May 16, 2015 — North Carolina’s greatest natural asset is also its most delicate – its coast. It needs to be watched over, preserved and protected. Instead, its surface is being trampled by development, its waterfronts stripped of their natural character and the underwater beds of the Albemarle-Pamlico Sound raked by reckless trawling.
The state has plenty of regulations, divisions and commissions charged with caring for the coast. But in recent years, that mission seems to have come second to concerns about commerce and profits. Gov. Pat McCrory’s strongest comment about the coast has been to call for offshore oil drilling.
While many profit from the coast, its value is draining away. Fish stocks are dwindling. Inshore waters are filling with sediment and being degraded by pollution. Fish nurseries are not adequately protected. Regulations aren’t well-enforced because of a lack of funding for more officers.
Last week, the North Carolina Wildlife Federation declared enough is enough. At a news conference in Morehead City, the federation presented a sweeping set of recommendations under the title of: “Sound Solutions: Sustaining North Carolina’s marine resources and wildlife.”
Read the full story editorial from The News & Observer