Browsing by Subject "Coastal"

Now showing 1 - 11 of 11

Open Access
A Comparison of Groundfish Management on the East and West Coasts of the United States
(2004) Strader, Rachel
The groundfish fisheries of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the US are valuable economically and ecologically. The industries in the two locations have faced depleted stocks and increased regulations by the New England and Pacific Fishery Management Councils over the years. Both fisheries contain a varied array of demersal fish in separate ecosystem contexts, and similar gear types are used in both locations. However, the community and geographical structures, composition and interactions of the Fishery Management Councils, industry organization, and activism create a different historical perspective with which to view management failures and successes. In New England, factors such as a greater value of independence, a lack of cooperation and coordination between stakeholders and scientists, and a longer history of fishery decline have contributed to the current management climate. The Pacific groundfishery has experienced a more recent illumination of overexploitation, but there is a longer history of cooperation between states, fishermen, and scientists. In addition, differences in the Pacific Fishery Management Council structure and process have created a distinct management picture. The management measures enacted by the two councils since the implementation of the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act have differed, but neither has been successful—as evidenced by overexploited stocks. Recently, both fisheries management plans have undergone changes in response to the declines and subsequent lawsuits by stakeholder groups. From comparing the characteristics of the two council systems, their methods, and their participants, important lessons can be learned as fisheries management on both sides of the US continues, out of necessity, to evolve.
Open Access
A Guide to Sustainable Development Down East
(2007-05) Korth, Jennifer
Coastal North Carolina is facing a crisis. Small towns up and down the coast are facing development pressures, population booms, environmental degradation, and loss of the working waterfront and traditional cultures. The cluster of communities known as Down East is especially susceptible to these pressures. These communities are unzoned and unincorporated. Therefore, the Carteret County Commissioners have full decision-making power over the communities of Down East. My masters project serves as a resource document that will educate and guide Down East through its fight for sustainable development, environmental restoration and economic improvement. The necessary information exists, but its not all in one place, its not easy to find and its hard to understand. This includes information on incorporation, smart growth, low impact development and economic renewal. Therefore, this guide pulls together all of the relevant information into one document and includes numerous examples. Information on current activities involving the problems Down East and on future research possibilities is also provided at the end of the resource document. Most importantly, the guide is a neutral and unbiased collection of relevant information. Therefore, I will not be making any recommendations at the end of the guide. I have simply tried to provide an unbiased summary of the information necessary for Down East residents to make an informed decision about their future.
Open Access
A Ripe Future? Coastal Climate Perceptions and Adaptations among the Long Island Wine Industry
(2017-04-28) Hall, Emily
Coastal climates have distinctive effects on the growth, quality, and quantity produced of wine grapes. A changing coastal climate could alter these interactions and impact regional wine style and variety. There is a need to understand how growers and wine makers are perceiving and responding to climate change to inform future adaptation strategies. To explore this topic, those in the wine industry on the Eastern End of Long Island, NY were interviewed regarding their perception of 1) how the maritime climate affects viticulture, 2) how that interaction has changed/may change in the future, 3) how they will adapt, and 4) how viticulture affects the local environment. The maritime climate has the perceived effects of moderating land temperature, inducing humidity, and featuring unpredictable weather such as hurricanes and coastal storms. Most respondents believe that the maritime climate has changed over time, allowing for higher quality wine but also greater environmental risk. Industry professionals don’t see extensive adaptation methods as necessary yet, but do seek to utilize sustainable and vigilant vineyard practices to enhance resilience in times of greater risk and uncertainty.
Open Access
ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF SHRIMP AQUACULTURE IN NORTHEAST BRAZIL: A REMOTE SENSING APPROACH TO COASTAL HABITAT CHANGE DETECTION
(2007-05) Zitello, Adam G
Aquaculture is the fastest growing sector of food production in the world. However, rapid expansion of shrimp aquaculture ponds may induce potentially detrimental changes in extent and health of coastal habitats utilized by migratory shorebirds. The aim of this work is to describe the landscape changes that occurred between 1990 and 2006 in coastal Northeast Brazil as a result of increased shrimp pond development. A suite of remote sensing techniques was employed to process Landsat and ASTER imagery at three separate time periods (1990, 2000 & 2006) and generate land cover maps for each time period. Post-classification change detection analysis revealed critical conversions between identified coastal habitat types in Northeast Brazil. The results of this study revealed a substantial growth of shrimp aquaculture facilities on the northern coast of Northeast Brazil between 1990 and 2006. Contrary to the literature, the expansive tidal salt flats in the study area, not mangrove forests, are experiencing the greatest destruction as a result of shrimp aquaculture. Research and management efforts should be directed at determining the extent of utilization of these salt flat areas by migratory shorebirds.
