Publications and Resources Forums Citizen Monitoring Program NEMO (Coming Soon ...)

Helping to improve the management and health of our waterways is a vital focus of Delaware Sea Grant. With two national estuary programs in the states, a thriving coastal tourism industry, an economically important agriculture industry, and an increase in residential and commercial development, the impacts on the state's beaches and coastal estuaries are enormous. State resource managers are faced with an array of environmental problems and issues related to point and non-point source pollution from municipal, industrial, and agricultural sources. Current issues of concern include reduced water quality, anoxia and hypoxia, macroalgal and toxic algal blooms, declining fishery stocks, habitat loss, reduced biodiversity, an non-native species introductions.

Delaware Sea Grant is helping the public play a greater role in environmental decision-making by transferring university-based research in appropriate formats to resource managers and the public, providing forums where information can be exchanged, and providing volunteer opportunities such as the Inland Bays Citizen Monitoring Program, which provides local residents with hands-on experience in testing the water quality of Rehoboth, Indian River, and Little Assawoman bays and then sharing the valued data to state resource managers.