GMRP Supplemental and Appendices

GULF OF MEXICO RESEARCH PLAN
Comprehensive Supporting Documents
SEPTEMBER 2009
Suggested citation: Sempier, S.H., K. Havens, R. Stickney, C. Wilson, and D.L. Swann. 2009. Gulf of Mexico
Research Plan. MASGP-09-024.
Document design adapted from a template provided by Patricia Andersson, Oregon Sea Grant
Document designed by Melissa Schneider, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium
Map graphic on cover designed by Tanya Baker, Texas Sea Grant College Program
Cover photos:
Top left: Melissa Schneider/Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium
Bottom left: Collier County Sheriff ’s Office Aviation Bureau
Top right: Texas Sea Grant
Bottom right: Marisol Amador/University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
MASGP-09-024
This project was partially funded by the National Sea Grant College Program
of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Texas • Louisiana • Florida Administration under NOAA Grant NA06OAR4170078 and the Florida
Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant College Program, Louisiana Sea Grant College Program,
Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, and Texas Sea Grant College
Program. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of
those organizations.
Gulf of Mexico Research Priorities Arranged by ORPP‐defined Societal Themes and Research Priorities
Gulf of Mexico research priorities are arranged by “Top Tier,” which are the research priorities that support
the Gulf of Mexico high‐priority topic areas included in the Gulf of Mexico Research Plan, and “Second
Tier” priorities, which are the remaining Top 10 workshop priorities, supporting Top 11‐20 workshop
priorities, and survey comments that were not captured within a high‐priority topic area. The priorities are
arranged by ORPP theme and research priority.

ORPP Theme: Improving Ecosystem Health

Understand and predict the impact of natural and anthropogenic processes on ecosystems
Ocean Research Priorities Plan Research Priority 14 (ORPP RP14)
Top Tier Gulf of Mexico Priorities
• Predict the impacts of current building and permitting practices on freshwater inflow and examine
the effects of human manipulation (e.g. upstream impoundments, causeways, placing processed
water into confined areas) on the amount, timing, and type of freshwater inflows and their impacts
on natural resources and the environment
• Analyze the role of freshwater input on coastal wetlands and habitat change over time to determine
the hydrologic requirements of healthy marsh systems and quantify effects of sediment discharge
reduction on erosion rates and habitat loss
• Examine the impacts of higher saline water and temperature change on water stratification,
biodiversity, species composition and production, benthic communities, trophic interactions,
fisheries, the range of native and non‐native species, emergent coastal habitats, and sediment
transport and shoreline erosion
• Evaluate the relationship of coastal development, land use, land cover, storm water and wastewater
management on eutrophication, nutrient loading, water quality, and the environment
• Identify the relationships between nutrient loading, eutrophication, hypoxia, and harmful algal
blooms; examine their impacts on ecosystem health, seagrasses, and higher trophic organisms; and
determine the effects of freshwater diversion on hypoxia
• Model the impacts of non‐point source pollution on coastal resources

Second Tier Gulf of Mexico Priorities
• Examine impacts of global climate change on local ecosystems, and design flexible ecosystem
models to predict local impacts
• Determine the response of organisms and the emergence or prevalence of pathogens in response to
changing levels of temperature, salinity, carbon dioxide, wind, and other climate‐linked factors
• Examine Gulf of Mexico watershed systems in terms of evaluating current sediment, freshwater
volume, and nutrient loads in these systems to better assess the potential for restoring critical areas
and habitats
• Evaluate the total potential of Mississippi River restoration considering sediment, freshwater
volume, nutrients, and optimal distribution of the Achafalaya and Mississippi Rivers.

