About All Blue, The Alliance For The Blue Economy

The Alliance for the Blue Economy ("All Blue")

The Alliance for the Blue Economy ("All Blue") is a local, multidisciplinary initiative to establish Wilmington and southeast North Carolina as a national and global leader in the Blue Economy.

The World Bank describes the Blue Economy as the "sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem."

As a CIE program, All Blue's mission is to:

• Support Blue Economy high-impact entrepreneurs and innovators
• Promote the region as an innovation hub and attract Blue Economy investment capital
• Gain recognition as an eventual global leader in Blue Economy solutions

What is the blue economy?

Oceans and rivers are critical to life on our planet. Not only do they provide drinking water, oxygen, and food, they also support countless businesses and millions of jobs. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), ocean-based businesses such as commercial fishing, shipping, tourism, wind energy, and biopharmaceuticals, among others, deliver $361 billion in good and services to the U.S. economy annually and supported 2.2 million jobs.

Yet, our oceans and waterways are facing increasing threats from climate change, pollution, and over-fishing. Parts of the oceans have seven times more plastic than fish. Climate change is warming waters, making it more difficult for fish to reproduce and thrive. Rising sea levels are endangering coastal habitats.

The Blue Economy is a global concept to align ocean economic growth with sustainable ocean and coastal health. The Blue Economy is recognized by The World Bank as "the sustainable use of ocean resources fo economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem."

In establishing the Alliance for the Blue Economy, southeastern North Carolina joins a growing list of Blue Economy hubs in locations such as Boston, Seattle, southern California, the Great Lakes, Alaska, Iceland, and Newfoundland.

Around the world, Blue Economy alliances and hubs are fostering innovation in coastal and oceanic observation, sustainable aquaculture and fisheries, carbon sequestration, and healthy ocean ecosystems to ensure that the ocean's resources sustainably thrive for future generations.

Why Wilmington?

Southeastern North Carolina is ideally positioned to become a viable Blue Economy hub for several reasons that are unique in the nation:

• We're adjacent to the second largest coastline and river estuary in the U.S.
• Southeastern NC has the second largest coastal access to open ocean on the East Coast.
• We're cultivating a growing reputation as a leader in technology-focused businesses that employ highly skilled workers.
• We're home to UNCW (scientific research), NCPorts (commercial application and deployment), and Cape Fear Community College (workforce training). Taken together, these institutions advance Blue Economy science and technologies (UNCW alone has more than 100 faculty engaged in marine sciences and ocean/coastal preservation).

What are some examples of the "Blue Economy"?

Some examples include:

1. Marine Engineering and IT: Robotics and Advanced Data Science Analytics
2. Marine Biology: Marine Ecosystems, Sustainable Seafood and Aquaculture
3. Marine Biotechnology: Pharmacology, Natural Products, Water and Waste Systems and Testing
4. Coastal Resilience: Sustainable Hospitality and Recreation, Economic Durability, Infrastructure and Disaster Recovery

Key All Blue Activities

• All Blue Monthly Meetings - Contact CIE to join the volunteer group!
• Public outreach and education - Through programs and events such as:
  • All Blue 101 and 201 - See the CIE Events list for the next scheduled event
  • Ocean Innovation Conference
  • Shellfish Mariculture Propel online course
• UNC Wilmington Blue Economy Index
• All Blue internships
• Ecosystem building

All Blue Projects

NC Blue Economy Assets Map

• The UNCW CIE combined efforts with the UNCW Center for Marine Science (CMS) and UNCW Department of Biology and Marine Biology to assemble the North Carolina Blue Economy Assets Map. The NC Blue Economy Asset map is a living document representing businesses gathered by CIE All Blue interns and volunteers from 2020 to 2024 with the capacity to expand as the region grows. The visuals were generated by Carolyn Greenway, All Blue Intern, and Ashley Belwolff, GIS Technician in the UNCW Benthic Ecology Lab, with assistance from Brittany Morse, Research Assistant at the UNCW Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences. The creation of the assets grew out of interdisciplinary collaboration, demonstrating how universities, like UNCW, are at the forefront of advancing the Blue Economy. 
• View the NC Blue Economy Assets Map

NC Blue Economy Report

• The collaborative NC Blue Economy Report was created by NC State Social Innovation Fellows, the UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and the NC State Blue Economy Innovation Program.  The report provides a comprehensive overview of the blue economy, detailing its challenges, proposing solutions, and highlighting current events and efforts within North Carolina. This report offers valuable insights that could benefit entrepreneurs, stakeholders, institutions, and residents of North Carolina.
• Read the NC Blue Economy Report

Learn More

Information in the Blue Economy

• https://oceanmooc.org/en/index.html
• https://www.noaa.gov/blue-economy
• https://oceanmooc.org/en/index.html
• https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/?p=.&p=
• https://thefishsite.com/
• https://www.hatch.blue/
• https://ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/blue-economy/

Happening at UNCW (sign up and get involved)

• Alliance for the Blue Economy
  
  • Follow us: https://www.facebook.com/allbluenc/
  • Contact CIE to join the group.
• Shellfish Mariculture Propel  
  • https://uncw.edu/research/centers/innovation-entrepreneurship/events-programs/programs/propel
  • Technical and business training for those entering the shellfish aquaculture industry
• The UNC Wilmington Blue Economy Index
  • https://uncw.edu/research/centers/innovation-entrepreneurship/events-programs/programs/blue-economy
• Storm Surge Protectors and Spat Monitoring
  • https://uncw.edu/seahawk-life/get-involved/community/teens-children/marinequest/grants-projects/citizen-science/storm-surge-protectors/
• Open Water level
  • Interested in helping test a new water level sensor? Contact Dr. Phil Bresnahan (bresnahanp@uncw.edu). This is a grassroots effort to develop a better way to gather water level data.
• NC EcoTech
  • https://uncw.edu/research/major-programs/nc-ecosystem-technology/?utm_source=ncet-prospective-engine&utm_medium=301&utm_id=REDIR1

Other Ways to Get Involved

• NC Oyster Trail
  • Growers, restaurants, ecotourism and education
  • Become a Member or Become a Friend
  • Sign up for events
  • Travel the NC Oyster Trail https://ncoystertrail.org/
• NC Sea Grant
  • Subscribe to Coastwatch
    • https://ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/coastwatch/
  • Subscribe to Hook, Line, and Science
    • https://ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/hooklinescience/
  • Student fellowship: 
    • https://ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/funding-opportunities/fellowships-and-student-opportunities/
  • Graduate students should consider applying for the Knauss Fellowship:
    • https://seagrant.noaa.gov/knauss-fellowship-program/
    • https://seagrant.noaa.gov/2024-knauss-finalists-announcement/

Partners

• Cape Fear Community College Marine Technology
  • https://cfcc.edu/marine-technology/
• Carteret Community College Aquaculture Program
  • https://carteret.edu/programs/aquaculture-technology/ 
  • Join on Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/CCCAquaculture/)
• Coastal Studies Institute
  • https://www.coastalstudiesinstitute.org/ncroep/
• Entrepreneurship competitions in the Blue Economy
  • https://blueoceancompetition.org/ 
    • (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwZ2c1ctm70)
  • https://gsw.mit.edu/gsw-about/ 
    • (https://gsw.mit.edu/2023/competitions.php)
• Ocean Exchange Sea Ahead
  • https://www.sea-ahead.com/
• The KIETS Climate Leaders Fall Symposium is a good opportunity.
  • https://climateleaders.kenan.ncsu.edu/symposium/
• The State Energy Conference hosted by the NC State Energy Collaborative.
  • https://ncenergyconference.com/