Oceanography | Vol. 37, No. 1
SPECIAL ISSUE ON SEA GRANT:
SCIENCE SERVING AMERICA’S COASTLINES AND PEOPLE
The National Sea Grant College Program
is thrilled to partner with Oceanography
to publish a special issue focused on
Sea Grant’s contributions to enhancing
the use and conservation of US coastal,
marine, and Great Lakes resources to cre-
ate a strong and sustainable economy,
healthy coastal ecosystems, and resil-
ient and inclusive communities. This
introduction presents an overview of the
National Sea Grant College program and
highlights articles in this special issue.
A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF
THE NATIONAL SEA GRANT
COLLEGE PROGRAM
The National Sea Grant College Program,
established by the US Congress in 1966
(amended in 2020; 33 U.S.C. 1121 et seq),
is a federal-state partnership aimed at sup-
porting research, education, extension,
and outreach to promote the sustainable
use and conservation of coastal and Great
Lakes resources (Fambrough et al., 2022).
Initially proposed by President Lyndon
B. Johnson as part of his “Great Society”
agenda, the program was inspired by
the success of the Land Grant Program,
which had revolutionized agricultural
research and extension services.
Sea Grant, administered and sup-
ported by the US National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
and bolstered by matching support
from state institutions and diverse fund-
ing sources, boasts 34 tailored programs
across its network. These programs col-
laborate with coastal and Great Lakes
communities,
governmental
bodies,
industries, and nonprofits to tackle press-
ing issues such as coastal erosion, water
quality, fisheries management, aqua-
culture, and climate change adaptation.
Through a fusion of rigorous scientific
research with hands-on extension, edu-
cation, and outreach services, Sea Grant
propels
environmental
literacy
and
workforce development, healthy coastal
ecosystems, sustainable
fisheries
and
aquaculture, and resilient coastal commu-
nities and economies. This special issue of
Oceanography is broadly organized under
these four focus areas.
ABOUT THIS SPECIAL ISSUE
Working with, and within, communities
is a hallmark of Sea Grant’s approach to
advancing priority marine, coastal, and
Great Lakes topics. Sea Grant’s commit-
ment to inclusive engagement, where two-
way communication empowers shared
learning among various partners, has only
grown over recent years. The program
recognizes the importance of inviting all
voices to the table and prioritizes an asset-
based approach where co-production of
knowledge is essential for finding sustain-
able solutions to complex coastal chal-
lenges (Satterthwaite et al.). Whether
it is work that supports community-
engaged, traditional agriculture in a
Hawaiian fish pond (Engels et al.), or a
novel funding approach to support part-
nerships with tribal and Latinx com-
munities in California and Oregon to
address ecosystem change and coastal
resilience (Kolesar et al.), Sea Grant is
committed to centering community- led,
transdisciplinary approaches. The pro-
gram also acknowledges that various
ways of knowing and learning, includ-
ing traditional and ecological knowledge,
can enhance science-based solutions by
deploying state-of-the-art science com-
munication techniques (Larson et al.)
and exploring artistic interpretations of
coastal topics (Benson; Bray). Sea Grant
views its work in advancing diversity,
equity, inclusion, justice, and accessi-
bility (DEIJA) for coastal people as a
fundamental value that can facilitate
strong
community- based
approaches
(Morrill-McClure and Lenz). Traditional
and local knowledge (TLK) is key
to building equitable, inclusive, and
sustainable solutions.
SCIENCE SERVING AMERICA’S
COASTLINES AND PEOPLE
By Mike Allen, Mona Behl, Rebecca Briggs, Kristen Fussell, Brita Jessen, Sarah Kolesar, Ian Miller, and Stephanie Otts
INTRODUCTION TO
THE SPECIAL ISSUE ON