Apply understanding of natural and anthropogenic processes to develop socioeconomic assessments and
models to evaluate the impact of multiple human uses on ecosystems (ORPP RP15)
• Identify social and economic drivers that influence how communities use their resources; examine
why communities make different conservation decisions; and determine and catalog the
Supplemental Document: GMRP First and Second Tier Priorities 2
socioeconomic impacts and value of changing the level of protection (increasing or decreasing
protection) and restoration of ecosystems at various scales and determine how this impacts resource
users, communities, and the environment (including if habitat functions as expected)
• Identify the true costs and true benefits of future coastal development and include the economic
impacts of climate change on maritime activities, oil and gas, fisheries, infrastructure, and tax base
• Predict the socioeconomic and ecological impacts of future coastal development and population
growth in the coastal zone based on projections of future development and including an
examination of the historic and prehistoric human densities in the coastal zone
• Examine the balance between optimizing future coastal development while minimizing
environmental impacts, maximizing quality of life, and maintaining public access
• Examine the economic, cultural, and intrinsic value of working waterfronts including economic,
social, and environmental cost‐benefit analyses of working waterfronts to compare with other
waterfront uses
• Characterize Gulf of Mexico fishing communities using socioeconomic methods, and determine the
economic feasibility of alternatives to wild harvest fisheries such as aquaculture
• Model economic impacts to fisheries production, recreational uses of the resources, and community
resiliency
• Determine the benefits and costs of restoration and include the development of models to
understand these costs and benefits
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the educational programs related to our natural resources and improve
the methodologies of sharing information with the public so that communities can make more
informed decisions

Apply understanding of marine ecosystems to develop appropriate indicators and metrics for
sustainable use and effective management (ORPP RP16)
Top Tier Gulf of Mexico Priority
• Determine the correct variables to use as indicators of ecosystem health, identify the optimal
methods to measure the indicators, and design better‐defined indices with more indicators to
evaluate the status of ecosystems

Second Tier Gulf of Mexico Priority
• Design rapid field‐based standardized tests for the detection of specific variables that will identify
the presence of bacteria, contaminants, toxins, and pathogenic organisms at harmful levels

ORPP Theme: Stewardship of Natural and Cultural Resources

Understand interspecies and habitat/species relationships to support forecasting resource stability and
sustainability (ORPP RP2)
• Identify connections among habitats and connections between habitats and living marine resources
• Model resource stability and sustainability and include interactions between fisheries, habitat,
threatened and endangered species, ecosystem processes, and stressors to assist with making
ecosystem‐based management decisions
• Examine changes in habitat quality and quantity over time and identify the effects of changes on
marine organisms including the threshold level of habitat quality and quantity required to support
sustainable populations of living resources

• Analyze the trophic relationships of commercially valuable species, endangered species, and
invasive species and predict ecosystem changes influencing the removal of commercially valuable
species
• Determine how resource diversity and abundance responds to changes in ecosystem structure and
function; identify what changes are caused by natural versus anthropogenic causes; and analyze the
relationship between living resource sustainability and water quality, invasive species, tourism,
coastal development, urban development, land use, and marine aquaculture
• Examine the impact of climate change on fish ecology, mortality, fecundity, recruitment,
distribution, migration, and predator‐prey interaction
• Evaluate the relative importance of different sites in the Gulf of Mexico that support resource
abundance and diversity by examining water circulation, gene flow, larval transport and
connectivity of habitats and populations in the region
• Formulate a method to measure the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas

Understand human‐use patterns that may influence resource stability and sustainability (ORPP RP3)
• Establish the value of Gulf of Mexico ecosystem services, including depleted and renewable
resources
• Model the value of various habitats and ecosystems to allow for informed decisions on the
placement, construction, development, and expansion of marine facilities and operation

Apply advanced understanding and technologies to enhance benefits of various natural resources from
the open ocean and coasts (ORPP RP4)
• Identify methods for improving aquaculture grow‐out technology for stock enhancement and other
purposes and examine the environmental and economic impacts of marine and estuarine
aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico including the impacts of mariculture in shallow, warm waters
• Evaluate innovative uses of oil platforms such as generating alternative energy, collecting weather
data, developing ecotourism options, and rearing marine organisms

Understand the status and trends of resource abundance and distribution through more accurate, timely,
and synoptic assessments (ORPP RP1)
• Develop more accurate assessments of biodiversity on a micro (genetic and molecular ecology) and
macro (population) level


ORPP Theme: Increase Resilience to Natural Hazards

Apply understanding to develop multi‐hazard risk assessments and support development of models,
policies, and strategies for hazard mitigation (ORPP RP7)
• Determine and predict the physical impacts of climate change on coastal and upland areas in terms
of sea level change, rate of elevation change, shoreline change, loss of barrier islands, role of coastal
development in preventing migration of marshes and other habitats, and change in inland, coastal,
and ocean hydrology and apply this knowledge in habitat restoration efforts
• Examine the public’s perception of sea level change; evaluate hazard‐related communications and
people’s change in behavior in relation to hazard mitigation; and identify approaches that local
governments are employing to adapt to sea level change
• Predict socioeconomic impacts of climate and sea level change on population dynamics, community
infrastructure, short‐ and long‐term community demographic shifts, social capital, and commerce
and shipping centers

