October 07, 2020
To say it has been a tricky year would be an understatement. That’s why North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher devised a way to make Halloween less scary and more of a treat in 2020. “Hallo’screen’ Under the Sea,” brings the thrills and chills of Halloween from the Aquarium to the safety and comfort of home Friday, October 30.
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October 07, 2020
For years visitors to the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher knew what to expect when they arrived at one of the state’s most visited attractions, home to sharks, sea turtles, an albino alligator and much more. These days, connections with nature and animals are still being made, but it’s not quite business as usual for staff or visitors.
The aquarium staff worked hard to implement a variety of health protections before opening to the public on Sept. 14, after a nearly six-month closure to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Returning guests found many changes, from new and safer operating and ticketing procedures to exciting new habitats for animals in aquarium care.
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August 06, 2020
The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher will hold a virtual Advisory Committee meeting at 9 a.m., August 19, 2020. Committee members will attend virtually as the aquarium remains closed to the public. A public call-in number is available.
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October 21, 2019
The North Carolina Aquariums will honor veterans and military service members on Nov. 11, 2019, by offering free admission on Veterans Day to all veteran, active, reserve, or retired members of the U.S. military with a valid service identification or proof of service, as well as spouses and dependents.
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April 12, 2019
Bugs and a good teacher sparked Gail Lemiec’s career path. She chose an undergraduate degree based on animal behavior, conducted conservation research with wolves, and now shares her passion for science at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher as an educator. Lemiec and several of her aquarium colleagues wanted to do more to encourage girls and women to explore science as a career path.
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January 18, 2019
Mention sharks to Hap Fatzinger and a change comes over him. He leans forward, talks a little faster, smiles a little bigger. The long-time Wilmington resident and avid outdoorsman really wants his audience to get it. But let’s be clear. The excitement, some might even call it a passion, has nothing to do with what should be done about sharks, but, instead, what we need to do for sharks.
Fatzinger’s use of the collective “we” is no mistake, either. He believes in the power of people, to make impactful change. Words like conservation, healthy habitats, ocean health aren’t just nebulous ideas in Fatzinger’s shark-fueled enthusiasm. They are his professional mission, a road map from which he will now lead the team at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher.
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December 07, 2018
The North Carolina Aquariums at Fort Fisher, Pine Knoll Shores, Roanoke Island and Jennette's Pier have all joined a coalition of major public aquariums that announced opposition to the federal government’s pending issuance of permits to allow repeated seismic blasting along the East Coast in search of offshore oil and gas. Marine scientists are concerned that the prolonged and extreme noise pollution introduced into already highly stressed ocean environments will disturb marine life from tiny plankton to commercially valuable fish stocks and even giant whales.
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