Micliael Hatminjki 



LEFT TO RIGHT: 



Few folks still use mechanical gear to harvest 

 oysters commercially in Dare County. 



Culling marketable "crab slough" oysters from the 

 harvest can be a tedious task in winter months. 



In the early 7 900s, North Carolina was famed for 

 its oyster harvests. Now 90 percent of oysters 

 sold or shucked in North Carolina are from the 



Gulf of Mexico. 



come to his office. "Sometimes folks call and say, 'Marc, you 

 know you could do something.' And I probably could, but that 

 would change the way I govern." 



The disagreements in the legislature are like those in a 

 family, he says. Some blow over in a week. Others could lead 

 to a divorce. "In our process, in our republic, our democracy, 

 you have to do what you truly believe is right," he says. 



Sometimes that means a change in position. "If I flip-flop, 

 so be it," he says, adding that he refuses to sign pledges that 

 have become popular in some political circles. 



"I want the freedom to make the right choice," he adds, 

 noting that new facts may come to light during the course of a 

 debate. "I want to remain where I can change my mind," he says. 



Innovative Partnerships 



Among his coastal efforts over the years, Basnight takes 

 particular pride in the N.C. Fishery Resource Grant Program 

 (FRC), the first state program to provide research funds for 

 projects developed by individuals in the fishing and seafood 

 industries. He cites a positive impact along the North Carolina 

 coast, where the residents use intuition and experience to 

 propose projects to define what is happening in the waters they 

 know so well. 



North Carolina Sea Grant administers the $1 million-per- 

 year FRG program that encourages partnerships between the 

 fishing communities and university researchers. Those partner- 

 ships are important, for they recognize the knowledge of people 



who have worked the waters for generations, Basnight says. 



"We can't succeed in our future without understanding our 

 past," he adds. "If there is one significant finding, it all would be 

 worth it." 



The program has funded a wide variety of projects since it 

 was founded in 1994. Project results have been considered 

 during discussions of fishery management options — including 

 several of the species-specific fishery management plans. FRG 

 researchers often are asked to share their findings with the N.C. 

 Marine Fisheries Commission. An FRG report on small-mesh gill 

 nets in Currituck Sound was presented in December 2001, as 

 the commission was considering the striped bass management plan. 



National Fisherman featured a cover story on Pamlico 

 County students who have tested bycatch reduction devices in 

 FRG-funded projects. Currently, 1 1 crabbers and a graduate 

 student are working together to reduce mortality in the soft-shell 

 or peeler crab industry. And processors are working on formulas 

 for value-added seafood products that consumers and chefs can 

 prepare with ease. 



FRG was the model for a grassroots fishery research program 

 in Virginia, and other states are considering similar programs. 

 "We have been able to demonstrate that when fishing commu- 

 nities work with scientists, we get the best from both worlds," 

 says Ronald G. Hodson, North Carolina Sea Grant director. 



In 2000, Basnight spearheaded the establishment of the 

 state's Blue Crab Research Program. Administered by Sea Grant, 

 the program focuses $500,000 each year on researching the 



14 WINTER 2002 



