COASTAL 



TIDINGS 



Center for the 

 Sounds Opens 



A new center that highlights 

 ecotourism has opened in Columbia. 



Since May, the Walter B.Jones Sr. 

 Center for the Sounds has taken an 

 interactive approach to environmental 

 education with the opening of a new 

 indoor/outdoor habitat. As visitors walk 

 through the center, they have the 

 opportunity to view newly installed 

 interactive exhibits that describe the wildlife 

 and habitats of the refuge, according to 

 Howard Phillips, of Pocosin Lakes National 

 Wildlife Refuge. 



One exhibit, The Refuge Management 

 Game, presents visitors with a situation 

 that a refuge manager might face and 

 guides them through the decision-making 

 process. 



From inside dioramas of a black bear 

 and endangered red wolves to an outdoor 

 Scuppemong River habitat boardwalk, 

 visitors actively learn about the refuge. 



The late Walter B.Jones Sr., the 

 center's namesake, served as congressman 

 from North Carolina's First District from 

 1 966 to 1 992. The building honors his 

 efforts in promoting legislation to allow the 

 study and protection of the Albemarle and 

 Pamlico sounds. 



Nestled on the Scuppemong River 

 waterfront, the Center for the Sounds is 

 located next to the Tyrrell County Visitor's 

 Center in Columbia, just off U.S. 64. 



-R.S. 



Storm Exhibit Opens at Aquarium 



As a charter boat captain for more 

 than 50 years, Omie Tillett has many first- 

 hand accounts of hurricanes and northeast- 

 ers along the Outer Banks. 



Listen to Tillett's storm tales at the new 

 "Storms" Exhibit at the North Carolina 

 Aquarium on Roanoke Island. 



The exhibit also includes news and 

 amateur video clips and images by photog- 



raphers Michael Halminski of Waves and 

 Drew Wilson of the Virginian-Pilot. 



In addition, a "real time" weather station 

 will monitor the current conditions outside 

 the aquarium, and a hurricane-tracking chart 

 will be available to monitor storms. 



For more information about aquarium 

 hours, contact Daryl Law, 252/473-3494, 

 ext. 224/243. — A.G. 



Rewards Offered for Blue Crabs 



I hey're wanted. Thousands are out 



there. 



They're hardened, but not criminals. 

 They are blue crabs bearing tags in a variety 

 of hard-to-miss shapes and colors. And, 

 while rewards are offered, the real prize for 

 finding them is helping scientists learn how 

 to protect the state's most valuable fishery. 



Dramatic declines in blue crab harvests 

 have scientists and crabbers concerned. In 

 1996, over 65 million pounds of hard crabs 

 were landed. In 2001, that number dwindled 

 to less than 29 million pounds, according to 

 N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) 

 data. 



Anyone who finds tagged crabs can 

 help with research, simply by reporting to 

 appropriate researchers information such as 

 tag number and date, location and depth of 

 capture. 



"We're interested in the same thing 

 crabbers are — maintaining a sustainable 

 fishery," says Tom Wolcott, researcher with 

 North Carolina State University's Center for 

 Marine Sciences and Technology. 



"The more we know about the basic 

 biology of these animals, the more we'll be 

 able to make rational and appropriate 

 decisions about management," says Wolcott. 



Along with fellow researcher Donna 

 Wolcott and commercial crabber Robin 

 Doxey, he expects to tag a total of 3,000 

 crabs as part of a study of how crabs use 

 spawning sanctuaries. Rewards for the hot 



pink tags range from $5 to a "Blue Crab 

 Nabber" cap and a chance to win $500. 



Last year, Dan Rittschof of the Duke 

 Marine Lab drew attention to with low-cost 

 togs made of poker chips. This year, students 

 will help with tagging for the study of female 

 blue crab migration. Rittschof projects a 

 total of 12,000 tagged crabs by the end of 

 this year. A reward of $1 is offered for 

 poker-chip tags. 



The Rittschof study is supported by the 

 North Carolina Blue Crab Research Program, 

 which is funded by the N.C. General 

 Assembly and administered by North 

 Carolina Sea Grant. The program seeks to 

 involve commercial crabbers in crab research. 



Later this year, DMF will add to the 

 number of tagged blue crabs in a study of 

 how hurricanes affect crab movement and 

 habitat. 



For more information about the Blue 

 Crab Research Program, contact Marc 

 Turano at 910/253-2610, e-mail 

 marc_turano@ncsu.edu. 



If you find a tagged blue crab, follow 

 directions on the tag or contact the following: 



Hot pink tags for the Wolcott/Doxey 

 study: 252/222-6331, e-mail 

 tom_wolcott@ncsu.eda 



Poker chip tags in various colors for 

 the Rittschof study: 252/504-7636, e-mail 

 ritt@ duke.edu or call Trish Murphey, N.C. 

 Division of Marine Fisheries 252/726-7021, 

 ext. 318. - C.H. 



4 HIGH SEASON 2002 



