NOAA partners with dive operators to help preserve North Carolina’s shipwrecks:
Contact: Tane Casserley, Maritime Archaeologist and Research Coordinator phone: 757-591-7333 Email: Tane.Casserley@noaa.gov
Website: http://monitor.noaa.gov/involved/anchor.html
NOAA’s Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is working with North Carolina’s SCUBA diving operators to preserve and promote the state’s maritime heritage resources by educating them on the value of shipwrecks as a historic and economic resource and giving them the tools to interact with these resources in a responsible manner. In addition to their historical significance, the shipwrecks also are crucial drivers for local heritage tourism, SCUBA diving, and recreational fishing. To initiate this partnership, the sanctuary launched an outreach and conservation initiative called Appreciating the Nation’s Cultural Heritage and Ocean Resources (ANCHOR). Working with North Carolina dive and tourism-related businesses, NOAA hopes to strengthen public appreciation of these fragile resources and help preserve them for the future. ANCHOR is based on the successful “Blue Star” program created by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to reduce the impact of divers and snorkelers on the local coral reef ecosystem. ANCHOR’s mission is to reduce human impacts on shipwrecks and other maritime heritage resources. In collaboration with local dive operators, the program seeks to inform the public on how to responsibly access the shipwrecks and promote respectful interactions with shipwrecks as both a maritime heritage resource and as thriving artificial reefs. The ANCHOR program is based on the concept that all divers and snorkelers can do their part to make sure no harm comes to our precious marine resources. By working in partnership with local divers, ANCHOR provides a way for seasoned SCUBA divers to develop greater appreciation of North Carolina’s shipwrecks while also reaching a new generation of aquatic explorers. For further information: http://monitor.noaa.gov/involved/anchor.html
Program in Maritime Studies, East Carolina University and UNC (UNC-CSI) Coastal Studies Institute:
Contact: Nathan Richards, richardsn@ecu.edu or Lynn Harris, harrisly@ecu.edu
Website: http://www.ecu.edu/cs-cas/maritime/
http://csi.northcarolina.edu/content/education.htm
The Program in Maritime studies faculty and advanced graduate students offer NAS courses in Greenville and the Outer Banks, NC and in 2016 year with Costa Rica collaborators http://blog.ecu.edu/sites/hist5530/ as part of a capacity building initiative during fall field school. This year ECU signed a 3-year MOA (2016-2019) with Costa Rica to offer ongoing NAS courses an annual basis combined with field school community outreach initiatives. The NAS license is a joint partnership with NC -NOAA. Nathan Richards is the maritime archaeology director for the new Coastal Studies Institute located at the Outer Banks. Formed in 2003, the UNC Coastal Studies Institute (UNC-CSI) is an inter-university research institute located in Skyco on Roanoke Island. It is the mission of the UNC Coastal Studies Institute to undertake research, offer educational opportunities, provide community outreach programs, and enhance communication among those concerned with the unique history, culture and environment of the maritime counties of North Carolina. Research and education programs of the UNC Coastal Studies Institute address pressing coastal issues and topics of concern to northeastern North Carolina. Place-based research with real world application to this region allows UNC-CSI to remain nimble as it provides unbiased scientific information to decision makers, resource managers and the public. UNC-CSI’s research focuses on five main areas:
Estuarine Ecology and Human Health
Coastal Engineering and Ocean Energy
Public Policy and Coastal Sustainability
Maritime Heritage
Coastal Processes
While the institute emphasizes northeastern North Carolina in its outreach and education programs, its research draws on the resources of the entire region and encompasses all of the mid-Atlantic and southeastern coast of the United States. It offers a variety of workshops, seminars, and lectures, as well as opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students to become involved in ongoing research. CSI is committed to providing high quality education and outreach opportunities for students and residents to interact, learn and engage.