Sea Grant Highlights: January 2019

January 31, 2019

Stories from around the Sea Grant network

News from around the Sea Grant network

With so much awesome work happening within Sea Grant, it can be hard to keep up! Here’s a look back at some of Sea Grant highlights you may have missed from this month:

Connecticut

Connecticut Sea Grant develops an interactive story map on coastal storm preparedness to help residents better understand their own risks.

Delaware

Reemerging oyster industry good for economy and environment: Delaware Sea Grant campaign promotes the state’s reemerging oyster industry

Illinois-Indiana

Microplastic contamination found in common source of groundwater, researchers report: Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant-funded work is the first to report microplastics in fractured limestone aquifers – a groundwater source that accounts for 25% of the global drinking water supply.

Louisiana

Shrimpers turn to social media to sell their wares: Louisiana Sea Grant Seafood Industry Liaison Julie Falgout interviewed as part of this Science Friday story on direct marketing.

Maryland

Climate change is washing away the Chesapeake’s Bay treasures: Maryland Sea Grant’s communicator Rona Kobell’s feature in the Washington Post talks about work to document impacts of climate change on the historic town of Smithville.

Rhode Island

Rhode Island Sea Grant-funded survey of fishers finds varied perceptions of impacts of Block Island Wind Farm

Virginia

Watermen get say on how to tackle ‘ghost pots’ in the Chesapeake Bay: Virginia Sea Grant graduate research fellow Jim DelBene’s Derelict Blue Crab Pot Survey engages watermen to reduce lost crab pots.

Opportunities

John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship – The application period for the 2020 fellowship is now open. Applications are due to state Sea Grant programs by February 22, 2019.

DEADLINE EXTENDED for 2019 Population and Ecosystem Dynamics and Marine Resource Economics fellowship opportunities. Applications now due to Sea Grant programs by February 28, 2019.

“PopDy and EcoSci”: A Population and Ecosystem Science Workshop – Applications are now being accepted for an all-expenses paid, two-week workshop for undergraduate students and newly-graduated Bachelor’s degree recipients. Applications are due April 15, 2019.

As always, check out the Sea Grant careers page and follow Florida Sea Grant’s weekly Jobs Roundup for more opportunities.

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Group of people removing ghost nets from a beach.

Alabama

Biden-Harris administration invests $27 million to support community-driven marine debris solutions through Investing in America agenda

Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA announced $27 million in funding for projects to prevent and remove marine debris in coastal and Great Lakes communities as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

This funding will support innovative research and foster local coalitions to address urgent marine debris issues by using NOAA Sea Grant’s partnered approach to bring science together with communities for solutions that work.

Shoring up the future, together: Collaborative efforts in coastal resilience across the Mid-Atlantic

Community members and city leaders gathered during a listening session to identify key climate readiness needs in Erie, Pennsylvania during June of 2023. (Photo by

Biden-Harris Administration invests $60 million to build a climate-ready workforce through Investing in America agenda

Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA announced $60 million in funding to help train and place people in jobs that advance a climate-ready workforce for coastal and Great Lakes states, Tribes and Territories as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda under the Inflation Reduction Act. To date, awards like these from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda have created more than 270,000 jobs across the country.

The funding will support nine projects around the nation, with $50 million going directly to the projects and $10 million for technical assistance to support the grantees.