Articles

• Baitfish
• 10 Questions on MASGC Communications Program
• Bays & Bayous Symposium
• Coastal Cleanup
• B-WET Grant
• NOAA Gives a Lift
• Oyster Invasion
• Announcements
• Upcoming Events
• Featured Publication
• From the Director

Sea Briefs is a report on the results of the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium.

Editor: Laura Bowie

This newsletter is available in PDF format from:
masgc.org/seabriefs

MASGC supports applied, interdisciplinary marine science research, education and outreach efforts to foster the sustainable development and management of the Mississippi and Alabama coasts and nearshore ecosystems of the Gulf of Mexico

Mississippi-Alabama
Sea Grant Consortium
703 East Beach Drive
Ocean Springs, MS 39564
Phone: 228-818-8838
E-mail: seabriefs@masgc.org
MASGP 08-011-04

From the Director
Partnerships

MASGC has relied on partnerships with groups sharing missions and values for more than a quarter century. Last year, for example, MASGC formally or informally partnered with over 200 local, county, state and federal partners. Our viable network of partners is a source of great strength and contributes towards much of our success through research, education and outreach programs.

Flat funding of most federal and state environmental organizations has become an unfortunate fact of life. If we want to continue to enhance the value and sustainability of our nation’s ocean and coastal resources, it is imperative that creative ways be used to make the most of the funding resources available. Over the last couple of years MASGC has created new extension outreach positions with a few of our key partners to expand the scope of products and services we deliver. One example is our nature tourism educator in partnership with the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau. Another example is a NOAA Coastal Services Center and NOAA Sea Grant supported coastal storms outreach coordinator for coastal Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The most recent example will be the hiring of a non-point source pollution extension educator, jointly funded by the MASGC, the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, Auburn University, and the Alabama Clean Water Partnership Program.

The need to partner does not end with our outreach programs. In this newsletter we are releasing our regional research funding initiative on natural hazards and climate change. This regional funding opportunity is jointly funded by the four NOAA Sea Grant programs in the Gulf of Mexico, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Gulf of Mexico Program and the Department of Interior’s United States Geological Survey. MASGC is a resilient program and thoroughly enjoys the taste of good lemonade.