Press Releases

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is seeking public input on a proposed oyster sanctuary near Wysocking Bay. Comments will be accepted at a meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. June 14 in the Hyde County Government Building, 30 Oyster Creek Road, Swan Quarter. Staff with the state’s Oyster Sanctuary Program will discuss a plan to construct Gull Shoal Oyster Sanctuary, a 10-acre sanctuary located about 4 miles (3.5 nautical miles) southeast of Wysocking Bay. Those in attendance will be asked for input on the plan.

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries has added a public comment period to the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting of the Joint Law Enforcement Agreement Advisory Group. The meeting begins at 5 p.m. at the Craven County Agricultural Center, 300 Industrial Drive, New Bern. Public comment will be accepted at the end of the meeting. A meeting agenda is attached.

Local Advisory Committees for six coastal reserves will meet in May and June. The meetings are open to the public.

It might be hard to believe, but getting to work for some state employees can be one of the most enjoyable times of the day. That is, if they’re not driving in Raleigh traffic. Many employees in the state environmental agency ride the bus, carpool or bike to and from work rather than battle rush hour congestion in their own vehicles.

The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission adopted stricter blue crab regulations at its meeting last week. The measures are meant to improve the condition of the state’s blue crab stock. Commercial and recreational crabbers should expect most of the regulations to take effect in early June. The commission voted to:

People are invited to provide their comments on a proposed cleanup plan for the former DuPont manufacturing facility in Brevard. The 60-day public comment period for the plan started today and concludes July 25. A notice about the cleanup plan was published in today’s editions of the Transylvania Times.

North Carolina beachgoers may be asked to participate in a survey about public beach and waterfront access this summer. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, researchers from the University of North Carolina -Wilmington will conduct the survey on behalf of the state’s coastal agency at public beach and waterfront access sites along the North Carolina coast.

The Joint Law Enforcement Agreement Advisory Group will meet at 5 p.m. June 1 at the Craven County Agricultural Center, 300 Industrial Drive, New Bern. The advisory group will discuss whether the state should enter into a joint law enforcement agreement with the federal government.

Natural resources in the Albemarle-Pamlico Sound region provide greater and more diverse economic benefits than previously thought, according to a new report. The report estimated economic benefits exceeding $475 million for commercial sectors that depend directly on natural resources, including agriculture, forestry and commercial fishing. In addition, these sectors directly employ approximately 36,000 workers in the region, generating more than $672 million in wages each year. 

The Local Advisory Committee for the Rachel Carson component of the N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve will meet at 3:30 p.m. May 17 at the NOAA/NCNERR Administration Building, 101 Pivers Island Rd., Beaufort, N.C. On the agenda will be the results of a reserve shoreline analysis.The committee of local residents, partners and leaders provide the Division of Coastal Management’s Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve staff with guidance and feedback regarding management of the reserve site.