The North Carolina Shellfish Initiative was officially launched at a public event in Morehead City.
North Carolina is participating in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Shellfish Initiative, a program which bolsters shellfish populations in U.S. coastal waters. The secretary of the State Department of Environmental Quality Michael Regan announced Gov. Cooper’s support of the initiative at the public event Thursday. Coastal Scientist Erin Fleckenstien with the North Carolina Coastal Federation said the Initiative will help create jobs, protect water quality, promote shellfish health and ensure sustainable management.
“North Carolina for a long time has been working to restore our shellfish populations. This Initiative allows us the opportunity to combine both the local and state efforts with the national support from NOAA.”
The public event was held at the North Carolina State University Center for Marine Sciences and Technology building in Morehead City.
