Estuaries, where freshwater from rivers and streams meets the salty ocean, are vital to marine life, the coastal environment and the economy here, and ongoing research has revealed additional benefits.
Archives
Editor’s Desk: One Story Ends, Another Begins
Mark Hibbs takes over as editor of Coastal Review Online as our founding editor, Frank Tursi, prepares to retire after almost four decades in journalism.
Coastal Sketch: Keith Rittmaster
Keith Rittmaster of Beaufort is amused by his Pelican Award for his work preserving and protecting whales and dolphins. Most of the marine mammals he encounters professionally, he notes, are already dead.
Lowly Oysters Set to Take Center Stage
Using federal money, an environmental group and a state agency have formed a partnership that could bring the oyster back to its once lofty peak.
Feds to Scale Back Red Wolf Recovery Area
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced coming changes in the way it manages its red wolf recovery program in northeastern North Carolina, scaling back the area where wolves roam wild.
NOAA Fisheries Releases Ocean Noise Guide
NOAA offices have collaborated to develop an agency-wide Ocean Noise Strategy to ensure that NOAA is more comprehensively addressing noise effects on aquatic species and their habitat during the next 10 years.
Boat Ramp Hinges on Park Plan Update
The future of a controversial regional boat ramp at Hammocks Beach State Park near Swansboro hinges on the outcome of the ongoing update of the park’s management plan, park officials say.
McCrory Picks Catlin to Fill Vacant CRC Seat
Rick Catlin, who recently resigned his District 20 seat in the state House, was picked to fill a vacancy on the state’s Coastal Resources Commission.
Groups: Ocean Isle’s Groin Application Flawed
The N.C. Coastal Federation and the Southern Environmental Law Center say Ocean Isle Beach’s permit application for a terminal groin doesn’t meet state, federal environmental requirements.
Questions Raised as Farmers Turn to Solar
As more farmers lease their lands to solar in North Carolina, more communities and state officials raise questions over the potential effects.
Dare Looks Far Offshore for Beach Sand
Dare County has struck a deal with federal agencies to mine sand from the outer continental shelf for a one-time beach re-nourishment project to begin next spring for Duck, Kill Devil Hills and Kitty Hawk.
Sunset Beach Studying Plan to Dredge Canals
Officials in Sunset Beach have hired a firm to review the environmental effects of dredging creeks and man-made canals here, but some say going deeper for bigger boats is a bad idea.
Coastal Federation Opens New Office
The North Carolina Coastal Federation will be officially opening the doors to its new Wanchese office this week.
Group Names Skrabal Woman of the Year
Tracy Skrabal, the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s southeast regional manager and senior coastal scientist, has been named Woman of the Year by Wrightsville Beach Museum of History’s Waterman Hall of Fame.
Our Celestial Coast: Andromeda Rules Sept.
This is a good month to view the Andromeda Galaxy, the home to more than a trillion stars that are 2.5 million light years away from our home.
Report: Coastal Parks Pay Dividends
A new report shows that national parks on coastlines and lakes contribute more than their share of total visits to the national park system and benefits to nearby communities.
















