Abstract:
Coastal North Carolina has about 2.3 million acres of marsh, wetlands, creeks, rivers, and sounds, making up the largest estuarine system on the Atlantic coast. Productivity of fish and shellfish breeding in this system depends upon an influx of nutrients and fresh water from upland areas. The health of this estuarine system is a good indicator of how well water resources are being protected in North Carolina. Currently, the large agricultural interests disagree with concerned commercial fishermen saying fresh-water fishing grounds are being polluted with farm chemicals.