2026 SEERS and AERS Joint Meeting – North Carolina
The 2026 meeting of the Southeastern Estuarine Research Society (SEERS) will be in Morehead City, NC on March 19-21, 2026. Our host location will be at the Crystal Coast Civic Center in Carteret Community College, 203 College Circle, Morehead City, NC 28557.
Working together to support our estuaries – we will be combining our annual meeting with our northern affiliate, the Atlantic Estuarine Research Society (AERS) This unique opportunity arises from our shared state of North Carolina. By expanding our boarders, our joint Living With Water meeting will offer broader understanding of estuarine research happening around the Atlantic and Gulf. We will also be having a workshop with Xylem YSI for troubleshooting and tech demonstrations on the 19th from 9am – 3pm. Registration to the workshop is free and includes a day packed with helpful information, refreshments, and more! Please register HERE for the free workshop!
Conference schedule and program: A full meeting schedule and program is available HERE. We will also provide printed “at a glance” schedules at the meeting with a QR link to the full program or you can access those HERE. The full program will only be available electronically to reduce our environmental footprint. For our detailed presentation list, click HERE.
Optional Saturday (3/21) Field Trip: Boat and boardwalk tour of the Rachel Carson Reserve (~2-2.5 hrs). Located adjacent to the town of Beaufort, the Rachel Carson Reserve is one component of the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve. Participants will travel down Taylor’s Creek, viewing several islands that make up the Rachel Carson Reserve and observe coastal habitats and wildlife, particularly birds; over 200 species use the reserve within the Atlantic Flyway, including 23 that are rare or declining. Participants may also spot feral horses or bottlenose dolphins. On the boardwalk, participants will explore marsh and successional dredge-spoil habitats, aided by informative displays on local flora and fauna. We will also get a closer look at the recently installed living shoreline that stretches along 500 meters of the east end of Carrot Island. NCNERR staff will provide commentary during the trip and answer questions. Reserve your spot HERE through AERS.
Registration and Abstract Submission: Abstract submission is due by January 31, 2026 and Early registration rates are through February 16, 2026 . Please submit with the link provided below. This year, we will be adding a new presentation style to the mix “ignite”! Review this link about the different presentation styles so you can best indicate which one is preferable to you when submitting your abstract.
Meeting Location
Crystal Coast Civic Center, Carteret Community College
203 College Circle
Morehead City, NC 28557
https://www.carteretcountync.gov/835/Civic-Center
Banquet Location
Catered on site; Friday the 20th from 6:30pm – 9:30pm
Optional Field Trip (Sat, 3/21/26)
Boat and boardwalk tour of the Rachel Carson Reserve (~2-2.5 hrs). See above for more details.
https://aers.info/event-6543801/Registration
2025 Meeting Minutes
Please review the meeting minutes for our 2025 meetings to approve during our SEERS 2026 meeting
Spring 2025 SEERS meeting minutes | Fall (CERF) 2025 SEERS meeting minutes
Accommodations
A block of rooms is being set aside for meeting participants at the Hampton Inn in Morehead City. This will be close to the conference.
Hampton Inn Morehead City:
Book your room HERE
4035 Arendell St., Morehead City, NC 28557
Hotel phone: (252) 240-2300
This includes hot breakfast, wi-fi, and parking