North Carolina Sea Grant

Why does the number of shrimp in Pamlico Sound vary so much year to year? - Hook, Line and Science A North Carolina Sea Grant study shows that combining shrimpers’ local ecological knowledge with traditional science leads to a clearer picture of why shrimp populations fluctuate.

An NC Sea Grant study shows that combining shrimpers’ local ecological knowledge with traditional science leads to a clearer picture of why shrimp populations fluctuate...

While we're looking forward to everything 2026 has in store, it's always enjoyable looking back on a banner year like 2016!

Submit your abstract for the 2026 joint Atlantic Estuarine Research Society (AERS)/Southeastern Estuarine Research Society (SEERS) annual meeting in Morehead City before January 31!

Find more info about the annual meeting and abstract submission: seers.org/next-meeting...

Happy #MarinersMenuMonday - for those of us in NC, it's COLD 🥶

Here's a tasty recipe for fish chowder that calls for your favorite firm fish and uses ingredients you probably already have at home! Check it out: ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/mariners-men...

We're excited to announce our 2026 Knauss Marine Policy Fellows! Read more about the fellowship and our Fellows at go.ncsu.edu/2026-knauss-finalists

Heads up, NC - we've got some wintry weather headed our way this weekend for this weekend. Make sure you're ready for any rain, sleet, and snow that hits; visit ReadyNC.gov/weather for more info and to keep up with the latest forecast!

We're now accepting applications for our NC STEM Policy Post-Graduate Fellowship! Applications are due by Monday, March 9, at 5pm. Learn more about the fellowship and how to apply: ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/applications...

Shellebrating Education on the North Carolina Oyster Trail - North Carolina Sea Grant The North Carolina Oyster Trail expanded its educational reach this past year with updated resources, grower storytelling, and teacher workshops that showcased sustainable shellfish farming. North Car...

The NC Oyster Trail received an eeBLUE Aquaculture Literacy Mini-Grants, a collaboration between NOAA and @thenaaee.bsky.social to teach how everyone can support sustainable domestic seafood.

Reminder that there’s still one week left to apply!

New Year's resolutions help give us that "fresh start" we always want at the start of a new year. But "fresh starts" aren't just for people - what "fresh start" can exercise provide for hatchery-raised fish? Find out more in this week's Hook, Line & Science: ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/hooklinescie...

It's #WorkforceWednesday, and we're spotlighting Haley Plaas, an associate research scientist at @columbiauniversity.bsky.social on affiliation with NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (NASA-GISS)! Plaas is a former NCSG-APNEP Fellow + worked on a CCRG project: haleyeplaas.wixsite.com/habhaley

Fresh Bluefish Corn Chowder - Mariner's Menu Warm up your day with fresh bluefish corn chowder.

Happy #MarinersMenuMonday! We know you felt that sudden temperature drop 🥶, so warm up your day with this recipe for fresh bluefish corn chowder!

Does tagging affect red drum? - Hook, Line and Science A new study shows that the act of tagging itself impacts growth rates — but that the effects could be temporary.

Red drum is North Carolina’s official state saltwater fish; last year, NC Marine & Estuary Foundation unveiled a groundbreaking interactive tracking platform for red drum, offering new insights into the movement patterns of tagged fish. But does tagging itself affect how much red drum move and grow?

The Guide to Coastal Living - Coastwatch Stormwater from rain or melting snow runs across rooftops, roads, and other impervious surfaces into gutters or pipes that directly lead to streams. This water collects pollutants as it flows…

From the Fall 2025 issue of Coastwatch, our Guide to Coastal Living tackles stormwater runoff, its adverse effects, and what can be done to address this problem.

We've reached our #1 Coastwatch story of 2025: "Killer Whales Swim NC Waters!" Originally a post for our Hook, Line & Science blog after a killer whale was spotted off the coast of Kitty Hawk, read our top Coastwatch article of the year at go.ncsu.edu/killer-whales-nc

It's easy to see something online - especially on social media - and question if it's real or made using artificial intelligence (AI). But the technology has serious scientific applications, too, including in our #2 Coastwatch story of the year. Read more: go.ncsu.edu/deepfake-wha...

Happy #MarinersMenuMonday! We've got the perfect appetizer for your New Year's Eve parties and New Year's Day get-togethers: clams casino. Find this classic recipe at ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/mariners-men...

We've made it to our Top 3 Coastwatch stories of 2025, and at #3 is "New Sea Level Rise Projections for North Carolina." Read more about what to expect in terms of sea level rise and high-tide flooding days for three NC cities at go.ncsu.edu/nc-sea-level-rise

Apply by this Friday!

#4's "A Booming Industry — And a New Threat" details a cutting-edge project addressing “the biggest hindrance to sustainable oyster aquaculture development in the Southeast": unexplained and sudden mass oyster deaths. Read more about this NC Sea Grant-funded project at go.ncsu.edu/a-booming-industry

We're halfway through countdown of #Top10 Coastwatch stories of 2025 - #5 "Teachers on the Tower" follows a fully funded six day field-based experience at Frying Pan Tower for five educators from across North Carolina. Read about it + find the accompanying video: ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/coastwatch/w...

From all of us at North Carolina Sea Grant, we wish you and yours a happy holiday season!

From our Spring 2025 issue, #6 on our countdown is “Off the North Carolina Coast,” an exploration of unique creatures and geological features along the ocean floor. Read the full story at ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/coastwatch/s...

Do you have a holiday seafood tradition? - Hook, Line and Science Enjoy these picks from our Mariner's Menu collection of kitchen-tested seafood recipes.

For this week’s Hook, Line & Science, we take a fun departure from fisheries science to explore a bit of food culture as food is a central, unifying part of the holidays! Hear from one of our fisheries specialists, Sara Mirabilio, on how her family celebrates with “Feast of the Seven Fishes.”

North Carolina is no stranger to extreme weather - to work and recreate safely, we need to be able to predict the weather. At #7 is "The Art and Science of Weather," from our current communications director, Rebecca Jones. Read more: ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/coastwatch/f...

Following Hurricane Helene, thousands hoped for any word of family and friends in western NC. At #8 on our list is "Accounting for the Unaccounted," written by our former communications director, Katie Mosher. Read about the urgent community response at ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/coastwatch/w...

Register Today - Limited Space - January 15, 2026
#2 of our Landscapes that Last Webinar Series

The What, Why and How of Nature-Friendly Landscaping

Register Here: ncsu.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

#9 in our countdown, "Will North Carolina's Blue Crabs Go Extinct?" is from our Summer 2025 issue of Coastwatch. Read more about the study at the center of this piece, it's key findings, and what's next at ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/coastwatch/s...

Where, when, and why do white grunts live off the Carolinas? - Hook, Line and Science Scientists document long-term patterns of a fish most popular with children and beginners.

If you have spent much time bottom fishing off the Carolinas, you probably encountered a white grunt. But why do they live here, and how have their population numbers changed over time? Find out in our latest Hook, Line & Science post!