New Hampshire’s coastal dunes are a natural shield—absorbing storm surges, protecting coastal communities, and providing critical habitat for wildlife. Dunes are highly dynamic systems and are no stranger to change, however these habitats face new pressures as we develop and ‘harden’ our coastline. Thankfully, researchers, community leaders, and volunteers are working together to plant and restore native dune grass.

Show notes:

New Hampshire’s coastal dunes are a natural shield—absorbing storm surges, protecting coastal communities, and providing critical habitat for wildlife. Dunes are highly dynamic systems and are no stranger to change, however these habitats face new pressures as we develop and ‘harden’ our coastline, in the context of a rapidly changing Gulf of Maine. Thankfully, researchers, community leaders, and volunteers are working together to plant and restore native beachgrass, Ammophila breviligulata.

Act 1: What's the difference between beachgrass and seagrass? How much dune habitat exists in the Granite State's short stretch of coastline? And why aren't our dune habitats thriving as they should be? Alyson Eberhardt, the Coastal Ecosystems Extension Specialist at New Hampshire Sea Grant, helps us answer all of these questions, while telling a story of the Common Garden. Like any good community garden, this space brings people together under a shared purpose.

Act 2: The town of Hampton, New Hampshire sits at the center of this sandy conversation. Intense storms and flooding events have prompted homeowners and beachgoers in this popular beach town to seek solutions. Brianna Hagan, Conservation Coordinator at the Town of Hampton, knows that since we can't control the ocean, that her town has important decisions to make for the future. But sometimes the simplest place to start is with a shovel and a plant.

Act 3: People from all crosswalks of life come together on a cold April morning at Plaice Cove in Hampton, New Hampshire to transform a stretch of coastline. Chris Grippo, Chair of Surfrider Foundation's New Hampshire Chapter, and Patty McKenzie, a local homeowner, take a moment between getting their hands sandy to describe why planting beachgrass gives them hope.

Guest Speakers:

Alyson Eberhardt, Ph.D., Coastal Ecosystems Extension Specialist, New Hampshire Sea Grant

Brianna Hagan, Conservation Coordinator at the Town of Hampton

Chris Grippo, Chair of the Surfrider Foundation New Hampshire Chapter

Patty McKenzie, Resident of Hampton, New Hampshire

Hosted by: Brian Yurasits, Science Communication Specialist, New Hampshire Sea Grant

Produced by: Brian Yurasits

Further reading:

Common Garden of Native Sand Dune Plants
Dune Restoration
Coastal Research Volunteers
Surfrider Foundation New Hampshire Chapter

New Hampshire Sea Grant works to enhance our relationship with the coastal environment to sustain healthy and resilient ecosystems, economies, and communities through integrated research, extension, education, and communications efforts. Based at the University of New Hampshire, New Hampshire Sea Grant is one of 34 programs in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant College Program, a state-federal partnership serving America’s coasts. Learn more by visiting: seagrant.unh.edu

University of New Hampshire is an equal opportunity employer, learn more: https://extension.unh.edu/civil-rights-statement

What happens when the growing marine economy meets efforts to protect threatened and endangered seabirds? Elizabeth Craig and her team are mapping the journeys of common and roseate terns (Sterna hirundo and Sterna dougallii) to ensure both conservation efforts and development can move forward together in the Gulf of Maine. Join us in the bird blind on this episode of Time and Tide as we uncover how seabird researchers are able to track the movements and feeding behaviors of terns in the Gulf of Maine, and why these movements matter to us.

Act 1: Step onto White and Seavey Islands with Elizabeth Craig, Director of Seabird Science at Shoals Marine Laboratory, as she describes the threats faced by common and roseate terns in a changing Gulf of Maine, and why we as humans should care about the fate of these agile birds that spend their lives at sea. We dodge dive-bombing birds, and side-step freshly hatched chicks while discussing the importance of data-driven conservation efforts and her team's latest Sea Grant-funded research. We also address hard-hitting questions such as: why do seabird researchers wear wide-brimmed hats? And what is seabird poop bingo?

