spring 2005

Birds of a Feather

Early Summer 2005

Making Safe Passage

High Season 2005

Aquarium Attractions

Fall 2005

Setting Sail

Holiday 2005

Coastal Creativity

Winter 2004

Finding Refuge

Spring 2004

Seafood on the Move

Early Summer 2004

Migratory Species Spotlight

High Season 2004

Clean Sailing Ahead

Fall 2004

Oysters on the Edge

Holiday 2004

Skimming for Shrimp

Winter 2003

Cottage Curiosities

Spring 2003

First in Flight

Early Summer 2003

Cedar Island Snapshots

High Season 2003

Storytelling: Holding Fast to the Past

Fall 2003

Seafood Traditions

Holiday 2003

Ballast Water Pressures

Winter 2002

Pondering the Pound Net

Spring 2002

Fish Condos

Early Summer 2002

Hurricane Resistance

High Season 2002

Discovering the Waccamaw

Fall 2002

Coming Back to Core Banks

Holiday 2002

Holiday Handicrafts

Winter 2001

Giving Clams a Helping Hand

Spring 2001

A Bridge Wheel Gets the Grease

Early Summer 2001

The Bone Collectors

High Season 2001

A Sea Grant Journey

Fall 2001

Port Projects Picking Up

Holiday 2001

Stepping Back in Hatteras History

Winter 2000

Vanishing Oysters

Spring 2000

Fate of a Fishery

Early Summer 2000

Beach Nourishment Debate

High Season 2000

Ocracoke Odyssey

Fall 2000

Pier Enjoyment

Holiday 2000

Snow Falling on Sand Dunes