Haint Blue

Paige Copenhaver completed a B.S. in Physics & Astronomy at the University of Georgia and then found a calling in ocean policy and conservation. Her goal is to use her unique interdisciplinary background to work toward protecting the world’s oceanic ecosystems through sustainable international policy solutions for illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.  A law enforcement officer communicating with fishers on a Chinese vessel during a security check for the Oceania Maritime Security Initiative mission to combat transnational crimes, enforce fisheries laws, and enhance regional security in the Pacific Ocean. Two of this century’s most important issues are the future of the world’s oceans and the rise of China as a global economic and political power. China’s expanding global fishing fleet is at the interface of these two issues. The Chinese fishing industry has exploded in the last 30 years, and China now has the largest fishing fleet in the world with 200,000 to 80...

Michelle Rackley is a masters student in UNC Wilmington’s Coastal and Ocean Policy program. She also received her bachelor's degree at UNCW in Marine Biology. Michelle grew up in Maryland, spending most of her free time boating on the Chesapeake Bay with her family. This is where her passion for conservation began, as she was exposed to the importance of the estuary, as well as the problems facing it. Her experiences inspired her to be a steward for the environment and guided her to pursue a career in conservation and advocacy. A bulkhead to prevent erosion juxtaposed with the living shoreline of the Alligator River Canal by Michelle Lotker Erosion threatens North Carolina’s estuarine coastline, ranging from 2 to 4 feet per year. Erosion is a naturally occurring process due to daily tides, wave and wind energy, and storm events. This process is exacerbated as humans increase wave energy through boat wakes, increase in the building of coastal structures, and as climate change...

Rachel Baker is a student in the Masters of Coastal and Ocean Policy Program at UNCW, where she also graduated from in 2017 with a B.S. in marine biology. As an avid scuba diver with a passion for marine science education, Rachel worked teaching underwater research methods upon graduation until she read more into environmental policy and discovered a newfound passion for applying her natural sciences background to the world of policy. Rachel is now focused on research pertaining to coastal resiliency and wants to spend her career protecting the coastlines of her home state, North Carolina.  Source: yaleclimateconnections.org Coastal wetlands have increasingly faced difficulties in the establishment of adequate protection from rapid coastal development and urbanization. A phenomenon known as the “ coastal squeeze ” is occurring as sea levels rise and people are moving to coastal areas at a disproportionate rate, causing a need for more developments. In fact, even though fifty...

Amelia E. Woodruff is a candidate of the Master of Coastal and Ocean Policy program at UNC Wilmington of the spring graduating class of 2021. She graduated from UNCW in the fall of 2018 with a B.S. in Marine Biology and Environmental Science with concentrations in conservation. Growing up visiting North Carolina Beaches, Amelia has fostered a love for the coast that grew further when she moved to Wilmington for university and began pursuing her SCUBA Instructor certification. Her interests lie in the science and policy of resiliency to natural disasters and climate change, wetland conservation and restoration, as well as fisheries management. The Lucky Amy sits surrounded by less fortunate vessels following hurricane Katrina. Source: cbsnews The coastal region of North Carolina experiences their fair share of damaging hurricanes that cost families, businesses, and ultimately taxpayers billions of dollars. The fishing community is no exception to these expenses, experiencing loss...

Sheryl Brock  is a student in the Masters of Coastal and Ocean Policy program at UNC Wilmington. She graduated from Methodist University in 2019 with a BS in Biology, and Environmental and Occupational Management. Sheryl combines her knowledge of water quality standards and analytical techniques to convey restoration plan capabilities in hopes of interpreting policy implementations to better serve our impaired waters. Brunswick County is known as the fastest growing county in North Carolina , rising from just 1,182 acres to 16,885 acres developed over the past 30 years. As development continues to rise in Brunswick County, North Carolina, so does the percentage of impaired waters in the area; in particular, the Lockwood Folly River. In coordination with the Clean Water Act, the state of North Carolina has issued numerous restoration plans in hopes of rehabilitating the river to a suitable recreational waterbody. Loss of shell fishing revenue and the political backlash from f...

Julia Gerringer is a student in the Master of Coastal and Ocean Policy program at UNC-Wilmington. She is a 2019 graduate from UNC-Wilmington with a bachelors of science in marine biology. Julia has worked as the grant coordinator at The Children’s Museum of Wilmington for almost two years, working on her writing skills and working with kids and their love of STEM. Julia has a passion for marine mammal conservation and community outreach.  In 1972, the U.S. enacted the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), establishing a moratorium on “takings” of marine mammals protecting which includes killing, harassment, hunting or capturing. The two main objectives of the Act are to 1) prevent marine mammals from depleting to a point where they are not functional in their ecosystem and 2) restore diminished populations to their optimum sustainable populations (OSP). When the MMPA was written, it was based on the losses of dolphins from tuna purse seine fishing and the depletion of marine...