It’s rare for bird droppings to cause shellfish illness, but officials say there is potential, and the state Division of Marine Fisheries has fewer than 60 officers along the entire coast to do federally required inspections and check deterrent effectiveness.
Decision upholds legislature’s board appointment shifts
Gov. Roy Cooper won a partial victory last week in his challenge to the North Carolina General Assembly’s move to wrest his appointment powers, but Republican leaders have already filed to appeal.
Coastal Resources Commission celebrates CAMA’s 50th
The state Coastal Resources Commission this week in Wilmington featured an observance and look back at the N.C. Coastal Area Management Act’s first 50 years.
Southport advances plan to sell habitat-rich acreage to state
Wildlife Resources Commission is closer to purchasing more than 400 acres from Southport for conservation after a majority of Brunswick County town’s aldermen said they intended to sell the land to the state in a majority vote.
A million new acres: Cooper sets lofty conservation goals
Environmental advocates are calling the governor’s latest executive order to conserve and restore forests and wetlands and plant 1 million trees in urban areas “ambitious and important.”
Extensive study aims to help state better manage fisheries
Researchers from multiple universities are working under the North Carolina Collaboratory umbrella to develop recommendations to improve state management of species like oysters.
DNA project links individual female loggerheads, nests
University of Georgia research scientist Brian Shamblin leads a study that uses genetic tagging of female loggerheads from southern Georgia to the North Carolina-Virginia state line.
Opponents say Pender shellfish leases will crowd waters
Speakers at the public hearing said they support Topsail Island-area shellfish farming, but more leases will infringe upon popular fishing spots, impede boat and kayak access, and the floating equipment used will detract from the view from waterfront properties.
UNCW researchers to study how waves, storms move sand
The team of researchers received a nearly $1 million grant to study over the next two years sand movement under different conditions to better understand storm surge.
Exposure study evolves to measure PFAS’ long-term effects
Researcher Jane Hoppin, who is leading a study of North Carolina residents exposed to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in their drinking water, says the ongoing work will help in understanding how these compounds affect human health over time.
Emergency coastal rules draw little notice during hearings
Few turned out for hearings the Division of Coastal Management held in Dare, Carteret and Onslow counties for the temporary replacements for “critical” protections Codifier of Rules Ashley B. Snyder — Sen. Phil Berger’s daughter — stripped from the books last year.
BeBot beach sweeper sifts surface sands for small debris
Keep New Hanover Beautiful’s BeBot, the first and only solar- and battery-powered, robotic beach sweeper in the state, is to supplement human-led beach cleanups and raise awareness about smaller trash and plastics that tend to get overlooked on beaches.
North Topsail Beach empowers police to remove junk boats
Aldermen have adopted an ordinance giving the police department authority to rid the town’s navigable waters of abandoned or derelict vessels.
Funding boosts UNCW scientists’ work to stem coral losses
University of North Carolina Wilmington researchers recently received nearly $2 million to further study how to ethically protect coral reefs from being wiped out by disease and climate change.
Commission restores 16 recently nullified, years-old rules
The Coastal Resources Commission on Wednesday adopted 16 emergency rules to temporarily replace the most critical of the 30 that were stripped from the books after the Rules Review Commission objected to them in October.
Olsons scrap plans to buy, develop Topsail Beach property
Accusing town officials of “one-sided behavior,” software CEO Todd Olson and his wife Laura have withdrawn their application seeking to conditionally rezone the undeveloped parcel known as The Point.
