One of the strangest looking and trickiest to catch saltwater fish in North Carolina waters is the triggerfish. These animals swim by moving their top fin and bottom fins. Flapping them in the “breeze,” they are able to hover in one position. They can also lock themselves in a reef crevice for protection by erecting these… [Read More]
Commentary
What’s On the Line? Know Your Flounder
What kind of flounder is that? Robert Michelson shares tips on how to distinguish between summer, southern and Gulf flounder.
Know What’s On the Line: Sheepshead
Vertically striped and toothy, sheepshead are a distinctive looking fish, but anglers should know it from other species to avoid a possible fine.
Death of a Royal Tern
Peter Vankevich, co-publisher of the Ocracoke Observer, recounts finding a deceased royal tern at Springer’s Point and learning something unusual about the banded bird through the Bird Banding Laboratory in Patuxent, Maryland.
Drumroll For NC’s Official Saltwater Fish
Since 1971, the red drum has been North Carolina’s official state saltwater fish, but the popular catch for recreational fishers goes by several names.
Value Fisheries, Communities Who Provide
Guest columnist Timothy P. Clark writes that in order to promote sustainable seafood, coastal North Carolina needs to promote local purveyors and that the social consequences of fishery decline are drastic.
American Shad Restoration Efforts Continue
American shad, once an important fishery in North Carolina, declined sharply in the late 20th century, but state and federal agencies are cooperating to restore their numbers.
Striped Bass Complex, Misunderstood Fish
NC’s large population of striped bass are anadromous fish, but the behavior of their cousins in other waters varies in numerous ways, as columnist Robert Michelson explains.
Striped Bass Face Pollution, Overfishing
In the first of two parts, columnist Robert Michelson writes about the history of striped bass in the United States and the perils the fish has faced over time.
Second Wave of COVID-19 May Be Deadlier
Guest columnist Richard Hilderman, former chair of Clemson’s Genetics and Biochemistry Department and Genomic Institute director, warns of a second wave of COVID-19 infections from a rush to restart the economy.
Bottlenose Could Be NC’s Marine Mammal
While bottlenose dolphin stocks in N.C. appear stable and healthy, columnist David Laist notes the perils humans pose and a state bill to name them the state marine mammal that was introduced a year ago and appeared destined to pass.
A Taste of the Hatteras Oyster Roast
Lynne Foster shares her firsthand account of the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s annual Hatteras Island Oyster Roast that took place Saturday, along with recipes in celebration of the cherished bivalve.
Birds Tell Us That It’s Time to Act
Guest columnist Robbie Fearn, director of Audubon’s Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Sanctuary at Pine Island, writes that birds along the N.C. coast serve as harbingers of the effects of climate change.
A View of Climate Change From 14,000 Feet
Our Sam Bland, a coastal creature who has recently been exploring Colorado, compares the effects of global climate change as seen from both sea level and far above.
Lessons from Dorian: Oil, Water Still Don’t Mix
Guest columnist Jean-Luc Duvall of Environment North Carolina writes that the oil pollution resulting from Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas could also happen to the N.C. coast if offshore drilling is allowed here.
Strategies for Weathering the Next Storm
As many N.C. residents continue to deal with Hurricane Florence’s effects a year after the storm’s landfall here, Will McDow of the Environmental Defense Fund offers four steps toward a more resilient future.