Act 2: We join Caitlin Panicker, an undergraduate student at Bowdoin College, in the bird blind to learn what it's like to live on the Isles of Shoals for a summer, watching the same birds fly in and out of a nesting colony. Caitlin explains what a tern 'neighborhood' looks like and shares some advice for college students looking to gain field experience.

Act 3: So, where does all of this information go, and how does it impact us non-birds? We sat down with Katy Bland, a Research and Engagement Manager working with Sea Grant and NERACOOS, to talk through the uses of Elizabeth's tern research with us. Katy focuses on the interaction between coastal communities and offshore renewable energy development in the Gulf of Maine. Making her the perfect guest to help us understand how Liz’s seabird research can be used to inform decisions about how we use our ocean.

Guest Speakers:

Dr. Elizabeth Craig, Director of Seabird Science, Shoals Marine Laboratory
Affiliate Faculty, Department of Biological Sciences, UNH.

Caitlin Panicker, undergraduate student intern currently attending Bowdoin College.

Katy Bland, Research and Engagement Manager, NERACOSS, New Hampshire Sea Grant, Maine Sea Grant.

Hosted by: Brian Yurasits, Science Communication Specialist, New Hampshire Sea Grant.

Produced by: Brian Yurasits

Further reading:

Seabirds as Indicators of New Hampshire’s Fisheries

The Science of Seabirds – Seacoast Science Center

NERACOOS

New Hampshire Sea Grant works to enhance our relationship with the coastal environment to sustain healthy and resilient ecosystems, economies, and communities through integrated research, extension, education, and communications efforts. Based at the University of New Hampshire, New Hampshire Sea Grant is one of 34 programs in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant College Program, a state-federal partnership serving America’s coasts. Learn more by visiting: seagrant.unh.edu

University of New Hampshire is an equal opportunity employer, learn more: https://extension.unh.edu/civil-rights-statement

Summary:

Two centuries ago, European Green Crabs arrived in New England’s coastal waters and quickly became one of the world’s most notorious marine invaders — outcompeting native species, devouring shellfish, and threatening local fisheries. In this episode of Time and Tide, we explore how scientists, fishers, chefs, and local volunteers are countering this invasive species by turning an ecological problem into an unexpected and delicious resource.

Show notes:  

Two centuries ago, a tiny stowaway arrived in New England’s coastal waters: the European Green Crab (Carcinus maenas). Since the early 1800s, this unassuming invader has spread from the Mid-Atlantic to Canada’s Prince Edward Island, causing significant ecological damage and economic headaches along the way.

In this episode of Time and Tide, we dive into how green crabs became one of the world’s most notorious marine invaders — outcompeting native species, devouring shellfish, clipping seagrasses, and threatening local fisheries. But what if we could counter this invasive species by putting them on our plates — and even in our glasses?

Join host Brian Yurasits and co-host Erik Chapman as they explore how scientists, fishers, chefs, and local volunteers are turning this problem into an unexpected and delicious resource.

In Act 1, Dr. Gabriela Bradt, fisheries specialist with NH Sea Grant and UNH Extension and leader of the NH Green Crab Project, crabwalks us through the green crab takeover of U.S. coastlines, and why soft-shell green crabs could be New England’s next sustainable food craze if the idea catches on.

In Act 2, Mary Parks, Founder and Executive Director of GreenCrab.org, explains how this crustacean menace is finding its way onto restaurant menus — through the creativity of chefs and harvesters working to open new markets.

Tune in to learn how we might just be able to eat (and drink) our way to a healthier ocean.

Guest Speakers:

Dr. Gabriela Bradt, Fisheries Extension Specialist, New Hampshire Sea Grant & UNH Extension

Mary Parks, Founder and Executive Director, GreenCrab.org

Hosted by: Brian Yurasits, Science Communication Specialist, New Hampshire Sea Grant.

