N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is holding the online meeting May 28 to update the public work underway to develop a new blue crab stock assessment.
News Briefs
Delays likely at Wrightsville Beach bridge during NCDOT tests
Drivers in Wrightsville Beach should allow extra travel time from now into May as crews perform drilling through the West Salisbury Street bridge deck over Banks Channel.
Registration opens for Rachel Carson Reserve summer trips
Register to grab a spot on the boat to take part in one of the free-of-charge public field trips being offered at the Rachel Carson Reserve June-August.
NCDOT to host meetings on plans to improve NC 12 access
The meetings in Hatteras, Rodanthe and Nags Head are an opportunity for the public to hear from transportation officials possible solutions for a vulnerable stretch of N.C. 12 in Dare County.
Environmental advocate Debbie Swick, anglers club team up
Debbie Swick, in partnership with the Outer Banks Anglers Club, has launched a monofilament recovery and recycling program using collection vessels at sites across the Outer Banks.
Pit viper stare-down
Two cottonmouths, aka water moccasins and known scientifically as Agkistrodon piscivorus, came face to face while foraging Sunday at the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s 6,000-acre North River Wetlands Preserve, with one rising up and the other backing down. One of six venomous snakes in North Carolina, the cottonmouth is the most aquatic, preferring wetter habitats. It’s a pit viper, having a pit on its face that senses heat. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission offers tips on how to coexist with snakes. Photo: Doug Waters
Public sways officials to ax parkway plan’s preferred NC route
State transportation officials, in response to public feedback, said Wednesday that the North Carolina portion of the formerly preferred Carolina Bays Parkway Extension Alternative 4 will not be built as initially proposed.
Coastal Federation to break ground for mariculture hub
The planned Shellfish Mariculture Hub in Carteret County will provide logistical support such as shared refrigeration, equipment and water access.
Service set for North Topsail Beach Alderman Larry Strother
The late North Topsail Beach Alderman Larry Strother died April 12 at the age of 79.
Wilmington officials request ideas for new public park
The city of Wilmington is hosting a public engagement on May 2 to gather ideas on the design, amenities, and overall vision for its next public park.
Carteret to host free disposal of household hazardous items
Carteret County residents will have an opportunity to dispose of small quantities of common household hazardous items for free on Saturday.
Wildlife officials offer tips to deter, not attract, black bears
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, in partnership with BearWise, has hot tips on how to look for and reduce potential attractants for black bear as they become more active now through the fall.
For the next two years, plan on lane closures at U.S. 17 bridge
While traffic will continue to flow over the bridge, the preservation project on the 16-year-old structure isn’t expected to be complete until summer 2028.
Fort Fisher Aquarium set to close for renovation, expansion
The N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher, the state’s southernmost aquarium, is closing May 26 for a major renovation and expansion project, construction of which is expected to take about 30 months.
UNCW Blue Economy Index fares better than its benchmarks
The University of North Carolina Wilmington Blue Economy Index, which measures oceans-based industry performance as compared to familiar stock exchange indices including the S&P 500 and S&P Industrials, saw less of a slide during March than they did.
Five coastal sites listed on National Register of Historic Places
Four new historic districts and 19 properties across the state, five of which are on the coast, have been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

















