Washed Ashore: New Hampshire's Annual Lobster Trap Cleanup

Washed Ashore: New Hampshire's Annual Lobster Trap Cleanup

Lobster buoys and traps are a common sight along New Hampshire’s rocky coastline, but did you know it’s illegal for the public to touch them? They’re a form of marine debris that wash in after strong coastal storms, and once each year the fishing industry gathers for a state-wide beach cleanup to remove them.  In this episode of Time and Tide, we’re exploring the issue of derelict fishing gear on New Hampshire’s coastline. Also referred to as lost or abandoned fishing gear, these buoys, traps, and ropes can become navigational hazards in the ocean and pose risks to wildlife. Join us as we learn why no fisherman wants to lose a lobster trap at sea, what steps this industry is taking to be stewards of granite state waters, and why everyone should participate in a local beach cleanup.   In Act 1, join us at the harbor with Damon Frampton, a local lobster fisherman and participant in this year’s annual lobster trap cleanup, who describes why it’s important to him as a fisher to help clean the beach.  In Act 2, our very own Gabby Bradt helps us to take a step back and understand the broader issue of marine debris on New Hampshire’s coastline, and how lost or abandoned fishing gear fits into this puzzle.  In our final Act, Renee Zobel from NH Fish and Game explains why it’s illegal for any member of the public to touch a lobster trap. And how fishermen are working to address some of the challenges we saw during this coastal cleanup.  Full episode transcript is available below.   Guest Speakers:   Damon Frampton, Commercial Lobster Fisherman and President of the New Hampshire Commercial Fisherman’s Association  Gabriela Bradt, Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension Specialist, New Hampshire Sea Grant and UNH Extension  Renee Zobel, Chief of Marine Fisheries, New Hampshire Fish and Game  Hosted by: Brian Yurasits, Science Communication Specialist, New Hampshire Sea Grant  Co-Hosted by: Erik Chapman, Executive Director, New Hampshire Sea Grant  Produced by: Brian Yurasits  Further reading:  New Hampshire Lobster Trap Cleanup: https://nhfishgame.com/2026/03/23/nh-coastal-lobster-trap-cleanup-scheduled-for-saturday-april-18/ [https://nhfishgame.com/2026/03/23/nh-coastal-lobster-trap-cleanup-scheduled-for-saturday-april-18/] Blue Ocean Society 2025 Beach Cleanup Data: https://www.blueoceansociety.org/cleanup-data/ [https://www.blueoceansociety.org/cleanup-data/] Blue Ocean Society Beach Cleanup Calendar: https://www.blueoceansociety.org/calendar/ [https://www.blueoceansociety.org/calendar/] Surfrider Foundation New Hampshire Chapter: https://nh.surfrider.org/ [https://nh.surfrider.org/] New Hampshire Fish and Game Marine Laws and Rules: https://www.wildlife.nh.gov/saltwater-fisheries-new-hampshire/marine-laws-and-rules [https://www.wildlife.nh.gov/saltwater-fisheries-new-hampshire/marine-laws-and-rules] Contact New Hampshire Fish and Game: https://www.wildlife.nh.gov/contact-new-hampshire-fish-and-game [https://www.wildlife.nh.gov/contact-new-hampshire-fish-and-game] Derelict Fishing Gear – NOAA's Marine Debris Program: https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/what-marine-debris/derelict-fishing-gear [https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/what-marine-debris/derelict-fishing-gear] 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 [https://seagrant.unh.edu/]  University of New Hampshire is an equal opportunity employer, learn more: https://extension.unh.edu/civil-rights-statement [https://extension.unh.edu/civil-rights-statement]

