water for irrigation, drinking or indus- 

 trial use is hampered by pipes clogged 

 with the weeds. 

 The solution? 



Associate Sea Grant Director Ron 

 Hodson believes the answer may be a 

 fish that will eat the vegetation. And 

 he's written a Blueprint, Using Grass 

 Carp to Control Aquatic Weed Vege- 

 tation, that outlines the use of carp to 

 reduce vegetation in ponds. 



Hodson says grass carp eat a variety 

 of aquatic plants, including hydrilla, 

 widgeon grass, coontail and duck- 

 weed. In some cases, there is a notice- 

 able reduction in vegetation within 

 four months. 



In the Blueprint, Hodson describes 

 the biology of the grass carp and its 

 effectiveness against some aquatic 

 weeds. He recommends stocking sizes 

 and rates and offers tips for getting 

 started and for obtaining the necessary 

 permits. 



For a copy of the four-page publica- 

 tion, write Sea Grant. Ask for 

 UNC-SG-BP-86-1. 



"\ Every summer 

 / ^ A there's a mystery at the 

 / ' M beach. The clues are hid- 



^'^j den in the surf. And if 



\ / you don't watch out, 



\ • ' / they may get under your 

 — ^ skin. 

 The mystery begins when you dive 

 in the ocean. Tiny needles seem to 

 make an attack. Pink spots appear on 

 your chest and belly. Then the itching 

 begins. 



The culprits? 



Microscopic blue crab larvae. 



These larvae, which look like tiny 

 shrimp, have two sharp spines on their 

 heads. When your hand or swimsuit 

 presses against them, the spines prick 

 your skin. 



"It feels like stinging nettles almost, 

 but it's not," says Lundie Spence, Sea 

 Grant's education specialist. It's more 

 like a small pinprick; then salt gets into 

 it, too. 



The larvae concentrate in the Caro- 

 lina surf during June and July, Spence 

 says. 



Early in the year, blue crabs lay eggs 

 nearshore and in the inlets. The eggs 

 mature into larvae that migrate inshore 

 in the summer. 



If you have allergies or sensitive 

 skin, Spence suggests avoiding the 

 water when the larvae are concen- 

 trated. 



For other beachgoers, she recom- 

 mends rinsing after swimming and 

 applying anti-sting cream if a rash 

 appears. Over-the-counter creams 

 with cortizone are best. 



Coastwatch is published monthly 

 except July and December by the 

 University of North Carolina Sea 

 Grant College Program, 105 1911 Build- 

 ing, Box 8605, North Carolina State 

 University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8605. 

 Vol. 13, No. 6, June/July, 1986. Dr. B.J. 

 Copeland, director. Kathy Hart, edi- 

 tor. Nancy Davis and Sarah Friday, 

 staff writers. 



WIASTWATCH 



105 1911 Building 

 Box 8605 



North Carolina State University 

 Raleigh, NC 27695-8605 



Nonprofit Organization 

 U. S. Postage 

 PAID 



Raleigh, N.C. 

 Permit No. 896 



Address correction requested 



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 109 E JONfcS ST 

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