PHOTO: L. Rider, 2020

The Ocean Friendly Establishments program helps you identify some of the many local businesses who take an extra effort to protect our local community environment.

Ocean Friendly Establishments (OFE), a nonprofit founded in 2015 during the NC Marine Debris Symposium, and emerged from concern over the amount of plastic pollution found on our beaches.

Plastics like disposable straws, styrofoam containers, and leftover condiment packages are all threats to the local marine environment. Consumers can take steps to avoid these plastics, but avoiding harmful materials is difficult if a business doesn’t offer a sustainable alternative. Being able to choose businesses that offer environmentally safe options is essential. That’s what Ocean Friendly Establishments is dedicated to – recognizing businesses that keep our environment safe.

OFE, which has North Carolina chapters in Cape Fear, Crystal Coast, Topsail, the Outer Banks, and Brunswick County, is coordinated by a local conservation nonprofit and certifies businesses who agree to protect the environment. For businesses, that means only offering straws to customers on request, in addition to other measures like reducing plastic use, providing recycling facilities, and composting food waste.

Ocean Friendly Establishments also provide education and outreach opportunities for businesses. According to OFE founder Ginger Taylor, “most [businesses] are eager to learn about simple changes they can make to help protect our marine environment.”

For the Carteret and Onslow County areas, Coastal Carolina Riverwatch partners with the local Plastic Free by the Sea group, the Bogue Banks Surfrider chapter, and Ocean Fest to certify OFE businesses.

Finding an Ocean Friendly Establishment in your area is a great way to show support for environmental causes while enjoying local shops and restaurants in your community.

Plastic pollution was identified by both commercial and recreational fisheries representatives as one of the top five water quality impacts to NC fisheries.

Learn more about plastic pollution, Water Quality for Fisheries, and Ocean Friendly Establishments during the 2022 NC Marine Debris Symposium.

Save the Date – October 12-14th, 2022 at the Duke University Marine Laboratory.

PHOTO: S. Wheatcraft, CCRW Board Director. 2020

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Shark Conservation through Photography

When asked what North Carolina’s diving is most famous for, she states “Wrecks and Sharks!”

The North Carolina Wreck Shark Shootout is a photo and video competition in Morehead City hosted by Mike Gerken at Olympus Dive Center.

Every year divers and photographers migrate from all over the world to share a love of diving, underwater photography, sharks, wrecks and compete for big prizes in the competition. The NC Coast is famous for their numerous shipwrecks that are home to the prolific sand tiger shark; Carcharias taurus, cousin to the great white shark.

The wrecks are also host to a myriad of marine species from up and down the food chain. Large numbers of jacks, barracudas, tunas, spade fish, cobia, giant stingrays, sea turtles and NST’s (non-sandtigers) are seen with regularity.

“Sand tiger sharks are the main subject for the NC Wreck Shark Shootout and there is no better place to photograph them on the historic wrecks off the Carolina Coast.” – Mike Gerken

Other programs like Spot A Shark USA, offer a citizen-science-based program that engages divers to take part in data collection that can be useful in shark conservation efforts.

“Events like the the NC Wreck Shark Shootout and programs like Spot a Shark are a wonderful way to bring conservation awareness to this fragile species of shark as well as the entire coastal ecosystem they call home.” – L.Rider, Coastal Carolina Riverwatch

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No one should ever have to swim in unsafe waters. How can you tell if your local river or beach is safe? Check out Swim Guide!

Swim Guide is a resource for water lovers informed by the most current water sampling results.

In the White Oak River basin, Swim Guide data is pulled directly from the Department of Environmental Quality’s Recreational Water Quality Program.

From beaches, lakes, or rivers, the Swim Guide is an online map that shows you areas that are safe for water recreation and those unsafe due to bacteria levels or pollution.

How the Swim Guide Works

Polluted water can lead to waterborne illnesses. That’s why it’s important to have current and accurate data: to protect both water and people. If the water exceeds the federal safety standards of safety the water area is considered unsafe for recreation and noted with a red icon. However, if the water is safe, it is marked with a green icon, meaning it’s safe to use.

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You can also find water quality data and swim advisories directly on The Department of Environmental Quality’s website. The DEQ monitors recreational water quality at 213 sites in NC, many of which are in our watershed.

Waters are tested for enterococcus bacteria, which is an indicator organism found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals, transported through feces. The presence of enterococcus does not necessarily cause illness, but can be correlated with disease-causing pathogens. Excess nutrients also associated with fecal contamination can cause algae blooms and fish kills.

Sewage, wastewater treatment malfunctions, agricultural runoff, improper manure applications, storm water, domestic animal and wildlife waste, boat waste dumping, polluted groundwater, soils, sediments, and sands.

Ways to reduce bacterial contamination:

• Always pick up after your pet.
• Maintain septic tanks.
• Follow boating sewage regulations.
• Wash your car at commercial car washes to reduce runoff.
• Install rain barrels and other methods of runoff control.
• Protect wetlands that filter pollutants.
• Reduce impervious surfaces.
• Advocate for wastewater system improvements.
• Support local farmers practicing sustainable animal agriculture.

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With a heavy heart, I will be moving from my position as White Oak Waterkeeper at Coastal Coastal Carolina Riverwatch at the end of July 2022 to pursue furthering my education.

I have absolutely loved my experience here with CCRW and in coastal NC. I am looking forward to expanding my horizons by exploring new fields of work and using what I have learned from this experience to grow as an advocate for change.

Working for CCRW has been the most rewarding chapter of my life thus far. It has been an honor to serve our waterways alongside all of you and I could not have asked for a better colleague and mentor than Executive Director, Lisa Rider.

In my four years of employment with CCRW, we have accomplished so much through grassroots community action.

We have worked collaboratively with East Coast advocates to achieve a moratorium on offshore drilling, reinvigorated our Pure Farms, Pure Waters program, developed a targeted CAFO monitoring program, certified 30 Ocean Friendly Establishments, greatly increased our network of partners, connected our community to sustainable food alternatives, impeded irresponsible coastal development, removed over 20,000 pounds of marine debris, and developed meaningful relationships with our fishing community.

I believe there is a very noticeable increase in our community’s environmental awareness and engagement due to CCRW’s efforts and support from water quality advocates like you.

None of this work would be possible without a strong cohort of volunteers, members, and supporters. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to each of you for your part in these achievements.

Watching CCRW grow, and helping to build it with staff, board, and our community has been so impactful for me, but more importantly for our waterways.

I look forward to CCRW’s continued success, and I know I will be a lifetime advocate for water quality.

Though I am departing, I will forever be an avid supporter of CCRW’s work and mission because I will always believe in it so strongly.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Drohan,

White Oak Waterkeeper

PHOTO: L.RIDER 2022

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Terrapin Tally

The Terrapin Tally is a project created in partnership with the NC Coastal Reserve & National Estuarine Research Reserve and the NC Wildlife Resources Commission to help address questions about the overall population status and condition of the Diamondback Terrapin within the state.

The diamondback terrapin is listed as a species of special concern within the state and Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the NC Wildlife Action Plan.

The Terrapin Tally is structured as a community science activity that aims to take a snapshot of the diamondback terrapin population numbers in a given area by conducting kayak surveys at specified times and prescribed routes.

CCRW Board Director, Suzanne Wheatcraft, participated in the 2022 Terrapin Tally with board donor Andy Wheatcraft, and Georgia Minnich. They canoed Calico Creek in Morehead City, NC. Results will be located on the Terrapin Tally website found here.

To read more about volunteer opportunities at CCRW, please click here.

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