Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture

North Carolina Sea Grant provides expert assistance to the state’s diverse seafood and fishing industries, with staff members serving on advisory panels and connecting researchers to people who work in commercial and recreational fishing, aquaculture, and seafood. For decades, Coastwatch has chronicled how such projects help coastal communities sustain livelihoods, coastal culture, and the long-term health of our fisheries.

NATURALIST’S NOTEBOOK
Are We Accidentally Catching More Sea Turtles Than We Thought?
in the Winter 2024 issue
A new model shows when and why turtles along the Southeast coast are at risk.

CLIMATE & SOCIETY
Is Climate Change Creating More. . . Pirates?
in the Winter 2024 issue
Dwindling fish populations from warming waters could increase maritime crime.

SHRINKING HABITATS: How Have Oyster Reefs Changed Over the Last Six Decades?
in the Fall 2023 issue
In a crucial North Carolina estuary, scientists combed through historical data to better understand both biodiversity and seafood supply.

SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
Who’s Afraid of New Seafood?
in the Fall 2023 issue
Packed with 16 grams of healthy protein per serving, seasoned catfish skin chips make for a tasty treat.

BEHIND THE RESEARCHER: Matt Damiano, Warming Waters, and Sustaining Iconic Fish
in the Fall 2023 issue
“We have a rapidly changing landscape of both the ocean environment and the makeup of who is going out to catch fish.”

Cultivating Coastal Waters
North Carolina’s ShellCast App Goes Regional
in the Spring 2023 issue
A digital tool for North Carolina’s shellfish growers soon will forecast last-minute lease closures in Florida and South Carolina, too.

Our Coast, Our Future:
The 2022 North Carolina Coastal Conference
videos, photos, resources
in the Winter 2022 issue
They came to Raleigh from across North Carolina, discussed urgent and emerging issues affecting our coast, forged new ties, and literally devoured new research for lunch — and you can watch it here.

Sustainable Fisheries
Keeping Sharks Off Gear
with Why So Many Sharks Die and What We Can Do About It, a video from Sci NC
and with Sara Mirabilio’s presentation at the 2022 North Carolina Coastal Conference (video)
in the Winter 2022 issue
“To an approaching shark, even a weak electrical impulse can be disorientating or physically uncomfortable.”

Cultivating the Sea:
Is There a Profitable Market for Farm-Fresh Black Sea Bass?
in the Autumn 2022 issue
Thanks to breakthroughs from a team at UNCW, this seafood favorite could reach many more consumers.

Is There a Future for Oyster Relaying in North Carolina?
in the Autumn 2022 issue
For years, oyster farmers in our state have reported greater numbers of healthy oysters in areas that they harvest.

What’s So Special About North Carolina’s Oysters?
Savoring the NC Oyster Trail
in the Autumn 2022 issue
Farms, tastes, and tales — now foodies and adventurers can explore the magic of the North Carolina oyster.

From Hurricane Hazel to the Morning Light:
Coastal Carolina Through a Shrimper’s Eyes
in the Summer 2022 issue
After using scrap metal to build his own boat, Harry Bryant escaped waterspouts and a lightning strike and earned a living on the open water for 32 years.

New Links in the Sea-to-Table Chain:
The North Carolina Local Food Council Responds in the Pandemic’s Darkest Hour
in the Fall 2021 issue
The loss of restaurant and other food service markets shook the commercial fishing industry to its core in the first half of 2020.

The Anglers Who Are Best at What They Do — And More
in the Summer 2021 issue
In this study most anglers were locals, and most ended the day empty- handed.

In the Wake of Storms
in the Spring 2021 issue
Even as our state’s capacity for seafood processing declines, wholesalers and distributors have built a network that rapidly deploys initial aid to coastal communities after hurricanes.

Magic at 64.4 Degrees
in the Spring 2021 issue
Diligence and hard-earned expertise contributed to a recent breakthrough that has positioned farmed striped bass for commercial success. And scientists behind the innovation say they couldn’t have done it without another key ingredient: luck.

Blue Economy
in the Spring 2021 issue
Farmers and fishers have much in common in the way of obstacles and opportunities.

Life on a ‘Finger between Two Bays’
in the Winter 2020 issue
As North Carolina’s shellfish aquaculture industry booms, new and established growers alike turn to Jimmy Morris for sage advice.

Sharks, Shrimp, and Computerized Fish IDs
in the Autumn 2020 issue
Are we catching more shrimp offshore during the winter and spring?

Blood Draw at the Horseshoe Corral
in the Autumn 2020 issue
An essential medical safety test used around the world depends on horseshoe crab blood, and scientists may have discovered the key to a sustainable supply.

Blacktip Sharks, Historic Dock Photos, and Hand-Crank Electrofishing
in the Summer 2020 issue
What will historic dock photos reveal about fisheries?

Zoom In on Aquaculture
in Spring 2020
A blue crab starts life as a microscopic larva that drifts through the water eating zooplankton and plant materials.

New NC Shellfish Initiative Aids in Florence Damage Assessments
in the Autumn 2018 issue