Legal Program

The Georgia Sea Grant Legal Program is an important resource in coastal law.

The Legal Program is a partnership between Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant and the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia. The program solicits legal and policy questions from Georgia coastal communities, regional organizations, state agencies and others to address critical environmental, economic and social concerns affecting coastal Georgia.

In providing objective analysis for coastal decision makers, the Legal Program strives to support informed and effective management of coastal resources to improve hazard resilience, encourage sustainable development and promote healthy coastal ecosystems.

Highly interdisciplinary, the Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant Legal Program works with scientists, local and state government leaders, extension agents and business owners to integrate the latest science with legal and policy analysis to improve hazard resilience, encourage sustainable development and promote healthy ecosystems throughout coastal Georgia. Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant and Carl Vinson Institute of Government are units of the UGA Office of Public Service and Outreach.

Oyster Mariculture in Georgia: Updates to the Legal and Regulatory Framework

The Legal Program is continuing research on Georgia’s growing oyster farming industry. Recent legislative changes, Department of Natural Resources rules and regulations, and the first floating oyster farm leases have dynamically changed the landscape of Georgia’s oyster law. These changes have the potential to revitalize a historic industry, while also providing a host of ecological benefits in the process, making Georgia’s new oyster farmers part of a larger picture of coastal resiliency. The oysters are delicious too. Legal Fellows will continue to monitor the growth of the industry along with planning and research support for cooperative partnerships in vertical integration, tourism, and restoration efforts.

Cage Fights: Oyster Farming User Conflicts and Regulatory Responses in Three Southeastern States

The eastern oyster has long shaped America’s coastal culture, economy, and ecology. Once at the center of violent “oyster wars,” it’s now farmed through modern aquaculture, bringing new conflicts among farmers, residents, and regulators. This report examines how North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia each balance oyster industry growth with coastal harmony, highlighting differing regulatory approaches and the emerging idea of “social license,” where farmers help manage community relations.

Oyster Farming In Georgia: A Beginner’s Guide to Methods, Permitting, and Funding

In 2019, the Georgia legislature passed a law providing for commercial oyster farming in the state’s coastal waters. Oyster farming, also known as oyster aquaculture or mariculture, utilizes cages and other gear to grow oysters that are suitable for the half-shell market, and is a growing industry in many coastal states.

Sea Level Rise Adaptation Ordinance and Attorney Engagement Trends

This report provides the first comprehensive overview of local sea level rise adaptation ordinances in the U.S., analyzing 58 examples to highlight methodologies, trends, and guidance for communities considering regulatory responses. It also examines the growing role of attorneys in adaptation, detailing their involvement in education, policy, and practice, and emphasizing their importance in shaping both physical and regulatory strategies to address rising seas.

Advancing Understanding of Risk: Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Flooding

Coastal communities are increasingly becoming aware of the risks to their ecosystems, homes, and economies because of increased flooding, more extreme storm surges, and sea level rise. Reducing risk on the coast will be achieved by means of a variety of approaches, including policy and regulatory changes, natural resource protection, structural and non-structural intervention and investment, and adaptive management.  Many coastal communities are already preparing both for their present vulnerabilities and for projected future conditions based on likely climate change and sea level rise scenarios. As part of a four-state regional project funded by the NOAA Office of Coastal Management, Florida Sea Grant, Georgia Sea Grant, South Carolina Sea Grant, and North Carolina Sea Grant (Project No.: FY2014-2018: NA14OAR4170084), project team members involving academic researchers, legal and policy experts, and law students have assisted coastal communities in four states – Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina – to prepare for present vulnerabilities and projected future conditions based on likely sea-level rise scenarios. The following white papers distill some of the findings that arose out of this project:

• Legal Issues When Managing Public Roads Affected by Sea Level Rise: Georgia
• Legal Issues When Managing Public Roads Affected by Sea Level Rise: Florida
• Legal Issues When Managing Public Roads Affected by Sea Level Rise: South Carolina
• Legal Issues When Managing Public Roads Affected by Sea Level Rise: North Carolina
• Road vulnerabilities to projected sea level rise by county in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia
• Challenges and Opportunities; Historic Preservation in the City of Beaufort
• Considerations for Resilience; and Historical Preservation Laws and Long-Term Climate Adaptation: Challenges and Opportunities