• Characterize and model community and ecological resilience to natural hazards considering the
ecological footprint and level of vulnerability of the built environment and identify methods to
reduce losses; and model the attributes, factors, and strategies that contribute to making a
community successfully resilient

Understand response of coastal and marine systems to natural hazards and apply that understanding to
assessments of future vulnerability to natural hazards (ORPP RP6)
• Determine how storm surge, subsidence and sea level change affects ecosystems, native coastal
habitat, wetland composition, saltwater intrusion, coastal flooding, cultures, agriculture, and human
health
• Identify the optimal use and allocation of sediment and evaluate the rates of shoreline change from
anthropogenic and natural impacts including sediment mobilization, transport, and deposition from
major storm events

• Analyze how coastal and nearshore morphology, vegetation, beaches, dunes, coastal forests, and
wetlands protect inland areas from hurricane impacts by absorbing wind and storm surge energy;
and determine the economic value (e.g. costs and benefits) of natural protective features

Understand how hazard events initiate and evolve, and apply that understanding to improve forecasts of
future hazard events (ORPP RP5)
• Design updated real‐time storm surge models and products that include meteorological, land use
and land cover, and improved boundary data to better predict impacts from storms


ORPP Theme: Enhancing Human Health

Understand sources and processes contributing to ocean‐related risks to human health (ORPP RP17)
• Determine how environmental factors (e.g. sea temperature, salinity, industrial discharge,
agricultural inputs, freshwater inflow, and water quality) and large‐scale events (e.g. climate change
and tropical storms) influence the occurrence, intensity, and duration of harmful algal blooms,
toxins, and pathogens and develop harmful algal bloom transport models for near shore waters
• Incorporate integrated studies to examine the affects and transport of wastewater on human health,
drinking water, and water quality including improving the ability to identify contaminant sources
such as raw and partially treated sewage

Understand human health risks associated with the ocean and potential benefits of ocean resources to
human health (ORPP RP18)
• Examine and predict how changes in water quality, temperature, runoff, and mercury levels impact
seafood safety and quality and determine the effects of bioaccumulation, harmful algal blooms and
other harmful substances on the safety of seafood products
• Identify the relationship between temperature change and Vibrio species and improve prediction
capabilities related to the occurrence and duration of this pathogen in a given body of water

Apply understanding of ocean ecosystems and biodiversity to develop products and biological models
to enhance human well‐being (ORPP RP20)
• Analyze marine and coastal derived products to determine their potential for pharmaceuticals and
other biological‐based products

ORPP Theme: The Oceanʹs Role in Climate

Understand the impact of climate variability and change on the biogeochemistry of the ocean and
implication for its ecosystems (ORPP RP12)
• Determine changes in freshwater, nutrient, pollution, groundwater and sediment input due to
changes in pattern and quantity of precipitation and predict the subsequent impact of these inputs
on geochemical and physical coastal processes and biological (including benthic and epibenthic)
communities
• Develop and validate numerical circulation models and techniques for data assimilation
• Evaluate the best locations for sensors to record climatological, wind, atmospheric, and ocean
circulation data and use Observation System Simulation Experiments (OSSE) to determine optimal
placement of sensors

Note: Other climate‐related research priorities are captured elsewhere in this document.


ORPP Theme: Enabling Marine Operations

Understand the interactions between marine operations and the environment (ORPP RP8)
Top Tier Gulf of Mexico Priority
• Examine how river diversions and the placement of sediment impact water quality, sediment
processes, shoaling, coastal processes, fisheries, habitat utilization by organisms, and marshes and
other habitats

• Determine impacts of past and present navigation practices, shipping including shallow‐draft
PANAMAX super‐containers, port facilities, shallow‐water dredging and non‐dredging sediment
management on water and air quality, sediment transport, land loss and erosion, circulation,
ecosystem health, and human health


Gulf of Mexico Research Plan

Appendix A:
Planning and Review Council Membership

This project was partially funded by the National Sea Grant College Program of the U.S. Department of
Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under NOAA Grant NA06OAR4170078 and the
Florida Sea Grant College Program, Louisiana Sea Grant College Program, Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant
Consortium, and Texas Sea Grant College Program. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views

of those organizations.

