Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Monitoring Protocol Delivered to
North Carolina Resource Managers A recent assessment of
submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) monitoring programs revealed
a global decline in the underwater plants’ abundance even though
they are recognized worldwide for their many important
ecological functions such as providing essential habitat for
many commercially important species of fish, shellfish, and
invertebrates. North Carolina has the third largest total area
of SAV between Maine and Texas, but the status and trends of
this resource are largely unknown. Researchers from the National
Centers for Coastal Ocean Science–along with their counterparts
from North Carolina State University, East Carolina University,
and the state’s Department of Natural Resources–evaluated the
feasibility of video, diver, remote sensing, and acoustic
techniques. They pulled their findings into a comprehensive
recommendation for a statewide SAV monitoring program. In late
September, the group will submit a final