Co-Hosted by: Erik Chapman, Director, New Hampshire Sea Grant

Produced by: Brian Yurasits

Further reading:

NH Green Crab Project

GreenCrab.Org

New Hampshire Sea Grant works to enhance our relationship with the coastal environment to sustain healthy and resilient ecosystems, economies, and communities through integrated research, extension, education, and communications efforts. Based at the University of New Hampshire, New Hampshire Sea Grant is one of 34 programs in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant College Program, a state-federal partnership serving America’s coasts. Learn more by visiting: seagrant.unh.edu

University of New Hampshire is an equal opportunity employer, learn more: https://extension.unh.edu/civil-rights-statement

A new workshop called Living With Water is designed to help realtors navigate these turbulent times, by equipping them with resources on flood risks in New Hampshire.

Show notes:

The housing market is a hot topic in the Granite State and across the US, to say the least. A part of this conversation relates to how insurance companies are dropping coverage for homeowners due to the increased risk of natural disasters. In New Hampshire, flooding risks are of particular concern, from the White Mountains to the Gulf of Maine. A new workshop called Living With Water is designed to help realtors navigate these turbulent times, by equipping them with resources on flood risks in New Hampshire. Learn from the workshop's creators about how realtors can navigate flood risk with their clients, and why conversations during the home buying and selling experience are a great time to talk about stewarding the future of our natural spaces.

Act 1: Turning ideas into reality with Lisa Wise and Lynn Vaccaro, both members of the New Hampshire Coastal Adaptation Workgroup. When realtors in the seacoast community identified the need to learn more about flood risks, this dynamic duo stepped up to the challenge.

Act 2: Talia Sperduto shares her personal journey from sustainability to real estate, and why flooding has become an everyday concern in her work.

Guest Speakers:

Lisa Wise, Coastal Resilience Extension Specialist, New Hampshire Sea Grant and UNH Extension

Lynn Vaccaro, Coastal Training Program Coordinator, Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and NH Fish and Game

Talia Sperduto, owner of Whole Heart Homes, real estate professional specializing in coastal and historic home sales in the communities of greater Portsmouth, NH and Kittery, ME. Member of the Seacoast Board of Realtors.

Hosted by: Brian Yurasits, Science Communication Specialist, New Hampshire Sea Grant.

Co-Hosted by: Erik Chapman, Director, New Hampshire Sea Grant.

Produced by: Brian Yurasits

Further reading:

Living With Water: Resources for Realtors

New Hampshire Sea Grant works to enhance our relationship with the coastal environment to sustain healthy and resilient ecosystems, economies, and communities through integrated research, extension, education, and communications efforts. Based at the University of New Hampshire, New Hampshire Sea Grant is one of 34 programs in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant College Program, a state-federal partnership serving America’s coasts. Learn more by visiting: seagrant.unh.edu

University of New Hampshire is an equal opportunity employer, learn more: https://extension.unh.edu/civil-rights-statement

Just six miles off New Hampshire’s coast, the Isles of Shoals emerge from the sea—a world apart, shaped by nature, time, and human hands. Historian Ann Beattie helps us imagine what these isolated New England isles may have looked like through the years.

Show notes:

Just six miles off New Hampshire’s coast, the Isles of Shoals emerge from the sea—a world apart, shaped by nature, time, and human hands. With a history as rugged and remarkable as the rocky shoreline at your feet, these islands have left a surprisingly global mark.

In this episode, local historian and storyteller Ann Beattie helps us imagine what these isolated New England isles may have looked like through the years. How has time transformed the Isles of Shoals? And what lessons from the past still ripple through today?

Beyond ghost stories and pirate legends, the Isles offer insights into the evolution of fishing, the history of cod, and development of coastal economies—topics still vital to our region today.

