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February 13, 2026 Good morning, and welcome to Coastal Insights—our foundation’s weekly publication delivering reliable updates on the key developments shaping North Carolina’s fisheries.   Introducing the Oyster Series Over the coming weeks, we’ll take a closer look at one of North Carolina’s most important and most misunderstood coastal species: the eastern oyster. Oysters have shaped our estuaries for centuries. They’ve supported working waterfronts, filtered our waters, and built reefs that shelter fish and crabs. Today, they sit at the center of important conversations about coastal economies, water quality, public trust waters, and the future of our fisheries.   This series will explore the full story. We’ll examine the remarkable life cycle of an oyster, including some surprising biological traits few people know about. We’ll look at the differences between wild harvest and cultured production, share the latest economic trends shaping the industry in North Carolina and across the country, and discuss why water quality remains inseparable from oyster success.   Whether you harvest them, grow them, study them, eat them, or simply value clean water and thriving estuaries, oysters connect us all. Part 1: Nature’s Estuary Engineer Few species tell the story of our coast like the oyster. Once so abundant that reefs were navigational hazards, oysters helped shape North Carolina’s estuaries and the communities built around them. They fed families, sustained working waterfronts, and formed the backbone of coastal economies.   Historic oyster reefs once spanned tens of thousands of acres throughout North Carolina’s estuaries. Modern mapping has identified roughly 22,000 acres of shell bottom in coastal waters, a tangible reminder of what was and what restoration hopes to rebuild.   Over time, habitat loss, water quality challenges, and intense harvest pressure dramatically reduced wild oyster populations. Yet today, oysters are at the center of one of the most hopeful stories in coastal restoration and sustainable seafood. Oysters do more than live in estuaries; they build them. A single adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day under ideal conditions, removing excess nutrients and suspended particles. Over time, clusters of oysters form reefs that create hard structure in otherwise soft-bottom waters. These reefs shelter juvenile fish and crabs, support shrimp populations, and help buffer shorelines from wave energy.   At the same time, consumer demand for oysters continues to grow nationwide. Oyster mariculture—the cultivation of oysters in coastal waters—is expanding in nearly every U.S. region. Cultured production now represents the most valuable sector of marine aquaculture in the country.   Here in North Carolina, both public reef harvest and private lease production play important roles. Wild oysters connect us to heritage and tradition. Cultured oysters help meet rising demand and provide economic stability for coastal communities. Together, they generated $8.15 million in dockside sales in 2024, the highest value on record.   In this series, we’ll explore how oysters grow, how they support clean water, how cultured production works, and how the oyster economy is transforming both nationally and here at home.   Oysters are more than seafood on ice. They are living infrastructure, and one of the clearest examples of how conservation and coastal livelihoods can move forward together.   Next week: Wild harvest and cultured oysters, two paths to the same plate. Hooked on a Feeling: Inside the Fish Heart Valentine’s Day isn’t just for humans. It’s also a chance to marvel at the diversity of hearts throughout the animal kingdom, especially beneath the waves.   Fish hearts aren’t simply slower versions of ours; they’re finely tuned engines shaped by cold water, long migrations, sudden bursts of speed, and life in low-oxygen environments. Unlike mammals, most fish have a two-chambered heart—one atrium and one ventricle—arranged in a loop. Blood flows from the heart to the gills to collect oxygen, then out to the body and back again. But simple doesn’t mean boring.   Off North Carolina’s coast, bluefin tuna move like living torpedoes. Built for endurance and speed, they have large, muscular hearts capable of powerful contractions. In colder waters, their heart rates can climb toward 200 beats per minute to meet the oxygen demands of long migrations and explosive chases.   Here’s the twist: bluefin are partially warm-bodied, keeping parts of their muscles warmer than the surrounding water while their hearts remain at ambient temperature. Even so, their cardiovascular systems perform efficiently from chilly Cape Hatteras waters to warmer offshore currents.   Closer to shore, species such as flounder, red drum, and striped bass live differently. Their heart rates are slower, rising when feeding or escaping predators. Cold winter waters can slow rhythms dramatically, which is one reason why sudden temperature swings can stress coastal fish species.   Some marine creatures take things even further. The deep-sea hagfish have a primary heart plus several accessory pumping structures that move blood through their low-pressure circulatory system. Octopuses have three hearts—two for the gills, one for the body.   Heart design tells a story of habitat, temperature, and survival. So while candy and flowers steal the spotlight this Valentine’s Day, remember, some of the most remarkable hearts are beating beyond the shoreline. The North Carolina Marine & Estuary Foundation, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN 83-0893015). Contributions to the North Carolina Marine & Estuary Foundation are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.   You can update your preferences or unsubscribe.