Table of Contents

The Fate of a Fishery:
Shad and River Herring at the Turn of the 21st Century

The arrival of spring includes not only daffodils and dogwoods but also the annual herring and shad runs on coastal rivers. Generations of North Carolinians feasted on the bounty of these fisheries, but in recent decades the catches have dwindled. Renee Wolcott Shannon takes a look at prospects for the new century.

A Stitch in Time:
Netmaking is Becoming a Lost Art

Only a few netmakers practice their time-honored profession in coastal North Carolina. Ann Green visits with several generations of netmakers to learn the history of the art and to assess the current demand for nets.

Take a Walk on the Wild Side

Step back in time to the dawn of life. The saga of eons and epochs along the North Carolina coast are told in the treasure trove of fossils at the new North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Pam Smith takes you on a fantastic journey that includes a marine evolutionary triumph: the whale.

Naturalist’s Notebook:
Black Bears, Shy Giants of the Pocosin

Once considered a species of “special concern,” because of its dwindling numbers, the black bear has made a comeback. Sightings of this massive mammal are becoming more frequent in coastal wilderness areas. Cynthia Henderson Vega shares insight on this resident of the pocosin forests.

People & Places:
Swansboro, Quaint Village is Former Port

In the rush to reach oceanfront rentals on Bogue Banks, many tourists miss out on a chance to see restoration efforts in historic Swansboro. Ann Green takes you on a walking tour of this picturesque village in Onslow County.