Curious to see it for yourself? You can visit Appledore Island this summer on a public boat tour with the UNH Marine Docents.

Guest Speaker:

Ann Beattie, Isles of Shoals Historian

Hosted by: Brian Yurasits, Science Communication Specialist, New Hampshire Sea Grant.

Co-Hosted by: Erik Chapman, Director, New Hampshire Sea Grant.

Produced by: Brian Yurasits

Sign up for an Isles of Shoals Cruise today:

Appledore Island Walking Tour

Learn more about Shoals Marine Laboratory

Isles of Shoals Historical and Research Association

New Hampshire Sea Grant works to enhance our relationship with the coastal environment to sustain healthy and resilient ecosystems, economies, and communities through integrated research, extension, education, and communications efforts. Based at the University of New Hampshire, New Hampshire Sea Grant is one of 34 programs in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant College Program, a state-federal partnership serving America’s coasts. Learn more by visiting: seagrant.unh.edu

University of New Hampshire is an equal opportunity employer, learn more: https://extension.unh.edu/civil-rights-statement

A preliminary study by Dr. Paula Mouser and her team of researchers and citizen scientists in New Hampshire has found that foam on the surface of water can contain elevated levels of PFAS contamination, compared to the surface water below.

Show notes:

PFAS are contaminants of emerging concern and have rapidly become a focal point for everyone working in the field of clean water. These ‘forever chemicals’ are impactful in very small amounts (parts per trillion), have negative impacts on humans, and are present within a wide variety of consumer products.

Because PFAS are odorless, tasteless, and microscopic, it is difficult for people to visualize this threat to human health. However, residents in New Hampshire have recently expressed concern that surface foams forming in known PFAS-contaminated water bodies may contain elevated levels of these ‘forever chemicals’. This prompted a team from University of New Hampshire, Temple University, and local citizens to join together in testing foam from these locations. Here, we discuss their preliminary findings, and what will come next.

Act 1: Dr. Paula Mouser describes the story behind exploring PFAS concentrations in surface foam at sites known for their PFAS exposure.

Act 2: Gabby Deangelis, a Master’s student at UNH, shares her personal experience being affected by PFAS, and her creativity in developing methods to sample surface foams. Gabby also shares her experiences as a graduate student working in the field of environmental science.

Act 3: Andrea Amico discusses her family’s exposure to PFAS, and how this sparked her journey to raise awareness and take action to address this contaminant in our waters. Andrea describes her work as a citizen scientist with Paula’s team while explaining the impact of including community members in research.

Guest Speakers:

Paula Mouser, Ph.D. Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New Hampshire

Gabby Deangelis, Graduate Student in Environmental Engineering, University of New Hampshire

Andrea Amico, Clean Water Activist, Citizen Scientist, Founder of Testing for Pease, and Portsmouth, NH Resident

Hosted by: Brian Yurasits, Science Communication Specialist, New Hampshire Sea Grant.

Co-Hosted by: Lauren George, Graduate Student, University of New Hampshire

Produced by: Brian Yurasits

Further reading:

UNH Research Team Finds Concentrated PFAS in Watershed Foams

New Hampshire Sea Grant works to enhance our relationship with the coastal environment to sustain healthy and resilient ecosystems, economies, and communities through integrated research, extension, education, and communications efforts. Based at the University of New Hampshire, New Hampshire Sea Grant is one of 34 programs in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant College Program, a state-federal partnership serving America’s coasts. Learn more by visiting: seagrant.unh.edu

University of New Hampshire is an equal opportunity employer, learn more: https://extension.unh.edu/civil-rights-statement

They’re round, suction-cupped, and as it turns out, full of secrets. Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) may not be glamorous, but these quirky creatures are doing serious work beneath the waves in the Gulf of Maine.

Show notes:

They’re round, suction-cupped, and as it turns out, full of secrets. Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) may not be glamorous, but these quirky creatures are doing serious work beneath the waves in the Gulf of Maine.

