North Carolina Maps Manmade Structures Along Its Coast

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By Pilot Online | 28 August 2012 | 333

To find out what might be happening along North Carolina's 12,000 miles of estuarine shoreline, the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources has spent about two years constructing an online map marking the piers, docks and bridges, and miles of bulkheads. Over the next few years, scientists could use the map to determine whether a cluster of piers and docks coincides with depleted fishery habitats, said Kevin McVerry, a GIS contractor for the state and one of the creators of the map. Many environmental scientists believe man-made structures over the water are blocking sunlight and could be diminishing the growth of sub-aquatic vegetation needed for young fish to thrive. Read More