Tiiii: BACK mail 



"The Back Page" is an update on Sea 

 Grant activities — on research, marine 

 education and advisory services. It's 

 also a good place to find out about 

 meetings, workshops and new publi- 

 cations. For more information on any 

 of the projects described, contact the 

 Sea Grant offices in Raleigh (919/737- 

 2454). For copies of publications, 

 write UNC Sea Grant, NCSU, Box 

 8605, Raleigh, N.C. 27695-8605. 



There's never a better 

 time for gazing up at the 

 stars than a cold, clear 

 winter night. And if you 

 happen to be at the 

 coast, you have an even 

 better chance at a good 

 view of the constellations, says Mark 

 Joyner, education specialist for the 

 N.C. Office of Marine Affairs. 



"The coast is a very good place for 

 stargazing because you certainly don't 

 have lights coming in from out at sea — 

 especially if you're lucky enough to get 

 out in a boat and get away from the 

 coast so the lights coming from the 

 cities and towns don't interfere with 

 your stargazing," says Joyner. 



You don't have to be an expert 

 astronomer to enjoy the sights in the 

 sky. Joyner recommends a star guide 

 for beginners and a pair of binoculars; 

 a telescope isn't necessary. Before 

 long, you'll be able to find your way 

 around the night sky. 



Joyner says you can begin with a 

 few well-known constellations such as 

 the Big Dipper and Orion. "With just a 

 few major constellations, we can find 

 our way around," he says. "We can tell 

 direction. We can tell the season of the 

 year. And in fact, early navigators used 

 the stars for directions and finding 

 their way across vast stretches of 

 ocean." 



A guide to assist landowners with 

 coastal development projects is avail- 

 able from the N.C. Division of Coastal 

 Management. A Handbook for Develop- 

 ment in North Carolina's Coastal Area 

 is a guide to the permit program of the 



Coastal Area Management Act. It in- 

 cludes where and when a CAMA per- 

 mit is required, how to apply for a 

 permit, the standards that are used to 

 review a permit application, and how 

 those standards are used to protect the 

 public interest in the coast. 



Coastal Management officials say 

 that by following the standards out- 

 lined in the book, you will protect the 

 quality of North Carolina's estuarine 

 and barrier island resources so that 

 they can continue to support the diver- 

 sity of life in the coastal area. 



For a free copy of the book, write to 

 the Division of Coastal Management, 

 NRCD, P.O. Box 27687, Raleigh, N.C. 

 27611-7687, or call 919/733-2293. 



For Lundie Spence, 

 teaching marine science 

 doesn't take a classroom 

 and a blackboard. In- 

 stead, she uses a trunk 

 full of activities and a 

 good dose of enthusiasm 

 to spread her knowledge of the coast 

 throughout the state. Recently, the 

 North Carolina Science Teachers 

 Association recognized Spence's ef- 

 forts as UNC Sea Grant's marine edu- 

 cation specialist by presenting her the 

 "Distinguished Service Award" for 

 1985. This award, the second given by 

 the NCSTA, honors one educator who 

 is not affiliated with a school system 

 but is supportive of the education pro- 

 cess. Judy Spitsbergen, curator of edu- 

 cation at the N.C. Maritime Museum in 

 Beaufort, received last year's award. 

 The NCSTA presented Spence with a 

 plaque at the annual conference, 

 which met in Raleigh Nov. 7 to 9. 



Marine advisory agent Bob Hines 

 is gearing up for the sixth annual Com- 

 mercial Fishing Show. This year the 

 show, which is free to the pubhc, will 

 be held March 14 to 16 at the Crystal 

 Coast Civic Center in Morehead City. 



Dealers and manufacturers will dis- 

 play the latest in fishing boats, nets, 

 motors, traps, pots, engines and acces- 

 sory gear. And seminars will be of- 



fered on topics such as shrimping, 

 hydraulics and aquaculture. 



The show is cosponsored by UNC 

 Sea Grant, the Carteret County Water- 

 men's Association, and the N.C. Agri- 

 cultural Extension Service. Merchants 

 interested in participating should con- 

 tact Hines at 919/247-4007. 



Chart your course to 

 spend a day at the South- 

 ern Sport and Outdoor 

 Show April 4, 5 and 6 at 

 Raleigh's N.C. State 

 Fairgrounds. This year, 

 the show will feature an 

 expanded exhibit focusing on salt- 

 water sport fishing. UNC Sea Grant, 

 the Crystal Coast Charter Boat Associ- 

 ation and the Carteret County Sport- 

 fishing Association will sponsor booths 

 displaying sportfishing gear and 

 equipment. In addition, you can learn 

 how to charter a boat or fish offshore 

 in a series of seminars offered on topics 

 relating to sport fishing. Bob Hines, 

 Sea Grant's Marine Advisory Service 

 agent at Bogue Banks, is coordinating 

 the sportfishing groups and seminars 

 for the show. 



For more information, or if you 

 would like to have an exhibit at the 

 show, write Hines at UNC Sea Grant, 

 Box 896, Atlantic Beach, N.C. 28512. 

 Or call, 919/247-4007. 



Rich Novak, Sea Grant's marine 

 recreation specialist in Manteo, is help- 

 ing the N.C. Marina Association estab- 

 lish a quarterly newsletter, Marina Mes- 

 sages. The newsletter will include a 

 legislative update, a calendar of 

 events, a message from the association 

 president and other news pertaining to 

 the marine trades industry. 



Although the newsletter is written 

 especially for marina operators, others 

 interested in this industry can sub- 

 scribe to this free newsletter. To re- 

 ceive a subscription, write Novak at 

 the N.C. Marine Resources Center on 

 Roanoke Island, P.O. Box 696, Man- 

 teo, N.C. 27954. 



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