Open Access
Designing Collaborative Workshops for Rural Churches and Policy-Makers
(2023-04-27) Barnes, Sarah; Alexander, Langston
Rural coastal communities in the Southeastern United States face a worsening combination of natural hazards impacting social services, economies, infrastructure, and local cultures. Despite the role faith communities play in the well-being of rural areas, they have historically been left out of policy deliberations on climate resilience and adaptation. Collaborative learning workshops offer a practical framework to bridge the gap between decision makers and faith communities. To investigate best practices in planning and facilitating workshops, we conducted interviews with community climate adaptation practitioners and formed a literature review using academic sources, guides, and case studies on collaborative learning workshops. Our findings highlight the importance of building long-term collaborative relationships founded on trust and respect. While there is no universal solution to building local resilience to climate change, developing avenues of communication and collective understanding can help communities take steps in addressing climate impacts.
Open Access
Determining local perceptions and challenges for environmental conservation in Utila, Honduras
(2011-04-29) Daniel, Jessica
The Bay Islands are a group of small islands off the coast of Honduras, comprised of three larger islands - Roatan, Utila and Guanaja - and several dozen cays. Due to the Islands’ Caribbean feel and inexpensive cost they have become a popular tourist destination for thrifty travelers and are a frequent stop for SCUBA diving enthusiasts. Major threats in the region are the destruction of natural coastal habitats by increasing coastal population and tourism developments and increased sedimentation due to extensive use of watersheds and inland deforestation. In particular, Utila has become known as one of the best diving sites in the world, placing further pressure on the island’s fragile marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Declines in island species such as the endemic iguana Ctenosaura bakeri have been documented, along with damaged coral reefs from various activities, mangrove deforestation, decreasing coral cover and noted fish declines for several fish species. This last fact may be particularly important given the large fishing community that has existed on the island for decades. Despite Utila’s small size, its roughly 8000 residents are a mix of generational Utilians, mainland Hondurans, and Ex-patriates who come from extremely diverse backgrounds, thus often making attempts to engage the community in environmental conservation difficult. In an effort to understand the environmental knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of Utila’s three main populations, an environmental survey was conducted in the summer of 2010. Results from the survey indicate that the majority of islanders recognize and are concerned with the decreasing health of the island’s ecosystems and resources. It was also found that though most individuals were aware of the island’s various environmental regulations, they recognize that the majority of people do not follow them, and that this is particularly true for fishing regulations. This finding and firsthand experiences led to an in depth look at the Honduran Fisheries Law and subsequent regulations related to the law. This paper presents the findings from the survey and also explores the possibility of using a community based environmental management approach to protect the island’s resources and monitor local fishing practices.
Open Access
Estimating the Lower Temperature Limit of Bottlenose Dolphins Along the North Carolina Coast
(2004) Shoemaker, Mandy
During winter, the coastal ecotype of bottlenose dolphins are at the northern limit of their range off the coast of North Carolina. In this study, the distribution of coastal bottlenose dolphins in North Carolina was evaluated in response to variation in sea surface temperature to determine whether the distribution of dolphins was limited directly or indirectly by winter temperature minima. Observations of dolphin distribution were obtained from monthly aerial surveys conducted along the North Carolina coast during February 2000 through July 2001. Sea surface temperatures were obtained for each survey from NOAA’s Pathfinder satellite, using PO.DAAC Ocean ESIP Tool (POET). Where necessary, the sea surface temperature data was interpolated (krigged) over areas of cloud cover. The northern latitudinal and lower temperature distribution was determined for each survey. During winter months bottlenose dolphins were not distributed throughout their known range of 10-32 °C. Dolphins may be limited directly by temperature, due to the limits of their thermal neutral zone, or indirectly by temperature, through distribution of their prey. To determine how temperature is affecting dolphin distribution in the Western North Atlantic, future research should focus on determining the thermal neutral zone of dolphins in this region. In addition, it would be useful to build a model including other dynamic factors that may affect dolphin distribution. Although results suggest that more research is necessary, there is potential for using results from this type of analysis for management.
