The Coastal States Organization represents the nation’s Coastal States, Territories, and Commonwealths on ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resource issues.

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Source: NOAA/State of Louisiana

Coastal Wetlands are “too valuable to lose.” They support strong commercial fisheries, improve water quality, and protect communities from floods and storms. Wetland ecosystems also provide habitat for fish and a playground for recreation, supporting the over $300 billion in fisheries sales and the 189 million tourists who visit America’s coasts each year.

Coastal Zone Management programs across the country work closely to protect and monitor coastal wetlands. Just in the past few months, the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council secured a conservation easement for wetlands along Winnapaug Pond, and the New Jersey and Delaware Coastal Management programs both released wetland monitoring tools.

Learn more here.

On November 6,  the Healey-Driscoll Administration released the final ResilientCoasts Plan – a comprehensive statewide strategy designed to help coastal communities protect residents, strengthen local infrastructure, and safeguard Massachusetts’ natural resources. Developed with direct input from local officials, residents, and regional partners, the plan provides practical, community-driven steps to prepare for future storms, flooding, sea level rise, and erosion – while saving taxpayers billions through smart investments made now. The ResilientCoasts Plan supports cities and towns in planning and prioritizing the projects that matter most – stronger shorelines, better storm protection, and safer roads. “We heard directly from residents, scientists, and local officials across our coast, and their input shaped every part of this plan,” said Coastal Zone Management Director Alison Brizius. “People see what’s happening – the flooding, the erosion, the stronger storms – and they want action. ResilientCoasts reflects that urgency and provides a framework for protecting our coastlines and fighting climate impacts head-on.” Read more here.

North Carolina – NOAA Awards $529,000 to Mariculture Industry Partnership

The North Carolina Coastal Federation, in partnership with the North Carolina Sea Grant, has received a $529,000 grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to “strengthen and expand” the state’s growing shellfish mariculture industry. The previous work includes the Coastal Federation’s community-supported efforts to restore oysters and the work being done through the North Carolina Oyster Blueprint, which recommended developing a network of shellfish aquaculture hubs. The Coastal Federation publishes Coastal Review. The funding is to be used for a handful of purposes, including the management and operations of the Shellfish Mariculture Hub in Carteret County. The first-of-its-kind hub is designed to provide growers with reliable support for water access, storage, logistics, and distribution, filling what the nonprofit calls a critical gap in the industry. The grant also will go to initiating a stakeholder group made up of growers, researchers, state agencies, and industry partners to establish North Carolina’s first commercial shellfish hatchery. The group will evaluate options and determine the best path forward to secure the reliable seed supply needed to sustain and expand shellfish farming across the state, officials said. Read more here.

Managed by the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, volunteers will plant dune grasses on Nov. 20, 21 and 22 near sand fencing along the newly constructed levee on the Gulf side of the island. The nonprofit organization and the Jefferson Parish Ecosystem and Coastal Management Department will mobilize the volunteers to plant 25,000 plugs of bitter panicum along a stretch of beach near a levee that was badly damaged in Hurricane Ida. The project is being funded by the FY24 Parish Matching Program through the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. Over time, the sand will build up and collect to form a dune. This extra protection between the levee and the beach will act as an additional line of storm defense for Grand Isle and its infrastructure, as well as protecting habitat for nesting shorebirds. Read more here.

Mississippi – MSU Scientists Track Bird Movement to Support Coastal Resilience

Scientists from Mississippi State’s Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture and Audubon Delta are tracking two iconic Mississippi coastal birds, and the research will inform future land management and conservation efforts. The team is tracking black skimmers and least terns to gain new insights into these species. Since bird activity is key to healthy ecosystems, their well-being is intricately tied to humanity’s welfare. Black skimmers, marked by black and white plumage and a red and black bill, are perennial residents on Mississippi’s coast. Despite their prevalence, they are not well understood. Mississippi’s beaches also host the largest breeding population of least terns—North America’s smallest tern species—compared to surrounding states. Read more here.

