FROM THE >Ei D I T O R 



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Towns, They Are A-Changing 



^)ur coastal communities are changing. 



Even occasional visitors to the North Carolina shore would not be 

 surprised by the above statement. The growth has not been limited to the past 

 year, or even the past five. 



Land values are rising. Long-time residents point to the loss of coveted 

 water access. What are the impacts of these and other changes along our coast? 



On June 5, North Carolina Sea Grant will host North Carolina's 

 Changing Waterfronts: Coastal Access and Traditional Uses. The 

 forum will look at the issues here in North Carolina, and also will also 

 present examples from other states coping with similar issues. For details, 

 see page 11. 



But Sea Grant is not the only North Carolina agency or group interested 

 in water access issues. 



The state's Joint Legislative Commission on Seafood and Aqua- 

 culture wrote a letter of support for the June 5 meeting, and asked Sea Grant 

 to help draft legislation to establish a study committee on coastal access. 



The legislative commission's request came after it had received a 

 resolution from the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission noting its concern 

 about loss of access, as well as a separate but similar resolution signed by 

 concerned scholars. 



On June 1 , the N.C. Coastal Federation will release its annual State of 

 the Coast Report, which will examine the impacts of coastal development on 

 traditional fishing communities. The report will be released at the Core Sound 

 Waterfowl Museum on Harkers Island in Carteret County. 



The county's "Down East" region has made headlines in recent months 

 as county officials were asked to place a one-year moratorium on certain 

 sewage treatment plants, marinas with more than 10 slips, major subdivisions 

 of more than five lots, condominiums, and commercial buildings of more than 

 7,000 square feet. 



Snead's Ferry, located near Topsail Island, has not yet become a vacation 

 mecca, but new subdivisions have arrived during the six years that Matt Barr 



IN THIS ISSUE 



Contributing Writers: 

 Kathleen Angione □ Ann Green □ Katie Mosher 

 Erin Seiling □ Pam Smith 



Contributing Photographers: 

 Jim Bounds □ Randy Davey ° Nancy Fey 

 Michael Halminski □ Adrian Henson □ Doug Smith 

 Craig McDuffie □ Erin Seiling □ Scott Sharpe ° Scott Taylor 



North Carolina's diverse coast offers countless interestingsubjects. 

 The large dots on the map indicate story settings in this issue — 

 including Raleigh, Morehead City and Ocracoke. 



of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro has documented the 

 fishing community. His film, "Wild Caught," premiered in late April and is 

 already generating interest across the country. 



North Carolina Sea Grant provided a portion of the funding for 

 the film production, as well as transcription of the extensive interviews 

 with members of the fishing community and experts who reflect on the 

 environmental and societal changes. 



Many of those interviewees were in the audience for the film's 

 premiere at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. They and Barr 

 received standing ovations for sharing the stories of a changing community. 



For updates on showings of "Wild Caught," check North Carolina Sea 

 Grant's online calendar at www.ncseagrant.org. The film and community 

 also will be the topic of a future Coastwatch story, part of our continuing 

 series on Changing Waterfronts. 



Hatteras Island will celebrate its maritime history and present-day 

 fishing fleet at the second Day at the Docks Sept. 16. Commercial 

 fishermen and charter-boat captains will share stories describing what it's 

 like to make a living from the sea. 



Learn more about the event and the community in the next issue of 

 Coastwatch. 



Let me offer you a personal invitation to help North Carolina Sea 

 Grant celebrate the program's 30th anniversary. A Sea Grant Symposium 

 June 20 at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will highlight 

 coastal and marine science and outreach projects. The event is cosponsored 

 by the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. 



An evening reception also at the museum will honor the anniversary, 

 as well as the service of Ron Hodson, who will retire as director. And we 

 will introduce Michael Voiland, who will take the program's helm July 1 . 

 Check this issue for details on the June 20 event. Hodson and Voiland. 



Katie Mosher, Managing Editor 