Planning and Review Council Membership
(as of June 28, 2008)
Name Affiliation
Becky Allee NOAA Coastal Services Center
Gloria Car EPA Gulf of Mexico Program
Jean Cowan National Marine Fisheries Service Restoration Center
Deborah Epperson Minerals Management Service
Jorge Euan‐Avila Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados Unidad Mérida (CINVESTAV)
Doug Frugé US Fish and Wildlife Service
Kola Garber National Sea Grant Office
Callie Hall NASA Engineering and Science Directorate
Phillip Hinesley Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Jack Kindinger USGS Center for Coastal and Watershed Studies
Richard Leard Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council
Larry Massey MEXUS‐Gulf Program
Bruce Moulton Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Worth Nowlin Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System/Texas A&M University
Mark Peters USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Susan Rees US Army Corps of Engineers
David Ruple Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
David Shaw Northern Gulf Cooperative Institute/Mississippi State University
Larry Simpson Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission
Gary Springer Gulf of Mexico States Accord
Kerry St. Pé Barataria‐Terrebonne National Estuary Program
Buck Sutter NOAA Gulf of Mexico Regional Team
Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies/ Texas A&M University/
Wes Tunnell
Southern Association of Marine Labs
Bill Walker Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
Steven Wolfe Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Alejandro Yáñez‐
Instituto de Ecología A.C. (INECOL)
Arancibia


Appendix B:
Results from the Gulf of Mexico Strategic Plan Analysis


Gulf of Mexico Strategic Plans with Links
to the Ocean Research Priorities Plan Themes and Priorities
(117 strategic plans reviewed as of August 2007)
;
Percent of Rank of RP Percent of

Number of all mentions based on mentions
Theme Research Priority (RP) mentions in RP mentions in theme
Improving Understand and predict the impact of natural and
Ecosystem 316 20.8% 1
anthropogenic processes on the ecosystem
Health
Apply understanding of marine ecosystems to develop
appropriate indicators and metrics for sustainable use and 168 11.1% 3
34.8%
effective management
Apply understanding of natural and anthropogenic pro-
cesses to develop socioeconomic assessments and models 44 2.9% 11
to evaluate the impact of human uses on ecosystems
Stewardship Understand interspecies and habitat/species relationships
270 17.8% 2
of Natural to support forecasting resource stability and sustainability
and Cultural Understand status and trends of resource abundance and
Resources 133 8.8% 4
distribution through assessments
32.9%
Understand human-use patterns that influence
54 3.6% 9
resource stability
Apply understanding and technology to enhance benefits
42 2.8% 12
of various natural resources
Increase Understand response of coastal and marine systems to
Resilience to natural hazards and apply understanding to assessments 56 3.7% 7
Natural of future vulnerability to natural hazards
Hazards Apply understanding to develop multi-hazard risk assess-
ments and support development of models, policies, and 55 3.6% 8 8.7%
strategies for hazard mitigation
Understand how hazard events initiate, evolve, and apply
21 1.4% 18
that understanding to improve forecasts of hazard events
Enhancing Understand sources and processes contributing to ocean-
84 5.5% 5
Human Health related risks to human health
Understand human health risks associated with the ocean
26 1.7% 14
and potential benefits of ocean resources to human health
Understand how human use and valuation of ocean
resources can be affected by ocean-borne human 8.7%
16 1.1% 19
health threats and how human activities can influence
these threats
Apply understanding of ocean ecosystems and biodiver-
sity to develop products and biological models to enhance 6 0.4% 20
human well-being
Enabling Understand interactions between marine operations and
83 5.5% 6
Marine the environment
Operations Apply understanding of environmental factors affecting
marine operations to characterize and predict conditions 23 1.5% 16
8.4%
in the maritime domain
Apply understanding of environmental impacts and
marine operations to enhance the marine transportation 22 1.4% 17
system
The Ocean’s Understand the impact of climate variability and change
Role in on the biogeochemistry of the ocean and implication for 45 3.0% 10
Climate its ecosystems
Understand ocean-climate interactions within and 6.6%
30 2.0% 13
across regions
Apply understanding of the ocean to help project future
25 1.6% 15
climate changes and their impacts
Totals 1,519 100% 100%
GMRP Appendix B 1
Description of columns
The theme described in the Ocean Research Priorities Plan (ORPP).
Theme
According to the ORPP each theme has equal importance.
The research priority described in the ORPP that relates to the
Research priority (RP)
given theme.
Number of goals/priorities/focus areas described in Gulf of Mexico
Number of mentions strategic plans that mention a research priority similar to the one
described in the ORPP.
Percent of all mentions in RP Percent of total mentions that link to the research priority.
Rank of the total mentions between strategic plans and ORPP research
Rank of RP based on mentions
priority (1 = most mentions to 20 = least mentions).
Percent of mentions in theme Percent of total mentions to all research priorities that were in the theme.
Background The Ocean Research Priorities Plan (ORPP) was released on Jan. 26,
2007, by the NSTC Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technol-
ogy. The plan “presents national research priorities that focus on the most
compelling issues in key areas of interaction between society and the
ocean.” The ORPP is the result of the first national-level, multi-agency
effort to identify research priorities and develop an implementation
strategy to address these priorities. It provides a framework for national-
level ocean research and presents six equally weighted themes and 20
research priorities supporting the six themes.
This August 2007 version of the matrix attempts to identity the areas of
emphasis of Gulf of Mexico (GOM) research in relation to the research
priorities and themes described in the ORPP. Strategic plans from groups
that conduct, sponsor or directly use GOM research were collected and
analyzed. Because only the text of the strategic plans was available and
the amounts of effort and funding for each priority or goal in the strate-
gic plans were not provided, this analysis required that equal weight be
placed on each priority or goal within and between strategic plans regard-
less of scope, level of effort or funding level of the strategic plan.
More information For more information about the Gulf of Mexico research planning
process and to download all plans used in this analysis, access the
project’s Web site at: http://masgc.org/gmrp or contact Steve Sempier
at stephen.sempier@usm.edu.
MASGC-08-006
This publication was supported by the National Sea Grant College Program of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration under NOAA Grant NA06OAR4170078 and the Florida Sea Grant Program, Louisiana Sea Grant
Program, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, and Texas Sea Grant Program.The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect
the views of those organizations.
GMRP Appendix B 2


