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Climate Change Creates Underwater Drama Off NC Coast

Intertwining ocean currents off the coast of North Carolina form a unique environment for marine species. Both tropically-inclined and colder water animals mingle at the intersection of the Gulf Stream and the arctic Labrador Current. 

Host Frank Stasio talks with WUNC reporter Jay Price about how rising sea temperatures raises issues for commercial fishers and the larger marine ecosystem.  But as the sea temperature rises, many fish seem to be relocating farther north. This raises issues for commercial fishers and the larger marine ecosystem.

Host Frank Stasio speaks with WUNC reporter Jay Price about how the sea bass industry is being threatened, and why the Pamlico Sound may be the new breeding ground for the aggressive bull shark.  

 Charles Bangley of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and a member of his research team night fishing for juvenile bull sharks on the Pamlico Sound.
Jay Price / WUNC
/
WUNC
Charles Bangley of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and a member of his research team night fishing for juvenile bull sharks on the Pamlico Sound.

Copyright 2017 North Carolina Public Radio

Laura Pellicer is a producer with The State of Things (hyperlink), a show that explores North Carolina through conversation. Laura was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, a city she considers arrestingly beautiful, if not a little dysfunctional. She worked as a researcher for CBC Montreal and also contributed to their programming as an investigative journalist, social media reporter, and special projects planner. Her work has been nominated for two Canadian RTDNA Awards. Laura loves looking into how cities work, pursuing stories about indigenous rights, and finding fresh voices to share with listeners. Laura is enamored with her new home in North Carolina—notably the lush forests, and the waves where she plans on moonlighting as a mediocre surfer.
Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.