As a result of reading Coastwatch, have 

 you: (Check all that apply.) 



Increased your awareness of marine/coastal 



issues? (89%) 

 Gained a greater awareness of Sea Grant 



efforts on behalf of the marine and 



coastal environment? (82%) 

 Developed a better understanding or apprecia- 

 tion of marine science? (69%) 

 Become a better-informed voter on coastal 



issues? (55%) 

 Ordered any Sea Grant publications? (53%) 

 Subscribed to any of Sea Grant's other free 



newsletters? (25%) 

 Used the information as supporting material in 



a classroom or other educational situation? 



(21%) 



Attended Big Sweep, the statewide waterway 

 litter cleanup? (16%) 



Used the information to help your community 

 or state better manage or use its coastal 

 resources? (12 %) 



Called a Sea Grant agent or specialist? (9%) 



Used the information in your business to 

 develop solutions or answers to marine- 

 related problems? (8%) 



Attended a Sea Grant workshop? (7%) 



Rate the importance of the following uses of 

 Coastwatch to you: 



Very Fairly Not 



Important Important Important Important 

 Raises awareness of marine/coastal issues 

 (63%) (28%) (3%) (2%) 

 Educates about coastal/marine issues 

 (60%) (31%) (3%) (3%) 

 Is a source of regional coastal information 

 (46%) (40%) (6%) (4%) 

 Makes science understandable 

 (25%) (40%) (19%) (11%) 

 Presents latest coastal research 

 (37%) (39%) (12%) (7%) 

 Presents latest coastal extension activities 

 (28%) (34%) (21%) (13%) 

 Is a source of marine publications 

 (28%) (32%) (18%) (9%) 



How long do you keep copies of 

 Coastwatch?. 



Regularly save them (39%) 



Pass on to others (36%) 



Don't know, varies (12%) 



Discard after reading (8%) 



Save each issue until the next issue (6%) 



It depends. I still have issues about 

 Ocracoke ponies, hurricanes, wetlands 

 preservation. But if the issue is devoted to 

 fish, commercial industries or real estate, it 

 goes straight to the trash can. 



What do you like most/least about 



Coastwatch! 



MOST 



It is informative. Since receiving 

 Coastwatch, we have become more 

 enlightened about sea grasses, shells, etc. — 

 things we took for granted when we visited 

 the coastal region. 



Ease of reading for students — appropriate 

 topics for use in the class. 



Variety of information — "one-stop 

 shopping" for marine information. 



1 like it as it is — an improvement over the 

 previous newsletter format. 



Sincere and scientific environmental concern 

 for coastal areas regarding health, food, 

 recreation and the future. 



1 am very glad Coastwatch is printed on 

 recycled paper. 



Don't change it, PLEASE! 



The breadth and variety of good topics and 

 the interesting writing style that conveys 

 information and ideas with clarity and ease. 



Well-written — one of the hundreds of 

 things that hit my desk that I actually read! 



From my grade school years, my parents and 

 I have vacationed along the North Carolina 

 coast, and I attended the University of North 

 Carolina at Wilmington. I have always loved 

 the coast, and Coastwatch is a continuing 

 education. Keep up the outstanding work. 



Up-to-date information on an important area 

 of our living (dying) planet that needs to be 

 used in an intelligent way. 



1 think it is very well-balanced for a layman 

 like myself. 



LEAST 



1 dislike Coastwatch coming in the mail in 

 the middle of its two-month period. Most 

 magazines come before the month printed on 

 the magazine. 



We are trying to move our production schedule 



forward. Please bear with us. 



A bit "light" from scientific perspective. 

 Tends to avoid controversial development 

 issues. 



Features too long. They are very well- 

 written, but sometimes the length seems 

 daunting when so little time is available for 

 reading. 



History, people profiles, fancy format. 

 Coastwatch is not available on-line. 



Time between publications. 



1 think I liked it better when it was free — 

 not because it was free, but it was more 

 informative and less flashy. We will 

 probably not renew this year. 



Liked old format better. Currently too much 



emphasis on commercial fishing. 

 The new color format makes it look like any 



other magazine. 



Cost excludes some. Too many do not know 

 it exists. Find free advertising. 



Articles are "light" and often not well- 

 researched. 



Is there something you would like to see 

 included in Coastwatch that is not there now? 



More seafood recipes. 

 More reader forum, questions and answers. 

 That's how we intend for Back Talk to be used, 

 but only a few readers have asked questions. 

 More information on recreational fishing. 



More on the environmental effects of 

 waterfront construction and development. 



1 would like to see more about how kids can 

 become more involved with marine issues. 



More ideas from Sea Grant on programs 

 concerning positive ways to produce seafood 

 and not damage the environment. 



Please suggest story ideas for Coastwatch 

 articles. 



Beach erosion. 

 Boatbuilding. 



Articles about individual barrier islands — 



geography, history, development, preservation. 

 Any historical information about small towns 



— Ocracoke, Swan Quarter, Oriental — along 



the North Carolina coast. 

 Pirates of the coast. 

 Intracoastal Waterway. 

 Controversy about the horses at Currituck vs. 



the horses at Rachel Carson. 

 Stories on Masonboro Island preservation, 



Oregon Inlet, whales and artificial reefs. 

 Beach grasses and shrubs for erosion. 

 Charter industry. 

 Impacts of overfishing. 

 Wastewater treatment. 

 Hunting, decoys, decoymakers. 



Age of subscibers: 



18 and under (0%) 



19 to 29 (3%) 

 30 to 49 (39%) 

 50 to 65 (30%) 

 Over 65 (26%) 

 No response (1%) 



Sex of readers: 



Male (54%) Female (32%) 



Education: (Check highest grade completed.) 



Grade school (1%) 

 High school (15%) 

 College (51%) 

 Master's (23%) 

 Doctorate (10%) 



Area of residence: 



Coastal (36%) 

 Piedmont (35%) 

 Mountains (2%) 

 Out-of-state (27%) 



COASTWATCH 25 



