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Safe and Sustainable Seafood Supply
Alabama and Mississippi are significant seafood harvesting and processing states. In 2007, the dockside value of commercial landings in Alabama and Mississippi exceeded $88 million, with more than 257 million pounds landed. In 2007, Pascagoula-Moss Point ranked as the sixth highest port in pounds of commercial pounds landed in the United States. In 2006, more than 4,800 jobs were provided in saltwater fishing alone with a total economic input of over $480 million. The seafood industry faces many challenges and opportunities. The global marketplace, trade policies, safety regulations, energy costs, food security concerns, waste handling and limited seafood supplies are issues that require evaluation and the development of solutions, where needed. MASGC will help commercial and recreational fishermen overcome these challenges. MASGC also will help the public make seafood decisions based on nutritional benefits, product quality and management practices. MASGC will use its research, extension and education capabilities to improve the safety of seafood, educate consumers on choosing nutritious and sustainable products, and expand sustainable practices for seafood harvest and aquaculture production. |
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Most of the Gulf of Mexico’s economically important marine fish and invertebrate species are heavily exploited. The continued presence of normal and healthy population numbers of living marine resources relies upon healthy and sufficient estuarine and nearshore coastal habitats and ecosystems. The United States has witnessed the decline of many of its major fisheries while seafood consumption is on the rise, resulting in a seafood trade deficit of $8 billion per year.  |