Blades of Glory: Landscaping for Water Quality

Spring is in the air. As the days get longer and plants emerge from thawed soil, big landscaping decisions loom ahead. What plants should you add or remove from your yard this year? Are there any big landscaping projects that you’re feeling brave enough to tackle? But for every landscaping decision you make, there is one thing you should consider: clean water.  In this episode of Time and Tide, we’re following the journey of a water droplet to learn how landscaping decisions that you make on your property can affect the health of local water bodies. In this story, that water can either sink slowly into the ground as nature intended or attain a need for speed as it flows across hard, man-made surfaces, picking up contaminants along the way.   Today, we're helping you make Spring landscaping decisions with clean water in mind. We’ll focus on a recent training hosted for landscaping professionals, called Landscaping for Water Quality, and the lessons learned about designing landscapes that are attractive, ecologically functional, and healthy for local water bodies.      In Act 1, we speak with Amy Papineau from UNH Cooperative Extension who explains why blueberry plants are a delicious and sustainable addition to your backyard. We’ll dig into the science behind soil in the Granite State, which is more complex than you’d think, and leave you with the base of plant knowledge to impress any horticulturist.  In Act 2, Julia Peterson from NH Sea Grant digs into why it can be so tough to find science-backed answers in a world of information overload. Cut through the nonsense with us and find the reliable answers you’re looking for, through a little thing called ‘extension’.   Finally, we hear from local landscapers who participated in this year’s Landscaping for Water Quality training. Is there a market for more sustainable landscaping practices, and is it possible to have a beautiful yard that also helps wildlife? Full episode transcript is available below. Guest Speakers:  Amy Papineau, Extension Field Specialist in Landscape and Greenhouse Horticulture, UNH Cooperative Extension Food & Agriculture Program  Julia Peterson, Extension Program Leader, New Hampshire Sea Grant  Daisy Chinburg, Designer, Site Structures Landscape  Patrick Shannon, Miracle Farms Landscaping  Timothy Sicard, Town of Hampton Falls, NH  Hosted by: Brian Yurasits, Science Communication Specialist, New Hampshire Sea Grant  Co-Hosted by: Erik Chapman, Executive Director, New Hampshire Sea Grant  Produced by: Brian Yurasits Further reading:  New Hampshire Homeowner's Guide to Stormwater Management: https://www.des.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt341/files/documents/2020-01/homeowner-guide-stormwater.pdf [https://www.des.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt341/files/documents/2020-01/homeowner-guide-stormwater.pdf] Directory of Landscape Professionals Trained in Ecological Landscaping for Water Quality Protection: https://extension.unh.edu/resource/directory-landscape-professionals-trained-ecological-landscaping-water-quality-protection [https://extension.unh.edu/resource/directory-landscape-professionals-trained-ecological-landscaping-water-quality-protection] Landscaping for Water Quality 2026: https://extension.unh.edu/event/2026/03/landscaping-water-quality [https://extension.unh.edu/event/2026/03/landscaping-water-quality] Green Grass and Clear Water: https://seagrant.unh.edu/our-work/water-quality/water-quality-lawn-care-outreach-materials [https://seagrant.unh.edu/our-work/water-quality/water-quality-lawn-care-outreach-materials] 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 [https://seagrant.unh.edu/]  University of New Hampshire is an equal opportunity employer, learn more: https://extension.unh.edu/civil-rights-statement [https://extension.unh.edu/civil-rights-statement]

It Takes a Village: Restoring Wild Oyster Reefs in Great Bay

A century ago, vast reefs of Eastern Oysters, Crassostrea virginica, stretched across Great Bay cleaning the water, sheltering fish, and forming one of New Hampshire’s most important coastal habitats. Today, a fraction of those wild oyster beds remains. But across the bay, a quiet movement is underway to bring them back one shell and a few baby oysters at a time.  In this episode of Time and Tide, we’re focusing on a small animal with an outsized impact, the Eastern Oyster. We’ll start with the basics: what oysters are, how they live, and why they matter so much to estuaries like Great Bay. From there, we look back in time at the natural history of oysters in granite state waters, to understand why they’ve experienced a 90% decline.  But don't worry, this is ultimately a story about restoration. Brianna Group and Kelsey Meyer from The Nature Conservancy describe how in classic New Hampshire fashion, people from all walks of life are working together to see oysters thrive. Researchers, farmers, volunteers, restaurants, nonprofits, and consumers are all part of the restoration equation.   Some of these oyster restoration projects are big, requiring a football field worth of oyster shells. Dave Beattie and Dale Pike from the Coastal Conservation Association of New Hampshire explain how restaurants can turn their waste into the foundation for tomorrow’s reefs.  In the final act of this story, we hear why restoring wild oysters matters to two sisters working in the oyster business. Laura Brown and Krystin Ward are part of this restoration network and enjoy being able to provide their large, ‘ugly’ oysters for a greater purpose.   Full episode transcript is available below.   Guest Speakers:   Kelsey Meyer-Rust, Ph.D., Coastal Conservation Coordinator, The Nature Conservancy New Hampshire  Brianna Group, Great Bay Program Manager, The Nature Conservancy New Hampshire  Capt. David Beattie, Oyster Recycling Coordinator, Coastal Conservation Association  Dale Pike, Secretary, Coastal Conservation Association and Ocean Conservationist Volunteer with the Nature Conservancy  Laura Brown, Owner and Operator, Fox Point Oysters  Krystin Ward, Laboratory Research Supervisor at the UNH College of Life Sciences and Agriculture and Owner of Choice Oysters  Hosted by: Brian Yurasits, Science Communication Specialist, New Hampshire Sea Grant  Co-Hosted by: Erik Chapman, Executive Director, New Hampshire Sea Grant  Produced by: Brian Yurasits  Further reading:  Restoring Oyster Reefs in New Hampshire’s Great Bay – The Nature Conservancy [https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/new-hampshire/oyster-restoration-in-the-great-bay-estuary/]  Oyster Recycling Project  - Coastal Conservation Association [https://ccanh.org/cca-nh-oyster-recycling-project/]  New Hampshire Sea Grant – Oyster Aquaculture [https://seagrant.unh.edu/our-work/aquaculture/oysters]  Fox Point Oysters - Laura Brown [https://www.foxpointoysters.com/]  Choice Oysters - Krystin Ward [https://www.choiceoysters.com/]  University of New Hampshire Oyster Research [https://www.unh.edu/news/2025/09/bringing-oysters-back-nhs-great-bay]  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 [https://seagrant.unh.edu/]  University of New Hampshire is an equal opportunity employer, learn more: https://extension.unh.edu/civil-rights-statement [https://extension.unh.edu/civil-rights-statement]