After years of planning, the concrete rubble at Hemlock Curve, spanning about 900 feet of the Peshtigo River’s streambank, will finally be cleaned up. An additional 600 feet of eroding streambank also will be restored. Since 2021, the Marinette County Land & Water Conservation Division (LWCD) has worked with other environmental agencies and bioengineering firms on the grant-funded Peshtigo River Streambank Protection and Enhancement Project, which aims to control erosion and restore habitat along the Peshtigo River. Plans were solidified in 2024, and funding efforts continued after that. Finally, a contractor was hired in March 2025. Nearly 1,600 feet of streambank will be restored using a nature-based solution. The design will provide durability and strength to the bank while also enhancing the habitat for fish and insect populations. Partners have included the Fox River Natural Resource Trustee Council, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wisconsin Department of Administration — Wisconsin Coastal Management Program, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, among others. Read more here.

Illinois One Step Closer to Keeping Invasive Carp Out of Great Lakes

For decades, local, state and federal officials have worried the Silver Carp could bypass Chicago and breach the Great Lakes, possibly reducing populations of native species that locals like to fish. The feared spread could wreak havoc on the world’s largest freshwater ecosystem and the multibillion-dollar tourism, boating and fishing industries that rely on it. Carp, which can out-eat and outgrow native fish, can also leap out of the water and startle boaters. Recently, Illinois announced it had acquired land needed to move forward with a $1.15 billion barricade aimed at keeping the voracious Asian carp from entering the channel that connects the Mississippi River Basin with the Great Lakes. Designed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, it’s slated to be built in the Des Plaines River, which connects the Illinois River to Chicago’s shipping canal near suburban Joliet. The billion dollar lock and dam upgrade will deploy a bubble wall, acoustic blasts, an electric barrier and a flushing mechanism to keep the carp from passing through. Read more here.

Wetlands on Whidbey Island will be restored and $10,000 invested in wetland conservation in Island County under a settlement agreement between the Washington Department of Ecology and the property owners. “Wetlands are incredibly important for protecting water quality, recharging groundwater, and providing habitat,” said Joenne McGerr, who manages Ecology’s Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program. “We’re pleased that we could resolve this case, fully restore this area, and support the conservation of wetlands in Island County.” Drainage ditches dug through the wetlands have already been filled in, and a restoration plan for the southern acre of their property will restore wetland functions. Under the settlement, $10,000 will go to the nonprofit Whidbey Camano Land Trust to help restore and conserve wetlands on Whidbey Island. Read more here.

Hawai’i – Community and Officials Meet to Discuss North Shore Erosion

As the winter surf season begins, so do discussions about the future of Oʻahu’s eroding North Shore. For the first time, community members, beachfront homeowners, engineers, and the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant gathered Saturday to discuss what the future looks like for portions of the island’s world-famous “Seven Mile Miracle.” It’s a topic that’s become increasingly urgent. In 2022 a home collapsed into the ocean near Rocky Point and then in October 2024, a home located a few houses down was forced to be demolished after it started crumbling into the ocean. With a $1 million grant, the University of Hawaii Sea Grant and the North Shore community are working on a North Shore Beach Management Plan which is aimed at identifying short and long-term community-supported solutions to protect the coastline. Read more here.

The Great Lakes Restoration Community Grant Program (GLRCGP) application is now open! The program’s primary goal is to fund restoration projects in Great Lakes communities with environmental concerns in support of GLRI objectives and offer technical assistance and minimize administrative challenges associated with applying for and managing federal grant funds. Cities, states, Tribes and nonprofit organizations representing Great Lakes communities can apply directly to the Great Lakes Restoration Community Grant Program. The submission deadline for Letters of Intent is January 16, 2026. Learn more here.

Partnership Efforts and New Resources to Support BUDM

Through its Coastal Zone Initiative to increase coastal habitat restoration and Beneficial Use of Dredged Material (BUDM) for habitat restoration and resource protection in the US, Manomet Conservation Sciences has worked with the Coastal States Organization and numerous partners to advance BUDM project planning in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Southeast states, develop case studies on coastal restoration projects, and deliver a series of technical webinars. Deliverables, recordings, and more information are available on the Coastal Zone Initiative webpage.