Appendix C:
Gulf of Mexico Research Information Needs Survey

The online survey was created in SurveyMonkey and is included in the following pages. Note that skip
logic was incorporated into the survey so not all respondents were presented with every question
included in the survey.


Gulf of Mexico Research and Information Needs Survey
Introduction
Survey to Prioritize Gulf of Mexico Research and Information Needs
This survey is being conducted by the Gulf of Mexico Regional Research and Information Needs Project (GMRP) through the Gulf of
Mexico Sea Grant College Programs and numerous partners. The results of this survey and other forms of constituent input will be
used to develop a regional priorities plan for Gulf of Mexico research. The survey is designed to identify regional research needs and
is structured around the Ocean Research Priorities Plan and Implementation Strategy, which was recently developed to shape the
future direction of ocean research on a national level.
Your participation is essential. This survey should take less than 15 minutes to complete, but you may take as much time as
necessary to provide comments.
If you would like to receive emails about the progress of the project you may do so by adding your contact information at the end of
the survey. We will only use this contact information to communicate GMRP-related work and your contact information will not be
shared with others.
Thank you for your help with this survey.
GMRP Appendix C Page 1

Residence
To sort responses into subregions we would like to collect some background information from you.
* In what state do you primarily reside?

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Alabama Counties
In what Alabama county do you primarily reside?
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Florida Counties
In what Florida county do you primarily reside?
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Louisiana Parishes
Other
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n
j Beauregard
k
l
m
n j Lafayette
k
l
m
n j St. Martin
k
l
m
n
j Bienville
k
l
m
n j Lafourche
k
l
m
n j St. Mary
k
l
m
n
j Bossier
k
l
m
n j La Salle
k
l
m
n j St. Tammany
k
l
m
n
j Caddo
k
l
m
n j Lincoln
k
l
m
n j Tangipahoa
k
l
m
n
j Calcasieu
k
l
m
n j Livingston
k
l
m
n j Tensas
k
l
m
n
j Caldwell
k
l
m
n j Madison
k
l
m
n j Terrebonne
k
l
m
n
j Cameron
k
l
m
n j Morehouse
k
l
m
n j Union
k
l
m
n
j Catahoula
k
l
m
n j Natchitoches
k
l
m
n j Vermilion
k
l
m
n
j Claiborne
k
l
m
n j Orleans
k
l
m
n j Vernon
k
l
m
n
j Concordia
k
l
m
n j Ouachita
k
l
m
n j Washington
k
l
m
n
j De Soto
k
l
m
n j Plaquemines
k
l
m
n j Webster
k
l
m
n
j East Baton Rouge

