Columnist Chuck Roe, former director of the N.C. Natural Heritage Program, reflects on the origins of conservation in the Tar Heel State and the challenges ahead.
Commentary
Deeper Dive into the World of NC’s Sea Jellies
Underwater photographer Robert Michelson continues in the second of a two-part series to explore the world of sea jellies and their relatives in North Carolina waters.
Strange Beauty: Jellyfish of the NC Coast
Robert Michelson explains in the first of a two-part series why jellyfish are “some of the coolest looking creatures that live in North Carolina’s waters.”
Keep Plastics Out of Our Seafood
With little doubt that microplastics find their way into seafood, Todd Miller of the North Carolina Coastal Federation says we should be doing everything possible to reduce the amount of plastic released into coastal waterways.
What’s on the line? Grouper in North Carolina
Gag and red grouper are the most important for North Carolina commercial and recreational fishermen, writes columnist Robert Michelson.
Temporary Rules Needed to Protect Wetlands
Guest column: The Environmental Management Commission should enact temporary rules restoring the Department of Environmental Quality’s authority to regulate activities in wetlands that no longer require federal permits.
Alienation: Are You Really at Home?
We can’t truly experience the natural world until we come to know the world in which we live. If not, we risk becoming alienated from it — commentary by Jared Lloyd.
What’s On the Line? Cobia
Ling, sergeant fish, lemonfish, crab eater — otherwise known as cobia, this fish grows large in N.C. waters, with the state and world record weighing more than 116 pounds caught here.
On The Line: False Albacore
One of the best places to fish for the tuna-like false albacore is off the coast of Cape Lookout says columnist Robert Michelson.
Frank Nesmith: ‘Kindred Spirit,’ Coastal Hero
Guest columnist Lauren Kolodij shares her perspective on the life and coastal preservation mission of Frank Nesmith, “the Mayor of Bird Island,” who died in July at 93.
Dorian Remains Part of Life on Ocracoke
Hurricane Dorian, which struck the North Carolina coast a year ago this weekend, was a game-changer for Ocracoke Island, creating a new normal.
Sand Tiger Sharks Call NC Shipwrecks Home
Researchers and divers are drawn to the sand tiger sharks that inhabit the shipwrecks off the N.C. coast, a species that are often surrounded by a wide variety of fish.
What’s On the Line? Triggerfish
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]
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.
