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Commission OKs proposed wetlands rule for public comment
The Environmental Management Commission voted during its meeting Thursday to take the next step in the rulemaking process to codify an amendment directed by a 2023 session law to align the state with the federal definition of wetlands.
Spotlight
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State’s fix for costly litter problem ‘not efficient or sufficient’
“It’s like you’re Band-Aiding over an artery,” says Rob Clark, of Cape Fear River Watch, a coauthor of a report that found that cleaning up more than 7,000 tons of litter in North Carolina cost more than $56 million in 2023.
News Briefs
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World Water Day to focus on chemical pollution in Cape Fear
A World Water Day event March 22 in Wilmington will focus on PFAS and 1,4-dioxane pollution in the Cape Fear River.
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5 eastern NC counties experiencing severe drought
Of the 99 counties experiencing drought or abnormally dry conditions in the state, Carteret, Craven, Jones, Onslow and Pamlico counties are classified as experiencing severe drought.
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Draft plan would evenly shift southern flounder catch quotas
A draft amendment to the state’s Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan would level the catch quota 50/50 between commercial and recreational fishers a year ahead of schedule.
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Top job
Paint crews work high above the deck of the NC State Port of Morehead City Thursday as a new protective coating is applied to the water tower. Photo: Dylan Ray
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Blue Economy Index, benchmarks reflect tariff tensions
The University of North Carolina Wilmington Blue Economy Index rose by 3.7% in February, beating the MSCI All World Index, the S&P 500, and the S&P Industrials.
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Special Report

Black Bears of the Coastal Plain
Conservation, reforestation and research have helped the once-imperiled species to not only recover but also provide an economic boost in a troubled region.
News & Features
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Commission OKs proposed wetlands rule for public comment
The Environmental Management Commission voted during its meeting Thursday to take the next step in the rulemaking process to codify an amendment directed by a 2023 session law to align the state with the federal definition of wetlands.
Science
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Researchers embark on study of shore-to-sea habitats
The UNC system project allows researchers to study habitat changes from the mouth of the Cape Fear River to the Gulf Stream’s warm waters.
Commentary
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Don’t judge as convict, sheepshead only criminally delicious
Their black-and-white markings may make them look like jailbirds, but these toothy fish’s diets translate to good eating for us, as well as sporting pursuit.
Our Coast
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When fishermen harvested seaweed: Beaufort’s agar industry
The curiosity that sparked when historian David Cecelski came across photos taken in 1944 of fishermen harvesting seaweed near Beaufort inspired a “bit of a deep dive” into topics he never imagined studying: the history of agar, ecology of seaweed, the wartime crisis that led to seaweed harvesting and the construction of the Beaufort agar…
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Bittersweet event: Restored Reaves Chapel to be dedicated
The long, challenging restoration of one of the oldest African American buildings in southeastern North Carolina is finally complete, albeit after the death of one who spent the last 15 years of his life fighting to preserve it.
Featured Photo
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Top job
Paint crews work high above the deck of the NC State Port of Morehead City Thursday as a new protective coating is applied to the water tower. Photo: Dylan Ray