This video demonstrates the diversity of our nation's Sea Grant researchers, extension specialists and educators.

One of the featured specialists in the video is New York Sea Grant’s Antoinette Clemetson, a Marine Fisheries Specialist who assists commercial fishers, anglers and trade groups that depend on marine fisheries in determining how they are impacted by new regulations and other fisheries management decisions. In New York, Sea Grant is a cooperative program of the State University of New York and Cornell University.

Established in 1966, NOAA’s National Sea Grant College Program promotes the wise stewardship of coastal resources in over 30 university programs in every U.S. coastal and Great Lakes state and Puerto Rico. The Sea Grant model has also inspired similar projects in the Pacific region, Korea and Indonesia.

So, you see, each state Sea Grant program is part of something much bigger, “One NOAA.” Hence, the concept of this network-wide YouTube video, “I am NOAA Sea Grant.” 

Here is some background information on the video's featured Sea Granters, in order of appearance ...

Lawyer: Melissa Daigle is Louisiana Sea Grant’s legal coordinator. Sea Grant lawyers research and provide legal opinions on a variety of topics – such as water and land use policy, aquaculture permitting processes, wind energy regulation, abandoned vessels and fisheries and maritime issues.

Ports Specialist:  Sustaining an economically and environmentally viable shipping industry on the Great Lakes requires international cooperation. Dale Bergeron with Minnesota Sea Grant has ensured the flow of accurate information among industries, governments, academia and coastal communities to facilitate ballast water policy and research and to prepare Great Lakes shipping for a changing climate.

Food Scientist: Food scientists like Jack Losso with the Louisiana State University AgCenter not only aid in developing methods to make seafood safer for consumption, they also develop value-added products. In a Sea Grant-sponsored project, Losso isolated a compound in oysters that kills breast cancers cells and prevents their growth.

Plant Ecologists: Denise Seliskar and John Gallagher, both with Delaware Sea Grant, study a variety of issues related to wetland plant ecology. Their research includes examining which native wetland plants are best suited to deal with sea level rise, and seashore mallow’s potential both as a biofuel and as a viable crop to grow on low-lying farmland that is increasingly exposed to salt water.

Science Writer: Kathleen Angione joined North Carolina Sea Grant in 2004 as the program’s first Science Communications Fellow and became a staff member the following year. Her work chronicles the program’s accomplishments and is published regularly in Coastwatch magazine, as well as in local, regional and national publications.

Ship Captain: Bill Byam with Delaware Sea Grant has served as captain of the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment vessels for the past 10 years. He is often at the helm of the college's newest ship, the R/V Hugh R. Sharp, for cruises involving Sea Grant research in the Delaware Bay and beyond.

Coastal Engineer:  Jon Miller is the New Jersey Sea Grant coastal process specialist who produces and delivers the annual State of the Shore beach condition report to the Tri-State area media. He also works on New Jersey rip current research and outreach initiatives.

Fisheries Agent: Thu Bui (pronounced “Two Buoy”) is a fisheries extension agent with Louisiana Sea Grant. Fisheries agents work with commercial fishermen and seafood wholesalers, introducing them to new best practices, technologies and regulations that can aid the business operator’s bottom line as well as keep them in compliance with regulatory agencies. In turn, the extension agent helps communicate fishermen’s real-world needs to researchers. Thu, who is fluent in Vietnamese, works extensively with the state’s Vietnamese fishing community.

Citizen Volunteer: A.G. Robbins is a Delaware Sea Grant volunteer for the UD Citizen Monitoring Program. Water quality data collected by citizens like A.G. is used by Sea Grant researchers, as well as state and local environmental partners

Artist: Louisiana Sea Grant artist Robert Ray provides support services, such as creating graphics to compliment research papers. Sea Grant artists also design banners, newsletters, posters, publications and other communications tools.

AUV Researcher: Art Trembanis with Delaware Sea Grant uses autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) in Sea Grant research to learn more about specific habitats on the bottom of Delaware Bay.

IT Professional: As technology support specialist, Matt Haught with North Carolina Sea Grant provides Web site and desktop support in the Raleigh office and manages the online progress reporting system, the Webnibus grant tool and other databases.

Marine Fisheries Specialist: New York Sea Grant’s Antoinette Clemetson, a fisheries specialist in the downstate marine district, assists commercial fishers, anglers and trade groups that depend on marine fisheries in determining how they are impacted by new regulations and other fisheries management decisions.

School Teacher: Trevor Metz (long red hair) is a middle school science teacher in Delaware who uses Delaware Sea Grant publications and outreach materials to enhance his students’ classroom.

Shellfish Researcher: John Supan studies oysters with Louisiana Sea Grant. Oysters and other shellfish are critical components of the Louisiana commercial fishing community. Researchers such as John are investigating ways to breed triploid oysters that stay “fat” year round, resulting in a more marketable product that can be harvested during any season.