Cod on the Rod: The Complex Science Behind Management of an Iconic Fish

Here in New England, Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) is woven into the fabric of our coastal history. For centuries, this species has fueled economies, fed communities, and even left its mark on the map — a testament to the powerful connection between cod and the region it helped define.  But just as cod shaped New England, human activity has shaped cod.  Today, this historically significant fishery is tightly regulated in an effort to rebuild depleted stocks. And yet, effective management depends on understanding something researchers are still uncovering: not all cod are the same.  In this episode of Time and Tide, we explore how scientists, fishers, and managers are rethinking what we know about Atlantic Cod in the Gulf of Maine. Managing fisheries has often been compared to managing a forest, except the trees are invisible and constantly on the move. When it comes to cod, that challenge is even more complex.  Researchers at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) are leading a Sea Grant–funded study examining two distinct stocks of Atlantic Cod in the western Gulf of Maine. Principal Investigator Adrienne Kovach and Co-Investigator Linas Kenter share how winter-spawning and spring-spawning cod differ biologically, and why those differences matter as ocean temperatures change.  In Act Two, we hear from longtime fisherman David Goethel, who brings decades of experience on the water to the conversation. He reflects on how groundfishing in the Gulf of Maine has changed over time and why collaboration between scientists and fishermen is critical to sustaining both the resource and the communities that depend on it.  Finally, Renee Zobel, Marine Program Supervisor with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, connects the dots. What do these scientific discoveries mean for the future of fisheries management in New England, and how can management respond to a changing ocean?  Whether you cast a line offshore or order a fish sandwich at your favorite local spot, this episode dives into more than cod biology. It’s a story about the enduring ties between coastal communities and the sea.  Guest Speakers:   Linas Kenter, Ph.D., Aquaculture and Fisheries Research Scientist, New Hampshire Sea Grant and University of New Hampshire  Adrienne Kovach, Ph.D., Professor Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of New Hampshire  David Goethel, Commercial Fisherman, Research Biologist and Fisheries Manager  Renee Zobel, Marine Program Supervisor, New Hampshire Fish and Game  Hosted by: Brian Yurasits, Science Communication Specialist, New Hampshire Sea Grant  Co-Hosted by: Erik Chapman, Executive Director, New Hampshire Sea Grant  Produced by: Brian Yurasits  Further reading:  Understanding differential climatic and exploitative impacts on two Atlantic cod stocks in the western Gulf of Maine [https://seagrant.unh.edu/resource/understanding-differential-climatic-exploitative-impacts-two-atlantic-cod-stocks-western-gulf-maine]  Endangered Species: Chronicles of the Life of a New England Fisherman and the F/V Ellen Diane [https://perpublisher.com/portfolio-item/endangered-species/]  Atlantic Cod – NOAA Species Directory [https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/atlantic-cod]  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 [https://seagrant.unh.edu/]  University of New Hampshire is an equal opportunity employer, learn more: https://extension.unh.edu/civil-rights-statement [https://extension.unh.edu/civil-rights-statement]

Cold Water Surfing in New Hampshire: Sharing the Stoke

In part two of this month's two-part series on surfing in New Hampshire, we explore how the sport of surfing can create community, a sense of responsibility to protect the natural world, and monetary value for coastal towns. What is the value of clean water? And just because you surf, does that mean you’re more likely to support healthy coastal ecosystems?  Becs O’Brien and Christina Dubin are two surfer friends who have formed a community of female surfers along the seacoast and are actively involved with marine conservation organizations, including Surfrider New Hampshire and Beyond Plastics. In an age where our screen-time is quickly outpacing our face-time with one another, we discuss how the antidote might just be something as simple as floating on boards with friends in the ocean. Becs and Christina also share their thoughts on how to meaningfully engage the surfing community with the issues facing our coast.    Last but not least, Scott Lemos, a Research Economist and Senior Lecturer at University of New Hampshire, gives us a lesson on surf-onomics. How much money is clean water worth, and how can a sport like surfing impact a local economy? Scott also coins the term ‘positive localism’ as we speak about how surfing can become less extractive from the natural world and leave people with a lasting connection to the natural world instead.    Full episode transcript is available below. Guest Speakers:   Becs O’Brien, Volunteer, Surfrider New Hampshire  Christina Dubin, Major Gifts Manager, Beyond Plastics  Scott Lemos, Research Economist and Senior Lecturer, University of 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 Surfrider New Hampshire [https://nh.surfrider.org/]  Beyond Plastics [https://www.beyondplastics.org/]  Scott Lemos’ Research [https://paulcollege.unh.edu/person/scott-lemos-jr]  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 [https://seagrant.unh.edu/]  University of New Hampshire is an equal opportunity employer, learn more: https://extension.unh.edu/civil-rights-statement [https://extension.unh.edu/civil-rights-statement]