♦ The award-winning Coastwatch magazine, which 

 provides useful information for a cross-section of readers, from 

 the first-time coastal visitor to the state official; 



♦ Popular publications, including Seacoast Plants of the 

 Carolinas, Seashells of North Carolina and Shifting Shorelines: 

 A Pictorial Atlas of North Carolina Inlets; 



♦ Ongoing development of a Web site: www.ncsu.edu/ 

 seagrant; 



♦ A Blueprints series that gives step-by-step instructions 

 for a variety of activities, including how to patch sandbags or how 

 to identify harmful zebra mussels; and 



♦ A multi-media public safety campaign to warn of the 

 dangers of rip currents. The brochures, posters and videos have 

 been distributed around the country. Now, Sea Grant is teaming 

 with the National Weather Service for online rip current forecasts 

 at beach sites in North and South Carolina. 



Seafood technology specialist Barry Nash works with 

 commercial seafood processors to improve seafood quality 



and safety. PhvtohyScoUD. Taylor 



RECREATION AND TOURISM 



As tourism has grown into one of North Carolina's largest 

 industry, Sea Grant has been on the forefront of providing support 

 to the industries — from conducting applied research on coastal 

 recreation and tourism events to designing and implementing 

 coastal ecotourism workshops. It also has: 



♦ Partnered with public and private organizations to 

 identify more than 1,200 miles of kayak and canoe trails in North 

 Carolina. The trails, a Web site and accompanying map were 

 showcased at Coastal Plain Waters 2001 — a three-day event in 

 Washington. The trails provide recreation and environmental 

 educational experiences for paddlers and economic development 

 opportunities for many rural coastal communities; 



♦ Conducted surveys on the economic and social impacts of 

 salwater fishing tournaments, which are growing in numbers and 

 can have significant positive impacts for coastal businesses; 



♦ Evaluated dolphin watching as an ecotourism industry. 

 Found that the demand for wildlife-related activities such as 

 birding and mammal observation is rapidly increasing; 



♦ Sponsored and evaluated the economic impact of Wings 

 Over Water — a celebration of wildlife in northeastern North 

 Carolina. Found that the average birders and other wildlife 

 enthusiasts spent hundreds of dollars daily in the Outer Banks 

 area; and 



♦ Supported a demonstration of a rake-your-own clam 

 operation as a nature-based tourism activity. 



SEAFOOD TECHNOLOGY 



Over the years, Sea Grant has excelled in developing ways to 

 deliver research, education and outreach programs in seafood 

 technology. In 1970, the North Carolina State University Seafood 

 Laboratory was established through a subcontract to Frank 

 Thomas in the NC State Food Science Department. Since then, 

 Sea Grant has been on the cutting edge in: 



♦ Helping to develop the domestic surimi industry and 

 other value-added products to efficiently use resources; 



♦ Working with two major entrepreneurs to develop the 

 mechanical shucking of scallops; 



♦ Improving techniques for handling and processing 

 seafood; 



♦ Pioneering the liquid nitrogen freezing of seafood, 

 especially scallops and fish; 



♦ Improving safety through education and training 

 programs. Early efforts included sanitation programs and manuals 

 on scallops and blue crabs. Recent efforts include editing and 

 designing The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point 

 Training Curriculum, a federal guide used to train seafood 

 processors; 



♦ Using an innovative cold-binding technology developed 

 by NC State researchers to create uniformly-sized medallions 

 from scallops naturally only a quarter- to half-inch wide; and 



♦ Improving the public's knowledge about seafood quality, 

 safety and nutrition through courses, conferences and publications. B 



I IK 



COASTWATCH 11 