Coastal Accelerator Cohort Application Now Open

The goal of this program is to build coastal climate resilience and meet coastal 30×30 goals in the Pacific region of the United States. Coastal Quest is looking to fund mid-stage nature-based solutions, such as coastal restoration or protection projects, that have already begun scoping, planning, and feasibility analysis–and to assist in moving those projects through planning to implementation as members of a Coastal Accelerator Cohort. In addition to funding, Coastal Quest is offering technical support to Coastal Accelerator Cohort members. This could include fundraising and long-term financing, project planning and permitting, building community support, developing key partnerships, refining communications tools, and other support as needed. If you are a community-based or non-profit organization, Tribe, tribal or indigenous group, or public agency working on multi-benefit coastal projects in the Pacific Region, this opportunity may be for you! The deadline to apply is Friday, November 21, 2025. Learn more here.

Serious Games for Coastal and Marine Conservation, Management, and Adaptation

So-called “serious games” are designed for purposes beyond just entertainment, and they can be a powerful tool for teaching, engaging stakeholders, conducting research, and evaluating public policy. OCTO’s The Skimmer newsletter has compiled information about role-playing/simulation games that allow players to experiment with coastal and marine conservation, management, and adaptation actions (or inaction) to improve understanding of how coastal and marine ecosystems – particularly resource users and human communities – work. This compilation of games is continually updated. If you have additional games for us to consider, please send relevant information to sarah@octogroup.org. We are specifically looking for games with a management or conservation component (i.e., not solely focused on species identification or ecology.) Thank you for your assistance!

2025 State of the Beach Report

The Surfrider Foundation has released the 2025 State of the Beach Report. The report features nine case studies from beaches and coastal areas across the country, including successful coastal restoration in Queens, New York, community-driven planning to identify solutions on beaches experiencing some of the worst erosion rates along the North Shore of O’ahu, comprehensive policy changes to protect Oregon’s iconic beaches, and Surfrider’s gold standard managed retreat and coastal restoration project at Surfers’ Point in Ventura, California. Learn more here.

Study: Bulkheads Lead to Salt Marsh Erosion

Researchers found in a recent study that, over the long term, bulkhead structures have a “significant negative effect” on marsh habitat size. Using high-resolution imagery from 1981 of Carteret County’s Bogue and Back sounds and Newport and North rivers, the team measured the marsh extent, or total marsh area, at 45 sites with bulkheads and 45 natural sites, or those without the type of hardened structure. The 1981 measurements were then compared to the data from images collected in 1992, 2006 and 2013 of the same 90 sites. The study found that all 45 bulkhead sites experienced marsh shoreline erosion during the 32-year study period, with complete marsh loss at 11% of the sites with bulkheads. More than 80% of the 45 natural marsh control sites experienced shoreline erosion, but at seven sites, around 15%, the marsh shoreline accreted waterward. None of the control sites experienced complete marsh loss. Learn more here.

Funding Opportunity: $1.45 Billion in Supplemental Economic Funding Available for Disaster Recovery

The United States Economic Development Administration has announced the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for its Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Disaster Supplemental Grant Program. This program makes approximately $1.45 billion available to areas that received major disaster declarations in the calendar years 2023 and 2024 for economic recovery activities. Funds can support both construction and non-construction projects. State and local governments, Native tribes, higher education institutions, public or private non-profit organizations that work with local government, economic development organizations, and public-private partnerships for public infrastructure are eligible. The EDA will fund up to 80% of the project with higher percentages available for severely distressed applications and Tribal organizations. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until funds are spent for Readiness and Implementation path projects, while Industry Transformation grants will be due March 3, 2026. For more information, contact Rania Campbell-Bussiere.

202-800-0580 | cso@coastalstates.org | www.coastalstates.org