Upcoming Webinars

Starting an aquaculture farm requires significant investments of time and money. Pilot leasing or permitting pathways provide opportunities for operators to initiate farming on a smaller scale or explore different gear, species, or locations. Pilot programs can reduce the costs and risks associated with starting commercial aquaculture operations and generate valuable data and insights to guide agency decision-making. This webinar will provide an overview of state aquaculture pilot programs and explore how such frameworks can lower development hurdles, build social license to operate, and encourage environmental best practices.

Speaker:
Bess Ruff, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Sydney

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A major aspect of the National Sea Grant Law Center’s mission is to enhance the educational experiences of students interested in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes law. This summer, the NSGLC will host two law students and one policy graduate student researching an array of topics: shellfish restoration in Maine, PFAS regulation in the Southeast, and marine mammal policy related to aquaculture operations. In this webinar, the students will discuss their internship experiences and present findings from their research projects.

Speakers:
Ilinca Johnson

Blakely Durham

Savannah Schiebel

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The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2024-2025 Term was another important one for environmental law! The Court issued opinions in several cases with implications for the management of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources. In this webinar, the National Sea Grant Law Center will discuss in detail the court’s rulings related to the proper scope of environmental review under NEPA and a challenge to the EPA’s Clean Water Act permitting authority. We’ll also touch on a few smaller cases and revisit some major opinions from previous terms, such as Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, to see how the legal and regulatory system is responding. The webinar will conclude with a preview of the Court’s 2025-2026 term. The Law Center has applied to the Mississippi Commission on Continuing Legal Education for approval of this course for 1 hour of CLE credit.

Speaker(s):
NSGLC Attorneys

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Past Webinars

Have you heard about forever chemicals - PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances? Are you interested in learning more about the regulatory landscape for PFAS? In this webinar, the National Sea Grant Law Center discussed their research related to the federal and state regulation of PFAS. The webinar also provides an overview of lawsuits related to PFAS, including the multidistrict litigation related to firefighting foam.

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The National Sea Grant Law Center (NSGLC) held a webinar that highlighted three exciting research projects led by Sea Grant Law Fellows! Kerry McClaughry, an Environmental Law and Policy Fellow at Maryland Sea Grant, presented on innovative law and policy solutions for climate adaptation in coastal communities. Scott Luis, a Georgia Sea Grant Legal Fellow in partnership with the Carl Vinson Institute, shared about enhancing coastal adaptation and resilience through research on existing local ordinances. Scott and Kerry’s research is partially funded by the NSGLC’s “Ocean, Coastal, and Great Lakes Law Research Fellowship Award,” a grant established by the NSGLC to expand the Sea Grant network’s research on legal issues related to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes environments. Finally, Amy Kraitchman, NSGLC Ocean and Coastal Law Fellow, discussed her research on PFAS policy and litigation in the Southeast region.

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Direct seafood sales play a critical role in supporting sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, and resilient food systems across the country. Every state regulates such sales a little differently, with varying levels of complexity and cost. To better understand the legal landscape, the National Sea Grant Law Center conducted a comprehensive study into the regulation of direct seafood sales across the thirty coastal and Great Lakes states. In this webinar, the NSGLC will share the research findings from this study, which examined the state licensing frameworks for commercial fishing, aquaculture, and food establishments. This work offers valuable insights into best practices for supportive policies and opportunities for regulatory reform.

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