Sandra Harris

Dec 1, 2015

USING UPCYCLED CRAB POTS TO CREATE OYSTER REEFS

Experienced boaters occasionally spot them in time, but even the most weathered watermen have trouble steering clear of derelict crab pots that litter waterways along North Carolina’s coast.

Dec 1, 2015

FRESH FROM THE FARM

North Carolina has a growing aquaculture and mariculture industry. Local farms produce many species that appear on our dinner tables — trout, catfish, hybrid striped bass, freshwater prawns, crawfish and shellfish.

Dec 1, 2015

BUSINESS AS USUAL: Fishing for a Living

Few women in North Carolina set their sights on fishing for a living. Current statistics show only 5.5 percent of the 5,449 commercial fishing license holders in the state are women. That rate varied little over the past decade, according to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries. Anecdotal evidence also indicates that female deck hands, much less captains, are rare.

Nov 30, 2015

Sea Science: Why Do Waves Come in Groups?

Spencer Rogers is a coastal specialist with N.C. Sea Grant and co-author of "The Dune Book." Here he explains the basics of ocean waves. Questions and answers have been edited.

Nov 24, 2015

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Our Sea Grant Charge: Improving Science, Education and Collaboration

Our Sea Grant focus on science literacy starts within the state’s K-12 classrooms. That includes our marine education efforts, providing critical concepts and skills not only for teachers, but also for educators in aquariums, museums and nature centers. Terri Kirby Hathaway, Sea Grant marine education specialist, leads the work.

Nov 24, 2015

IMPROVING SURVIVAL: NEW GEAR MAY HELP CATCH-AND-RELEASE FISH

The research team — experts from North Carolina, Virginia and New Jersey Sea Grant programs — wanted to test several experimental devices that could help reef fishes return to deep waters when they are released.

Nov 24, 2015

BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS FOR SUCCESS

With that in mind, fisheries experts from not just two, but three Sea Grant programs — North Carolina, Virginia and New Jersey — collaborated to design a solution to safely release fishes that experience barotrauma.

Sep 22, 2015

LIGHTS, CAMERA, SHARK

Chuck Bangley is a North Carolina Sea Grant-funded doctoral candidate in coastal resources management at East Carolina University. He blogs at Ya Like Dags at yalikedags.southernfriedscience.com and tweets from @SpinyDag.…

Sep 22, 2015

SWIMMING WITH SHARKS

In a typical year, one or two shark bites are reported in North Carolina. This summer, the relatively high number of shark bites has caused North Carolina beaches to become the center of media attention, from the local to global scale.

Sep 15, 2015

MARINER’S MENU: Shining the Spotlight on Flounder

Caught by hook and line, gigging, and gill nets, flounder often is fished year-round. You will find them most available September through March. Flounder is a mild fish with a snowy-white flesh that lends itself well to many different cuisines.