Working Together: North Carolina Sea Grant Partnerships

buoy1_staylorNorth Carolina Sea Grant is known for our ability to bring diverse individuals and groups together to look at many aspects of important coastal issues. By working with a wide spectrum of partners, our staff members and researchers leverage efforts and funds, and thereby reduce duplication and achieve more than any one organization can do on its own. Below are examples of our partnerships. View a more extensive list of our partners.


Universities

North Carolina Sea Grant seeks proposals from all 16 campuses in the University of North Carolina, as well as private universities and colleges. We work with top researchers and draw upon expertise across the state in coastal-focused programs at universities, including:

North Carolina State University University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
East Carolina University University of North Carolina Wilmington
Duke University University of North Carolina Charlotte

NOAA

With our federal funding through NOAA's National Sea Grant College Program, North Carolina Sea Grant works closely with NOAA partners across the state, region and nation. In particular, our staff initiated meetings that led to a grassroots NOAA in the Carolinas group that encourages collaboration and innovation among various NOAA offices:

NOAA Office National Undersea Research Program
National Marine Fisheries Service National Climatic Data Center
National Ocean Service National Estuarine Research Reserves
National Weather Service

State of North Carolina

Sea Grant staff and researchers interact with state of North Carolina officials on a variety of issues from providing research for the N.C. General Assembly to assisting programs focusing on community enhancements, marketing andcheap adalat cultural history. Our strongest partnerships are within the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, working with managers and commissions focusing on fisheries, storm water and coastal resources, as well environmental education programs for all ages.

Community Organizations

The loyalties of coastal residents and visitors are evident in participation in varied groups that partner with Sea Grant. For example, N.C. Big Sweep ‚ a statewide, waterways cleanup program with more than 230,000 volunteers in the last 20 years ‚Äì was initiated as N.C. Beach Sweep by former Sea Grant marine educator Lundie Spence.

International

It is not surprising that several of North Carolina Sea Grant's international partnerships highlight islands‚ from seafood technology in the Faroe Islands to aquaculture in Japan. Also, North Carolina Sea Grant was a model for and continues to mentor Indonesia's expanding Sea Partnership Program‚ which former Sea Grant graduate student Widi A. Pratitko brought from dream to reality.


Photo: NCSG Stock