Year in Review
A message from our director
“I hope you enjoy learning more about many of Delaware Sea Grant’s proudest achievements from the past year. We’ve been fortunate to have worked with partners from across the state to leverage our collective efforts and make a difference in the lives of Delawareans.
We look forward to meeting more of you this year as we continue the work to protect our most valuable resources.”
Joanna York, Director
By the numbers
Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture
In early July 2023, Delaware Sea Grant’s oyster hatchery sent 200 bags of shell with roughly 105,000 oyster spat—or baby oysters—to a commercial aquaculture operation in the Delaware Bay using larvae that the pilot oyster hatchery produced.
The hatchery has longstanding partnerships with Delaware shellfish farmers but this is the first time that the hatchery supplied a grower with oyster larvae. In addition to providing resources for professional aquaculture operations in Delaware, Delaware Sea Grant aquaculture specialists have played an integral role in serving as technical resources for teachers throughout Delaware interested in incorporating aquaculture into their curriculums.
Further reading: Delaware Sea Grant sends first batch of baby oysters to a commercial aquaculture operation in Delaware
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
Recreational shark fisheries in Delaware
Research funded by Delaware Sea Grant is investigating what happens to sharks after they are released by anglers in the Delaware Bay. The goal is to gauge the likelihood that sharks will survive post-release while also exploring potential recommendations to anglers to help improve shark survival rates.
Resilient Communities and Economies
Several Delaware Sea Grant workshops were held in the City of Wilmington in 2023, aimed at helping residents prepare for emergency situations and become more informed about the natural areas that surround the city.
In neighboring Claymont, students in the Coastal Resilience Design Studio (CRDS) conceptualized a master plan for a riverfront park, helping the community receive a $1.5 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund’s Greening American Cities initiative.
And across the state, Delaware Sea Grant experts helped to develop the DE-PLANS website, a hub to aid the Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA), other state agencies, local governments, and service organizations in guiding emergency planning and aging in place efforts.
Further reading: Delaware Sea Grant helps put together ecotourism and resilience investment strategy for Milford, Slaughter Beach
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
Tradeoffs of Home Acquisition Strategies
Voluntary home buyouts can be an effective way to protect homeowners physically and financially from severe and repeated flood risk. Research funded by Delaware Sea Grant is investigating alternative buyout mechanisms that can make voluntary home buyouts more economically efficient by increasing the spatial contiguity of purchased homes to reap the benefits that result from large connected open spaces.
Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development
In partnership with Delaware Technical Community College, the Delaware Sea Grant workforce development program has provided students with more than 10,000 hours of training on green infrastructure design, construction and maintenance.
In 2023, an alumni tracking initiative was implemented and preliminary data show that the program has increased participants’ career awareness, technical skills and confidence in gaining meaningful employment. Delaware Sea Grant continues to focus on improving environmental literacy in K–12 education. In 2023, 192 teachers and more than 600 students attended in person and virtual educational programming on ocean and environmental science-related topics.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
Inclusive climate change adaptation
Research funded by Delaware Sea Grant is investigating insights towards climate change and adaptation among the Lenni-Lenape Tribe of Delaware, engaging tribal youth and community members as researchers. Findings are informing climate adaptation strategies that best serve a diverse group of people.
Healthy Coastal Ecosystems
With the help of side-scan sonar and a dedicated volunteer network, Delaware Sea Grant continues to remove derelict—or abandoned—crab pots from waters used by the recreational crabbing industry in Delaware’s Inland Bays.
In 2023, 54 crab pots were removed from the Indian River in a single day—a new record for the marine debris removal program. New educational videos will help train additional community members to continue this important work to maintain clean coastlines.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
PFAS in the Delaware Bay
Research funded by Delaware Sea Grant is investigating the spatiotemporal distribution of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the Delaware Bay and bioaccumulation in the Bay food web. Study findings will be directly integrated into ongoing state regulatory efforts on PFAS and advance the general knowledge of where and how these contaminants enter our coastal ecosystems and seafood.
