North Carolina has become the first state in the southeast US and sixth in the country to launch a state Shellfish Initiative to protect shellfish health and support sustainable management.
The state shellfish initiative is modelled after the National Shellfish Initiative, a programme led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to demonstrate the social, economic and environmental importance of shellfish. The initiative is expected to help leverage existing partnerships and make North Carolina more competitive for federal funding.
“Our partnership brings national attention to the state of North Carolina,” said Michael Regan, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.
Economy boost
Regan stressed that the Shellfish Initiative will advance ongoing work to strengthen the state’s economy while restoring coastal water quality and habitat and supporting sustainable seafood. He also reiterated the Governor of North Carolina, Roy Cooper’s support for advancing shellfish restoration and mariculture.
Will Best, special projects coordinator at the North Carolina Department of Commerce, also spoke about the importance of shellfish to the state’s economy, noting that the 2017 farm gate shellfish mariculture value is almost double what it was the year before. He also pointed out that the Swan Island Oyster Sanctuary, which is primarily funded by a NOAA grant and the North Carolina General Assembly, created 56 jobs.
Dr Ken Riley, marine ecologist at NOAA; Todd Miller, executive director of the North Carolina Coastal Federation; Steve Murphey, director of the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries; and Dr Susan White, executive director of North Carolina Sea Grant, all spoke about how partners have worked together to advance shellfish restoration and mariculture in North Carolina, as well as about what’s next for the state.
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