he says. He adds that his data show that, 

 because of currents, a proposal for oil-drilling 

 off of Cape Hatteras could have been detrimen- 

 tal to SAV between Hatteras and Cedar islands. 



Ballance's mapping of SAV has been 

 used to determine clam-kicking areas. Clam 

 kicking is a controversial bottom-disturbing 

 method of harvesting clams that can be harmful 

 to SAV. A letter from Mark Fonseca — 

 research ecologist from the National Oceanic 

 and Atmospheric Administration to the N.C 

 Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) — cited 

 data from Ballance's map in recommending 

 areas to prohibit the practice. 



Jim Bahen, a Sea Grant fisheries specialist 

 who also sits on the state Red Drum Advisory 

 Committee, says Ballance's map had a direct 

 effect on the fishery management plan for that 

 species. A line proposed by the committee to 

 restrict use of certain gear in order to protect 

 juvenile red drum was altered to allow fishing 

 in an area that would otherwise have been 

 closed unnecessarily. 



Bahen says the red drum plan is "a case 

 where a fisherman's knowledge" played a vital 

 role in management. He also says state officials 

 frequendy request FRG final reports and ask 

 about projects underway. 



Ballance's map is a good example of how 

 FRG projects encourage the protection of 

 fisheries habitats, but the grant program goes 

 much further. In fact, FRG has impacts from 

 habitats to the dinner table. 



FRG from Habitats 

 to Dinner Tables 



Many other FRG projects have affected 

 habitats. One project studied detrimental effects 

 of the Quaker Neck Dam on anadromous fishes 

 — those that migrate upriver to spawn. Another 

 project studied movement along 139 miles of 

 the Neuse River reopened to striped bass, shad 

 and other anadromous fishes. 



Numerous FRG projects have focused on 

 water quality issues, including a study of 

 nitrogen sources in the Neuse River estuary and 

 a pilot program for water monitoring on the 

 Cape Fear River. 



One important aspect of fisheries 

 management is protecting species from over- 

 harvesting. Bahen notes a study done by Frank 

 Montgomery on flounder nets to determine the 



effects of different mesh sizes 

 on bycatch — nontargeted 

 species caught unintention- 

 ally. Bahen says the data from 

 the study have been noted by 

 fisheries agencies. But FRG 

 doesn't stop with reducing 

 fish bycatch. It also funds 

 projects that seek to protect 

 marine mammals, sea birds 

 and sea turtles from entrap- 

 ment in fishing nets. 



Bob Hines, a Sea Grant 

 fisheries specialist, says a 

 project by Tommy Rose of 

 Shiloh has attracted interest 

 from the U.S. Fish and 

 Wildlife Service. Rose and 

 Pete Darna of Merritt have 

 worked on separate grants to 

 reduce seabird bycatch in gill 

 nets. Such projects are "a 

 good example of fishermen 

 trying to find a solution to a 

 problem," Hines, who serves 

 as the FRG coordinator, says. 



Shellfish comprise a 

 thriving industry in North 

 Carolina. Skip Kemp, 

 mariculture and marketing specialist with 

 North Carolina Sea Grant, notes projects that 

 have helped improve shellfish 'farming." 

 Mark Hooper of Smyrna has developed a 

 successful method of raising clams in tented 

 mesh bags. Kemp says he has extended 

 information from Hooper's projects to other 

 clam growers. 



Kemp also points to a successful off- 

 bottom growout system for oyster aquaculture 

 tried by Jim Swartzenberg of Jacksonville with 

 FRG funding. Other projects have studied 

 recirculating systems for crab shedding 

 operations. 



But FRG projects go beyond catching 

 or growing seafood. Results of some 

 projects go straight to the table. Sam 

 Daniels of Wanchese Fish Company saw a 

 20 percent sales increase from a product 

 developed by food science researchers at NC 

 State University. With FRG funding, a natural 

 protein cold-binding process was developed 

 to make small scallops into a larger, more 



TOP: Aquaculture is one of four targeted areas for the N.C. Fisheries 

 Research Grant Program. BOTTOM: FRG projects have included a survey 

 of bottlenose dolphins. 



uniform and more marketable product. 



Moon Park of Coastal USA Fish 

 Company used FRG funding to develop 

 methods for handling flounder for the live fish 

 market made profitable by an increased 

 demand for sushi. Subsequent funding was 

 used to grow flounder larger and with greater 

 efficiency. 



Copeland says he is fond of sushi, noting 

 that the raw fish delicacy is safe as long as it is 

 fresh and handled properly. Again, FRG has 

 projects that help assure seafood safety. Most 

 notable are projects that resulted in a self-guide 

 and workshops to help seafood dealers comply 

 with federal regulations for handling seafood 

 products. 



The projects "really improved the quality 

 of our seafood in our small dealers," Copeland 

 says. □ 



For more information on the Fishery 

 Resource Grant Program, call 919/515-2454, 

 or visit www.ncsu.edu/seagrant on the Web. 



COASTWATCH 39 