k
l
m
n j Pointe Coupee
k
l
m
n j West Baton Rouge
k
l
m
n
j East Carroll
k
l
m
n j Rapides
k
l
m
n j West Carroll
k
l
m
n
j East Feliciana
k
l
m
n j Red River
k
l
m
n j West Feliciana
k
l
m
n
j Evangeline
k
l
m
n j Richland
k
l
m
n j Winn
k
l
m
n
j Franklin
k
l
m
n j Sabine
k
l
m
n
j Grant
k
l
m
n j St. Bernard
k
l
m
n

Mississippi Counties
In what Mississippi county do you primarily reside?
j Adams
k
l
m
n j Itawamba
k
l
m
n j Pike
k
l
m
n
j Alcorn
k
l
m
n j Jackson
k
l
m
n j Pontotoc
k
l
m
n
j Amite
k
l
m
n j Jasper
k
l
m
n j Prentiss
k
l
m
n
Other
j Attala
k
l
m
n j Jefferson
k
l
m
n j Quitman
k
l
m
n
j Benton
k
l
m
n j Jefferson Davis
k
l
m
n j Rankin
k
l
m
n
j Bolivar
k
l
m
n j Jones
k
l
m
n j Scott
k
l
m
n
j Calhoun
k
l
m
n j Kemper
k
l
m
n j Sharkey
k
l
m
n
j Carroll
k
l
m
n j Lafayette
k
l
m
n j Simpson
k
l
m
n
j Chickasaw
k
l
m
n j Lamar
k
l
m
n j Smith
k
l
m
n
j Choctaw
k
l
m
n j Lauderdale
k
l
m
n j Stone
k
l
m
n
j Claiborne
k
l
m
n j Lawrence
k
l
m
n j Sunflower
k
l
m
n
j Clarke
k
l
m
n j Leake
k
l
m
n j Tallahatchie
k
l
m
n
j Clay
k
l
m
n j Lee
k
l
m
n j Tate
k
l
m
n
j Coahoma
k
l
m
n j Leflore
k
l
m
n j Tippah
k
l
m
n
j Copiah
k
l
m
n j Lincoln
k
l
m
n j Tishomingo
k
l
m
n
j Covington
k
l
m
n j Lowndes
k
l
m
n j Tunica
k
l
m
n
j DeSoto
k
l
m
n j Madison
k
l
m
n j Union
k
l
m
n
j Forrest
k
l
m
n j Marion
k
l
m
n j Walthall
k
l
m
n
j Franklin
k
l
m
n j Marshall
k
l
m
n j Warren
k
l
m
n
Other
j George
k
l
m
n j Monroe
k
l
m
n j Washington
k
l
m
n
j Greene
k
l
m
n j Montgomery
k
l
m
n j Wayne
k
l
m
n
j Grenada
k
l
m
n j Neshoba
k
l
m
n j Webster
k
l
m
n
j Hancock
k
l
m
n j Newton
k
l
m
n j Wilkinson
k
l
m
n
j Harrison
k
l
m
n j Noxubee
k
l
m
n j Winston
k
l
m
n
j Hinds
k
l
m
n j Oktibbeha
k
l
m
n j Yalobusha
k
l
m
n
j Holmes
k
l
m
n j Panola
k
l
m
n j Yazoo
k
l
m
n
j Humphreys
k
l
m
n j Pearl River
k
l
m
n
j Issaquena
k
l
m
n j Perry
k
l
m
n