Open Access
Facilitating Coastal Stormwater Management in North Carolina: Runoff Estimation and Institutional Education
(2014-04-18) Zaykoski, Peter
In coastal North Carolina, increased surface runoff from urban, agricultural, and forestry development contaminates coastal waters and has led to extensive shellfishing area closures. Coastal communities looking to restore their waters become eligible for restoration funding when they complete watershed restoration plans with numeric pollutant reduction goals. In this work, I present a new geospatial analysis tool for calculating modern and historic stormwater runoff estimates, which can be used as proxies for restoration goals. This tool uses satellite-derived land cover, soils, and precipitation data to provide stormwater estimates using a watershed boundary as the minimum required input. Additionally, to improve the accuracy of estimates, the tool has optional inputs for the proportion of impervious surface that is disconnected in the watershed and for areas drained for forestry operations. I compare the results from this estimator with the more labor intensive methods used in previous stormwater management plans and with estimates from SWARM (Stormwater Runoff Modelling System), recently developed by NOAA. Finally, I provide recommendations for how to best integrate these tools into the current management framework.
Open Access
Managing an Urban Preserve
(2008-04-24T16:34:52Z) McPhee, Christopher
Coastal land tracts are being converted to development at an alarming rate in the United States. A prime example of this fact is the greater Myrtle Beach area in South Carolina where a single private land tract has remained undeveloped. This property was examined to comprehend how it has coped with the surrounding development and to provide support for retaining the stewardship attitude of the current landowner. The forest resources on the property were measured to uncover current weaknesses in the natural ecosystem. Weaknesses identified included deer overpopulation, compromised soil and water, and high fire risk. The information collected in the field provided a foundation for management recommendations that could resolve environmental and social problems. The property was split into seven management areas to best fit the diverse ecosystem types. Recommendations were provided for each individual area as well as for the whole property. These recommendations aimed to protect the property from encroaching development, mitigate environmental damages, advise on expansion and examine income-generating opportunities. Options were designed to fit all stated needs and assist in the overall preservation of this valuable ecological resource.
Open Access
North Carolina Stormwater Compliance Evaluation for the 20 Coastal Counties
(2014-04-24) Bishop, Rachael; Chen, Szu-Ying; Santoni, Amanda
Stormwater is one of the largest sources of pollutants in the United States and contributes sediment, heavy metals, oil, pesticides, fertilizers, bacteria, and other contaminants to coastal waters. Water quality is critical to coastal areas for commercial fishery health and recreational activities. To minimize the introduction of water quality pollutants, North Carolina implemented the State Stormwater Program (SSP) for post construction stormwater management. A study in 2005 identified low compliance rates with the SSP (30.7%) and a follow-up in 2009 found that only 20% of noncompliant sites had rectified their violations. There are currently no studies documenting recent compliance rates with the SSP. This study addressed three objectives: (1) Update the compliance study to include recent trends in compliance and reasons for violations (2) Determine the perceptions of the strengths and opportunities for improvement, and (3) Conduct a program analysis of the SSP. These objectives were achieved by analyzing compliance data from the Division of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources, conducting interviews with a small sample of entities that interact with the SSP, and reviewing applicable compliance literature. The results of our study show potential areas for improvement and were used to make policy recommendations for North Carolina to increase compliance with these regulations. Our results indicate that compared to the 2005 estimate, compliance in 2012 increased to 50%, and was lower in coastal counties than noncoastal counties. In total there were 2,838 compliance inspections between 2008 and 2012. Yearly inspections increased between 2008 and 2010, but decreased sharply in 2011 and remained low in 2012. The majority of violations were due to reporting and maintenance issues. Interview respondents indicated that the main impediments to compliance are maintenance and education, and that compliance could be improved through increased maintenance checks and public outreach efforts. The program analysis showed that while the stormwater program generally has clear regulations, it could benefit from increased visibility of the regulating agency, engagement, as well as education. Potential avenues for improvement are discussed, and are considered within the context of our findings.
Open Access
Offshore Wind in Coastal North Carolina: A Feasibility Study
(2004) Regan, Jessica E.
The objective of this study is to evaluate and analyze data related to the construction of an offshore wind facility located in coastal North Carolina in order to determine whether or not a renewable energy project of this scope and magnitude would be feasible. In order to determine how feasible such a development would be for coastal North Carolina, several different aspects of the project will be analyzed: Ecological impacts, including potential changes in coastal geology and climate patterns; regulations and legal issues; economic issues; and the public’s perception of wind energy. Based on these analyses, recommendations will be made as to whether a project of this scope would be a reasonable undertaking.