Waterfront Access and Marine Industry (WAMI) Fund

Establishing the WAMI Fund

The Waterfront Access and Marine Industry (WAMI) Fund was created to acquire waterfront properties or develop facilities to provide, improve or develop public and commercial waterfront access. The N.C. General Assembly approved the $20 million fund in 2007 in response to recommendations from the Waterfront Access Study Committee. The study committee reported to the Joint Legislative Commission on Seafood and Aquaculture that rapid development along the coast has brought higher property values and taxes that have resulted in the loss of traditional maritime industries and public access. The General Assembly felt state intervention was needed to ensure existing and future waterfront-dependent uses and continued access to the state’s public trust waters.

Selected Sites

Thirteen sites were selected in April 2008 for funding from the Waterfront Access and Marine Industry Fund. The sites and funding are distributed geographically across three coastal regions. Six, totaling $6.8 million are in the northeast; four, totaling $6.3 million, are in the central; and three, totaling $6.9 million, are in the southeast.

The sites were selected to provide waterfront access to a variety of user groups, including commercial and recreational fishermen, pier fishermen, recreational boaters and the marine industry. In addition, several sites are in strategic locations for important state research and habitat enhancement efforts.

These multi-functional projects address many of the access issues identified in the 2007 Waterfront Access Study Committee Report. The Division of Marine Fisheries also met its goal of leveraging the $20 million WAMI Fund to draw other sources of financial support. The total cost of the projects exceeds $71 million.

Some of the funding decisions are pending state appraisals and successful price negotiations for property acquisition. For more information, contact DMF Public Information Officer Patricia Smith at (252) 808-8025 or send e-mail to Patricia Smith.

Download a PDF table of selected WAMI projects here.

Download a PDF map of selected WAMI projects here.