Virginia Sea Grant NEWS
Research, policy ‘paved the way’
for eelgrass carbon credits in Virginia
As water quality improvements allow seagrass meadows to survive and expand, carbon offset credits from registered projects could provide a funding mechanism for additional restoration work, said Karen McGlathery, lead investigator at the Virginia Coast Reserve Long-Term Ecological Research area, where the study was conducted.
Digital storyteller talks science communication
during VIMS virtual Marine Science Day
Virginia Sea Grant’s digital storyteller Aileen Devlin answered questions about visual science communication and her career path. You can watch a recording of her Q&A session and read some of her answers here.
Research identifies social and economic barriers to growth of oyster aquaculture
A paper published in the March issue of Frontiers in Marine Science is the first to link social and economic factors with Virginia oyster lease productivity.
National Ocean Sciences Bowl adapts to
first-ever virtual competition
With some adjustments and flexibility, 19 teams who won regional ocean science competitions were able to participate in the 23rd National Ocean Sciences Bowl. This year’s competition featured biology, chemistry, geology, physics, and policy questions related to the theme of “understanding human, economic, and environmental resiliency in the Gulf of Mexico.”
Knauss fellow applies policy to protect marine sanctuaries
Sophie Godfrey-McKee supported the Monterey Bay and Channel Island National Marine Sanctuaries during her 2019 Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship in NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. As part of the policy and planning division, Godfrey-McKee contributed to biological evaluations and consultation letters that outlined the environmental impacts of research and day-to-day management for the seafloor.
Aquaculture, aquariums, and seafood safety at VSAREC
VSAREC staff provides technical support and scientific guidance to the seafood and aquaculture industries, both in Virginia and throughout the U.S. through food safety training, support for food processors, and internship programs that train future leaders in cutting-edge aquaculture.
Inventory and Innovation:
Fellows lay groundwork for Virginia’s coastal master plan
The coastal resilience master plan will identify Virginia’s coastal vulnerability, identify coastal resilience projects in progress, and make recommendations for future priorities.
VSAREC survey paints ‘dire picture’
for US aquaculture from COVID-19
A survey of aquaculture, aquaponics, and allied businesses conducted by aquaculture specialists is tracking the effects of COVID-19 on U.S. aquaculture.
Digital Coast fellow shows how coastal planning and prep
pays off for Gulf Coast
NOAA Digital Coast Fellow Shanna Williamson is analyzing the flooding responses planned by 20 Gulf Coast Counties to determine common types of responses and their return on investment.
Graduate Symposium 2020:
Learning to think outside and inside the box
The poster session was one of many “out of the box” components of the Graduate Symposium 2020, designed to strengthen the skillsets and networks of graduate students engaged in coastal and marine studies.
A message to the VASG community about COVID-19
We are all practicing fluid, flexible thinking in response to the rapidly changing situation – that same idea that we advance in the professional development training for our fellows, that we need to learn how to be comfortable being uncomfortable.
Chefs’ symposium equips students,
professionals to tell the ‘story’ behind seafood
The Chefs’ Seafood Symposium, hosted by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science’s Marine Advisory Program, aims to connect chefs with the science behind the seafood they serve.
VASG director appointed to
Water Center state advisory board
Troy Hartley, director of Virginia Sea Grant, has been appointed to the Virginia Water Resources Research Center statewide advisory board. Hartley is one of four new appointees to the Water Center’s advisory board in 2020.
Blue Crab Blues:
Will ocean acidification cause growing pains for baby crabs?
Acidic water can affect the protective shells blue crabs grow as they mature to adulthood, but how will acidic conditions affect a crab’s earliest life stages?
Resilience panel says shoot for the moon,
think beyond the project, trust the process
Panelists emphasized that this collaboration, along with an understanding of resilience and sustainability, requires an open dialogue between different groups—and can be as simple as starting conversations with colleagues or family members.
Restoring a shoreline to strengthen coastal communities
During her 2019 Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, Ali Burgos brought this project to life for congressional staffers and other government officials during a site visit to Swan Island.
Getting Off the Ground: Fellow investigates floating foundations
Elevating homes can keep flood water out, but what about houses that could rise above the flooding—and still return to ground level once the water subsides? One technique called amphibiation allows houses to do just that.
Algal blooms can nip oysters in the bud
Fellow investigates impacts of harmful algae on aquaculture
Sometimes on late summer nights, the waves glow bright blue along the beaches of the York River. But the algal blooms responsible for this spectacle can also cause trouble for oyster aquaculture.
Covi moves on to “greener pastures”
after six years as VASG extension agent at ODU
After six years of boots-on-the-ground resilience efforts, Climate Adaptation & Resilience Assistant Professor of Practice Michelle Covi is leaving big shoes to fill at Old Dominion University. Covi relocated to Georgia to live and work on her family’s farm at the end of last year.
VCPC Conference
focuses on regional lessons in ‘Planning, Partnerships, and Paying for it all’
When discussing coastal resilience, one component of the community is often not present at the table: the private sector. The 2019 Virginia Coastal Policy Center (VCPC) Conference focused on “The Ps of Resilience: Planning, Partnerships, and Paying for It All.”
