Coastwatch 



Managing Editor 

 Katie Mosher 



Senior Editors 

 Ann Green 

 Renee Wolcott Shannon 



Designer 

 Linda Noble 



Circulation Manager 

 Sandra Harris 



The North Carolina Sea Grant College 

 Program is a federal/state program that 

 promotes the wise use of our coastal and 

 marine resources through research, extension 

 and education. It joined the National Sea Grant 

 College Network in 1970 as an institutional 

 program. Six years later, it was designated a 

 Sea Grant College. Today, North Carolina Sea 

 Grant supports several research projects, 

 a 12-member extension program and a 

 communications staff. Ron Hodson is director. 

 The program is funded by the U.S. Department 

 of Commerce's National Oceanic and 

 Atmospheric Administration and the state 

 through the University of North Carolina. 

 Coastwatch (ISSN 1068-784X) is published 

 bimonthly, six times a year, for $15 by the 

 North Carolina Sea Grant College Program, 

 North Carolina State University, Box 8605, 

 Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8605. 

 Telephone: 919/515-2454. Fax: 919/515-7095. 

 E-mail: kmosher@unity.ncsu.edu. 

 World Wide Web address: 

 http:llwww2.ncsii.edulsea_grantlseagrant.html. 

 Periodical Postage paid at Raleigh, N.C. 



POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 



Coastwatch, North Carolina Sea Grant, 

 North Carolina State University, Box 8605, 

 Raleigh, NC 27695-8605. 



COASTAL 



TIDINGS 



North Carolina Sea Grant 

 Program Rates "Excellent" 



Sea 



North Carolina 

 Sea Grant is at the top 

 of its class. 



The North 

 Carolina research and 

 outreach programs 

 are leaders in the 

 National Sea Grant 

 network, according to 

 a national review panel. The panel gave 

 North Carolina Sea Grant an overall 

 rating of "excellent" during a recent 

 review. 



"NCSG has led the nation in several 

 areas, such as creation of a hybrid striped 

 bass aquaculture industry, development 

 of surimi into an industry worth hundreds 

 of millions of dollars annually and 

 identification of Pfiesteria piscicida and 

 its potential harm to humans," the report 

 states. 



"The North Carolina Sea Grant 

 Program has provided one of the best 

 mechanisms for building cooperation 

 among various groups and has been 

 especially effective in extension and 

 communications programs with end 

 users," the report continues. 



The program assessment review 

 team included a university president, a 

 state Sea Grant director, representatives 

 of the National Sea Grant Office and the 

 National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

 Administration, and experts in fisheries 

 and coastal engineering. 



North Carolina 



North Carolina 

 Sea Grant was cited 

 for producing 

 significant results 

 in areas including 

 coastal studies, 

 ocean policy and 

 coastal public trust, 

 water quality, 

 fisheries, aquaculture, seafood technol- 

 ogy, and training future leaders through 

 a variety of education programs. 



"We have always thought that we 

 have done well in those areas. This 

 report proves that we do," says North 

 Carolina Sea Grant Director Ron 

 Hodson. 



During the December 1998 

 review, Sea Grant staff members took 

 the panel on a tour of research and 

 outreach projects along the coast. The 

 team then came to Raleigh for a series 

 of presentations by Sea Grant research- 

 ers and staff. 



The North Carolina program was 

 cited for its proactive approach to 

 serving the public. In addition to a wide 

 variety of communications products, 

 the program supports public contact 

 with extension staff as well as direct 

 contact with primary researchers. 



"This has been extremely powerful 

 in transmitting technology to industry," 

 the team reports. 



— KM. 



Front cover photo of 

 an abandoned tugboat 

 and table of contents photo of 

 a stroll along the beach 

 by Scott D. Taylor. 



Printed on recycled paper. ® 



In the Next Issue of Coastwatch 



their powerful waves, the Outer Banks have become one of the most 

 popular places to surf on the East Coast Ann Green examines the coast's surfing 

 culture and history. She also looks at surfers' impact on the coastal conservation 

 movement Renee Wolcott Shannon's experience with coastal bird-watching will 

 whet naturalists' appetites for the third annual Wings over Water festival. 



2 HIGH SEASON 1999 



