COASTAL 



TIDINGS 



Web Site Identifies Rip Current Threats 



Rip currents can be deadly — but 

 this year cautious swimmers may surf 

 the Web before hitting the surf. 



The National Weather Service 

 (NWS) now offers online rip current 

 forecasts for most North Carolina 

 beaches. Developed in cooperation 

 with North Carolina Sea Grant, the 

 sites provide twice-daily updates from 

 the Myrtle Beach, S.C., area north to 

 Dare County, N.C. Easy-to-read maps 

 alert the public if conditions along 

 various strands pose a low threat, 

 increased threat or dangerous threat 

 from rip currents. 



'The main goal of the NWS rip 

 current program is to warn the public 

 when there is a likelihood of dangerous 

 rip currents," explains Steven Pfaff of 

 the NWS Wilmington office. 



For rip current forecasts for 

 Pender, New Hanover and Brunswick 

 counties in North Carolina, and the 



Myrtle Beach, S.C., area, go to http:// 

 nwsilm.wilmmgton.net and follow the rip 

 currents link. 



For information on Dare, Hyde 

 Carteret and Onslow counties, go to 

 http://tgsv5. nws. noaa.gov/er/mhx/ and 

 follow the links for local threats. 



The NWS office in Wakefield, Va., 

 expects to add rip current forecasts for 

 its region, which includes Currituck 

 County, N.C, and the Virginia Beach area. 



Background information on rip 

 currents is available on the sites. In 

 addition, North Carolina Sea Grant 

 offers a brochure that emphasizes the 

 signs that rip currents may be present — 

 and the appropriate response. 



"The key message is: Don't Panic," 

 says Spencer Rogers, North Carolina 

 Sea Grant coastal construction and 

 erosion specialist. "If you are caught in 

 a rip current, swim parallel to shore." 



-K.M. 



NC State Seafood Lab Honored 



Carolina State University's 

 Seafood Science and Technology 

 Program in Morehead City received top 

 honors from the North Carolina Coopera- 

 tive Extension Service. 



The program, often referred to as the 

 NC State Seafood Laboratory, was one of 

 three winners of the annual Extension 

 Education Award. 



The lab team includes director David 

 Green, who also is director of the Center 

 for Marine Sciences and Technology and 

 a North Carolina Sea Grant researcher; 

 and Barry Nash, North Carolina Sea Grant 

 seafood technology and marketing specialist. 



The lab staff includes technician 

 Greg Bolton and public information 

 assistant Lorraine DiBella. Joyce Taylor, 

 a retired Sea Grant seafood education 

 specialist, works part-time at the lab. 



The lab's seafood science and 

 technology program provides educational 

 opportunities for industry, regulatory and 

 consumer groups on issues related to fish 

 and fishery products, public health topics 

 and marketing. 



In recent years, the lab has sponsored 

 training for North Carolina seafood 

 dealers, processors and regulatory officials 

 in seafood sanitation and Hazard Analysis 

 and Critical Control Point (HACCP) 

 safety regulatory practices. 



The lab staff also helps seafood 

 businesses develop value-added seafood 

 products. By using a cold-binding 

 technology developed by NC State Food 

 Science Department, the staff helped the 

 Wanchese Fish Company create uni- 

 formly-sized medallions from scallops. 



-A.G. 



September 

 Sweep-Up 



September is time to 

 celebrate a Sea Grant legacy: The 

 North Carolina Big Sweep. 



This year, volunteers will 

 gather across the state on Sept. 

 1 5 to clean up the beaches, 

 sounds and inland waters. 



But if you can't participate 

 that day, don't fret, says Lundie 

 Spence, North Carolina Sea 

 Grant marine education 

 specialist and Big Sweep 

 founder. Environmental 

 awareness is a year-round 

 activity. 



"Every time you visit the 

 coast or a stream, look for litter 

 and debris," Spence says. "A 

 foam cup or plastic milk jug can 

 be dangerous to sea birds, 

 turtles and other creatures." 



If you would like to 

 volunteer for the official Big 

 Sweep program, now in its 1 5th 

 year, contact the coordinator in 

 your county. For more informa- 

 tion, call 800-27-SWEEP. -A.G. 



COASTWATCH 5 



