Several commercial fishermen from the Outer Banks have been paying it forward this winter with donations of fish to a local food pantry. Buddy Coppersmith (F/V Emily Shay), Jimmy Taylor (F/V Windy Gale), and Dewey Hemilright (F/V Tar Baby), have been commercial fishermen for most of their lives. Recently, they’ve been working under a cooperative…
Since 2014, the Coastal Federation has partnered with the NOAA Marine Debris Program, N.C. Sea Grant, N.C. Marine Patrol and local commercial fishermen to remove derelict fishing gear from northeastern North Carolina waters. This year marks our third year of data collection. Approximately a dozen commercial boats dispersed throughout the entirety of the Marine Patrol’s…
Last spring in the northeast office, a Duke student showed up on our doorstep. Her name was Dia Hitt and she wanted to know if she could do a project with us for her Community Based Management class. The goal of the class was to pick an organization that the student was interested in learning…
Federation intern, Mariko Polk, recently won first place in the student category of the Battle of the GeoMaps at the North Carolina ArcGIS User Group 2015 Conference. The Battle of the GeoMaps is a mapping poster competition that recognizes achievement in solving problems faced by the user community or public at large. Judged by peers…
I met Joe Kilpatrick in 1983 during my first visit with the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation in Winston-Salem. He provided a warm, friendly greeting, and gave me strong encouragement as the fledgling North Carolina Coastal Federation was just getting its footing. Thus began a friendship that lasted more than three decades. Joe helped the federation…
Fowler Awarded Lifetime Achievement Honors Ocean— The winners of the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s annual Pelican Awards have been announced. The awards recognize exemplary work of people, organizations and groups to protect and enhance the N.C. coast. The awards were presented today at the North Carolina History Center in New Bern. “These awards recognize the…
Todd Miller, founder and executive director of the North Carolina Coastal Federation, was named Thursday a “Hero of the Seas” as part of the prestigious Peter Benchley Ocean Awards. The awards celebrate outstanding leaders who help preserve our oceans and support the coastal communities that rely on a beautiful and productive coast. Wendy Benchley co-founded…
NORTH TOPSAIL BEACH UPDATE, MAY 8, 2015 On April 29th the Corps of Engineers approved the extension request by the town contingent upon compliance with the terms of the biological opinion issued by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The town also received approval from the Division of Coastal Management for the permit extension. The…