National Sea Grant College Program The National Sea Grant College Program engages the nation’s top universities in conducting scientific research, education, and extension projects designed to help us better understand and use our ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources. Sea Grant focuses its efforts on: Conducting research to tackle priority problems and opportunities identified by coastal residents and businesses and local, regional, state, and federal agencies; Transferring scientific research results to user groups such as natural resource managers and coastal business people; Providing training opportunities for K-12 teachers to bring the sciences into the classroom as well as for undergraduate and graduate students to be mentored by senior researchers; and Informing the public about marine and coastal issues through extension and communication projects. The 30 Sea Grant programs, located in coastal and Great Lakes states and Puerto Rico, serve as the core of a dynamic national network of more than 200 participating institutions involving more than 3,000 scientists, engineers, outreach experts, educators, and students. The Sea Grant network addresses key issues and opportunities in areas such as aquaculture, aquatic nuisance species, coastal community development, estuarine research, fisheries management, coastal hazards, marine biotechnology, marine engineering, seafood safety, and water quality. Because Sea Grant is non-regulatory and focuses on generating and disseminating science-based information, it serves as an “honest broker” among a wide range of groups, such as commercial and recreational fishermen, educators, fish farmers, state and local planning officials, port and harbor commissioners, seafood processors and retailers, and natural resource, water and environmental quality managers. By employing the expertise and skills of the network’s universities, research institutions, and programs, Sea Grant activities have spurred economic growth and cost savings, created new products and services, enhanced coastal and marine resource management, reduced the loss of life and property, and educated tens of thousands of K-12 and university students. Some examples of Sea Grant’s impact include: Coastal Hazards: Based on Sea Grant recommendations, North Carolina implemented revisions to the state’s hurricane-resistant building code in 1986 that increased the required minimum depth of foundation pilings for erosion-prone coastal buildings. Hurricane Fran in 1996 was the first test of these standards. On Topsail Island, 200 of the 205 newer oceanfront houses built to the “Sea Grant” standards survived the hurricane with minimal foundation damage. In comparison, more than 500 older oceanfront houses in the same area were destroyed. Marine Biotechnology: Sea Grant organized the first systematic research effort in the United States to develop new drugs from marine organisms. As a result, Sea Grant researchers have discovered and described more than 1,000 compounds that may be vitally important as new anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial agents. Aquaculture: As a result of Sea Grant’s investment in aquaculture research and extension efforts, pond culture of hybrid striped bass has expanded from a small demonstration project in 1987 to an industry that produces more than 5 million pounds of fish annually. Pond culture accounts for more than half of all hybrid striped bass aquaculture operations, which generate more than $25 million in income for fish farmers each year. Seafood Science and Safety: To aid the seafood industry in meeting training needs called for by new Food and Drug Administration standards, Sea Grant spearheaded the formation of the “Seafood HACCP Alliance,” an intergovernmental agency partnership with industry and academia. The Alliance’s programs reached more than 5,000 U.S. processing plants and 6,000 importers and international suppliers with training on new seafood handling and processing techniques. It is estimated that the program prevented as many as 60,000 seafood-related illnesses a year, thereby saving as much as $115 million annually. For more information contact Jana Goldman, NOAA Research Public Affairs, (301) 713-2483 or Ben Sherman, National Sea Grant Media Officer, (202) 662-7095. NOAA Public Affairs | Reporter Resources | NOAA Backgrounders || NOAA Home Page Updated July 2002