The coast of North Carolina encompasses 325 miles of sweeping beaches, barrier islands, two national seashores, a National Estuarine Research Reserve, a National Marine Sanctuary, two shipping ports, and U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. It is full of extensive marshes, vast stretches of seagrass, and sheltered harbors that support a high concentration of fishing, recreation, and tourism. The region is also renowned for a wealth of academic and scientific institutions, research laboratories, and state and federal coastal management and fisheries agencies.

NOAA's North Carolina Sentinel Site Cooperative (the Cooperative) promotes a network of partners among the scientific and academic communities, resource managers, and nongovernmental organizations. Its active research and monitoring programs play a key role in understanding the coastal environment, including sea level rise, marsh ecosystems, and living shorelines.

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