By Megan V. Williams
Wilmington, NC – The Undersea Research Center at UNC-Wilmington hasn't been doing much researching lately, after drastic funding cuts. But that could change, if its backers can sway Congress.
The federally supported center is one of seven around the country dedicated to underwater research. But years of budget cuts have left the center in so-called warm storage,' surviving mostly by renting its equipment to other researchers.
Congressman Mike McIntyre recently added his voice to a push for increased funding for the centers' umbrella organization, the Undersea Research Program, a branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA.
NURP has traveled a funding rollercoaster over the past decade. From a funding level of $12.5 million in 2005, the program saw its budget cut to $4 million the next year. Now a bill before Congress would restore funding to a new high of $19.5 million.
That money could help the United States understand what's happening to its coral reefs and deepsea fisheries, according to Andrew Shepard, director of the Undersea Research Center at UNCW. He says the money is needed just to keep the Center's Florida-based underwater laboratory, Aquarius, operational.
It's a unique asset that's been working on all the coral reef research problems. Plus it's been serving as a training base for the Navy and NASA. There's lots of activities there that would have to go if we don't get this funding back again.
Currently, those military and NASA missions are a big part of keeping the lights on at the Center.
We're not able to do anything but continue to try to find partners who will pay, Shepard says. And we'd much rather have a proactive research program, where we're solving coral reef research problems, which is a major issue right now.
Researchers on Aquarius are working in part on understanding how human activity contributes to the continuing degradation of Florida's coral reefs. In the waters off North Carolina, the center's divers are investigating the impact of the invasive lionfish on the snapper and grouper populations.
*****
Do you have a comment on this story or expertise on this topic? Please email us, we'd appreciate hearing your thoughts: news@whqr.org