WORTH CAROLINA STATE LIBRARY 

 RALEIGH 



MM 2 3 1978 



UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA 



N. C. 

 Doc. 



July, 1977 



1235 Burlington Laboratories 

 NCSU, Raleigh, N.C. 27607 Tel: (919) 737-245/, 



Coastal lessons for summer 



Going to the beach this summer? Take an education break while you're there. Visit with a sea turtle. 

 Contemplate a moray eel. Find out what makes a marsh work and how sand dunes form. 



You can do it all at the North Carolina Marine Resources Centers, located near Fort Fisher, on Bogue Banks 

 and Roanoke Island. Operated by the state Office of Marine Affairs, the three centers were built with $4.6 million 

 in state and federal funds. They opened to the public last September and their first summer's schedules are 

 packed with activities for folks of all ages. 



Interested in marine animals? Highlights in each center are 300 to 500 gallon aquarium tanks. They house 

 about 100 species of fish and Crustacea which are native to the North Carolina coastal fresh, estuarine and ocean 

 waters. Among the favorite attractions are octopi, lobsters and sea turtles. And there are mini-tanks for smaller 

 creatures — such as sea horses, grass shrimp and sea urchins. 



Located in natural settings, the centers offer excellent opportunity for studying the local ecology. Inside, 

 visitors can browse through varied exhibits. Guided tours are available for school groups and other 

 organizations. Teachers can arrange for films and hands-on exercises for their groups. 



The centers were designed as learning labs for tourists, school groups and research scientists. They are 

 equipped with research labs which have been used by scientists from Sea Grant and other programs. Sea Grant 

 advisory agents also have offices in the centers. 



(See "Field trips," p. 2 