In this episode, we learn how lumpfish are becoming unlikely heroes in salmonid aquaculture. Acting as ladybugs of the sea, they help control parasitic sea lice in salmon and trout farms—a natural solution to a major problem. But what do we know about the lumpfish themselves, and what happens when we rely on wild species to fix our finfish-farming challenges?

Act One: Elizabeth Fairchild describes her latest Sea Grant-funded study on lumpfish at the University of New Hampshire. The study seeks to shed light on the mysterious lives of lumpfish in the rapidly changing Gulf of Maine, and their potential for use as ‘cleaner fish’ in salmonid aquaculture operations.

Act Two: Aravis Albert and Sam Rutka from the Seacoast Science Center explain how lumpfish can help us tell the story of a changing Gulf of Maine, and where curious coastal visitors can look to find these charismatic fish.

Guest Speakers:

Elizabeth Fairchild, Ph.D. Research Associate Professor, Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire

Sam Rutka, Lead Aquarist, Seacoast Science Center

Aravis Albert, Aquarist I and Naturalist, Seacoast Science Center

Hosted by: Brian Yurasits, Science Communication Specialist, New Hampshire Sea Grant.

Co-hosted by: Erik Chapman, Director, New Hampshire Sea Grant.

Produced by: Brian Yurasits with assistance from Talia Katreczko, New Hampshire Sea Grant Doyle Fellow.

Further reading:

Meet the Lumpfish! Interactive Map

Team LuMP – Lumpfish Mapping Project

New Hampshire Sea Grant works to enhance our relationship with the coastal environment to sustain healthy and resilient ecosystems, economies, and communities through integrated research, extension, education, and communications efforts. Based at the University of New Hampshire, New Hampshire Sea Grant is one of 34 programs in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant College Program, a state-federal partnership serving America’s coasts. Learn more by visiting: seagrant.unh.edu

University of New Hampshire is an equal opportunity employer, learn more: https://extension.unh.edu/civil-rights-statement

Time and Tide is a new podcast from New Hampshire Sea Grant, based at the University of New Hampshire, that explores the science, stories, and people behind our changing coastlines.

Show notes:

What does the saying – time and tide wait for none – mean to you? Those with a connection to the coast understand that tides are a certainty in life; they are something that we have no control over, just as time is always fleeting. It’s a familiarity that connects all of us, and sometimes, is a starting point for conversation. Time and Tide is a new podcast from New Hampshire Sea Grant exploring the science, stories, and people behind our changing coastlines.

Hosts Brian Yurasits and Erik Chapman share one story each month, covering the coastal and marine topics that you might read about in your local news. These stories are told by both researchers and community members in a way that anyone can relate to. Whether you’re a surfer, fisher, seafood lover, enjoy long walks on the beach, or simply someone who cares about the future of our coastal places—this podcast is for you.

In this introduction, you'll hear why talking about the tides is a great ice-breaker, learn why you should care about the issues facing the Granite State’s small, but mighty coastline, and take a trip down memory lane with Brian and Erik. Float along with us as we navigate these tides of change together.

Hosted by: Brian Yurasits, Science Communication Specialist, New Hampshire Sea Grant.

Co-hosted by: Erik Chapman, Director, New Hampshire Sea Grant.

Produced by: Brian Yurasits with assistance from Talia Katreczko, New Hampshire Sea Grant Doyle Fellow.

New Hampshire Sea Grant works to enhance our relationship with the coastal environment to sustain healthy and resilient ecosystems, economies, and communities through integrated research, extension, education, and communications efforts. Based at the University of New Hampshire, New Hampshire Sea Grant is one of 34 programs in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant College Program, a state-federal partnership serving America’s coasts. Learn more by visiting: seagrant.unh.edu

University of New Hampshire is an equal opportunity employer, learn more: https://extension.unh.edu/civil-rights-statement