From major storms to daily tides, the sandy shores of New Hampshire are constantly moving — gaining sand in some places and losing it in others. But how do scientists and volunteers actually track those changes over time?

In this episode of Time and Tide, we dig into the world of beach profiling — a simple yet powerful method that measures the contour of the shoreline month after month to reveal patterns of erosion and accretion along our coast. By taking regular measurements of beach elevation and slope, the NH Volunteer Beach Profile Monitoring Program contributes to long-term coastal monitoring efforts that inform local decision-making, coastal resilience planning, and scientific research.

Learn how citizen scientists — also referred to as participatory scientists — use two measuring poles to collect this important data, while researchers interpret the meaning of this for your favorite New Hampshire beaches.

What better way to explain beach profiling, than to take you for a walk along the beach in Seabrook, NH, where a small group of researchers and volunteer citizen scientists meet on a windy winter day to measure the beach.

Guest Speakers:

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

Larry Ward, Ph.D., Research Associate Professor, UNH Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping

Wells Costello, Citizen Science Program Manager, New Hampshire Sea Grant

Rachel Morrison, Research Assistant, UNH Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping

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

Produced by: Brian Yurasits

Further reading:

Beach Resilience Data

Citizen Science in Shifting Sands (StoryMap)

Storm Report Series

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

For those who can’t imagine a day without the smell of salt air, the rumble of waves, or the chatter of gulls overhead, a coastal career feels like a natural calling. But knowing you belong near the ocean isn’t the same as knowing where you fit within it—and the world of marine careers is far more diverse than many people realize.

In this episode of Time and Tide, we dive into the many paths available in marine science, policy, and education. Whether you’re a student just starting to explore your options or a professional looking to pivot into coastal work, we offer practical guidance for navigating the opportunities along New Hampshire’s small—but mighty—stretch of coastline. We also highlight the training programs and graduate pathways within the Granite State that can launch careers nationwide.

Act 1: We speak with Lindsey Williams, New Hampshire Sea Grant's very own workforce development expert, who helps us give career advice to four imaginary students facing very real decisions. From hands-on science roles to community-focused education jobs, Lindsey helps untangle what matters most when choosing a coastal career path.

Act 2: Next, we head to Washington, D.C., for a conversation with Ana Silverio and Elizabeth “Lizzy” Martin, two current Knauss Marine Policy Fellows. Ana and Lizzy share what it’s like to transition from fieldwork to grant-making and policy roles, offer insight into working across political divides, and reflect on the value of sitting down for a “coffee chat” with colleagues.

Full episode transcript is available below.

Guest Speakers:

Lindsey Williams, Ph.D., Associate Director & Assistant Director for Workforce Development, New Hampshire Sea Grant

Ana Silverio, Knauss Marine Policy Fellow, New Hampshire Sea Grant

Lizzy Martin, Knauss Marine Policy Fellow, New Hampshire Sea Grant

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:

Doyle Undergraduate Fellowship

Graduate Student Fellowships

University of New Hampshire Professional Development and Training

University of New Hampshire Career and Internship Fair

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

Show notes:

Beneath the thin blue line of the ocean’s surface lies an underwater meadow of grass. In Great Bay and coastal New Hampshire, these flowing fields of green are nurseries for young fish, an anchor for sediments, and a sign that our ecosystems are healthy. However, these life-supporting aquatic pastures face new threats. Here, in the constantly moving waters where rivers meet the sea, scientists, students, and communities are working together to bring back one of New Hampshire’s most vital—but also fragile—coastal habitats: eelgrass.

These underwater meadows once stretched far and wide across the bay, but recently, storms, changing water temperatures, and pollution are having an impact on our local eelgrass species, Zostera marina.

A new restoration project—backed by local towns, oyster farmers, and researchers at the University of New Hampshire—is testing innovative ways to help these plants return and thrive. From transplanting shoots to exploring seed-based restoration, the work happening here could shape the future of eelgrass recovery across the country.

Act 1: What’s slender like an eel, and requires clear, cold water to thrive? Explore eelgrass 101 with Trevor Mattera, Habitat Program Manager with the Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP), as he takes us through the past, present, and future of Zostera marina in New Hampshire waters.

Act 2: Strap on your snorkel and float through an eelgrass meadow with Matthew Allen, New Hampshire Sea Grant’s Undergraduate Doyle Fellow, who spent this past summer spending as much time as humanly possible in a wetsuit, assisting Trevor and the team at PREP with their Great Bay Estuary Oyster & Eelgrass Restoration project. Experience a day in the life working to restore eelgrass and hear a harrowing story about mating horseshoe crabs.

Act 3: You can’t have thriving eelgrass without clean water. Gretchen Young, the Deputy Director of Technical Services at the City of Rochester, New Hampshire, explains how this restoration project came to be funded, and why municipalities are joining forces to address nitrogen pollution in Great Bay.

Guest Speakers:

Trevor Mattera, Ph.D., Coastal Ecosystems Extension Specialist, New Hampshire Sea Grant

Matthew Allen, Undergraduate Doyle Fellow, New Hampshire Sea Grant

Gretchen Young, Deputy Director of Technical Services, City of Rochester, New Hampshire

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:

Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership

Doyle Undergraduate Fellowship

Municipal Alliance for Adaptive Management

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

The Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP) is a collaboration-driven, local organization and National Estuary Program. Through community collaboration with NH and Southern ME Towns, researchers, and local organizations, they work to monitor, restore, and protect the health of the lakes, rivers, streams, and the Great Bay and Hampton-Seabrook estuaries in the Piscataqua Region Watershed.

The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer. UNH, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, and New Hampshire counties cooperating. Direct inquiries to unh.civilrights@unh.edu.

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