Texas Counties
In what Texas county do you primarily reside?
j Anderson
k
l
m
n j Gillespie
k
l
m
n j Moore
k
l
m
n
j Andrews
k
l
m
n j Glasscock
k
l
m
n j Morris
k
l
m
n
j Angelina
k
l
m
n j Goliad
k
l
m
n j Motley
k
l
m
n
j Aransas
k
l
m
n j Gonzales
k
l
m
n j Nacogdoches
k
l
m
n
j Archer
k
l
m
n j Gray
k
l
m
n j Navarro
k
l
m
n
j Armstrong
k
l
m
n j Grayson
k
l
m
n j Newton
k
l
m
n
j Atascosa
k
l
m
n j Gregg
k
l
m
n j Nolan
k
l
m
n
j Austin
k
l
m
n j Grimes
k
l
m
n j Nueces
k
l
m
n
j Bailey
k
l
m
n j Guadalupe
k
l
m
n j Ochiltree
k
l
m
n
j Bandera
k
l
m
n j Hale
k
l
m
n j Oldham
k
l
m
n
j Bastrop
k
l
m
n j Hall
k
l
m
n j Orange
k
l
m
n
j Baylor
k
l
m
n j Hamilton
k
l
m
n j Palo Pinto
k
l
m
n
j Bee
k
l
m
n j Hansford
k
l
m
n j Panola
k
l
m
n
j Bell
k
l
m
n j Hardeman
k
l
m
n j Parker
k
l
m
n
j Bexar
k
l
m
n j Hardin
k
l
m
n j Parmer
k
l
m
n
j Blanco
k
l
m
n j Harris
k
l
m
n j Pecos
k
l
m
n
j Borden
k
l
m
n j Harrison
k
l
m
n j Polk
k
l
m
n
j Bosque
k
l
m
n j Hartley
k
l
m
n j Potter
k
l
m
n
j Bowie
k
l
m
n j Haskell
k
l
m
n j Presidio
k
l
m
n
j Brazoria
k
l
m
n j Hays
k
l
m
n j Rains
k
l
m
n
j Brazos
k
l
m
n j Hemphill
k
l
m
n j Randall
k
l
m
n
j Brewster
k
l
m
n j Henderson
k
l
m
n j Reagan
k
l
m
n
j Briscoe
k
l
m
n j Hidalgo
k
l
m
n j Real
k
l
m
n
j Brooks
k
l
m
n j Hill
k
l
m
n j Red River
k
l
m
n
j Brown
k
l
m
n j Hockley
k
l
m
n j Reeves
k
l
m
n
j Burleson
k
l
m
n j Hood
k
l
m
n j Refugio
k
l
m
n
j Burnet
k
l
m
n j Hopkins
k
l
m
n j Roberts
k
l
m
n
j Caldwell
k
l
m
n j Houston
k
l
m
n j Robertson
k
l
m
n
j Calhoun
k
l
m
n j Howard
k
l
m
n j Rockwall
k
l
m
n

j Callahan
k
l
m
n j Hudspeth
k
l
m
n j Runnels
k
l
m
n
j Cameron
k
l
m
n j Hunt
k
l
m
n j Rusk
k
l
m
n
j Camp
k
l
m
n j Hutchinson
k
l
m
n j Sabine
k
l
m
n
j Carson
k
l
m
n j Irion
k
l
m
n j San Augustine
k
l
m
n
j Cass
k
l
m
n j Jack
k
l
m
n j San Jacinto
k
l
m
n
j Castro
k
l
m
n j Jackson
k
l
m
n j San Patricio
k
l
m
n
j Chambers
k
l
m
n j Jasper
k
l
m
n j San Saba
k
l
m
n
j Cherokee
k
l
m
n j Jeff Davis
k
l
m
n j Schleicher
k
l
m
n
j Childress
k
l
m
n j Jefferson
k
l
m
n j Scurry
k
l
m
n
j Clay
k
l
m
n j Jim Hogg
k
l
m
n j Shackelford
k
l
m
n
j Cochran
k
l
m
n j Jim Wells
k
l
m
n j Shelby
k
l
m
n
j Coke
k
l
m
n j Johnson
k
l
m
n j Sherman
k
l
m
n
j Coleman
k
l
m
n j Jones
k
l
m
n j Smith
k
l
m
n
j Collin
k
l
m
n j Karnes
k
l
m
n j Somervell
k
l
m
n
j Collingsworth
k
l
m
n j Kaufman
k
l
m
n j Starr
k
l
m
n
j Colorado
k
l
m
n j Kendall
k
l
m
n j Stephens
k
l
m
n
j Comal
k
l
m
n j Kenedy
k
l
m
n j Sterling
k
l
m
n
j Comanche
k
l
m
n j Kent
k
l
m
n j Stonewall
k
l
m
n
j Concho
k
l
m
n j Kerr
k
l
m
n j Sutton
k
l
m
n
j Cooke
k
l
m
n j Kimble
k
l
m
n j Swisher
k
l
m
n
j Coryell
k
l
m
n j King
k
l
m
n j Tarrant
k
l
m
n
j Cottle
k
l
m
n j Kinney
k
l
m
n j Taylor
k
l
m
n
j Crane
k
l
m
n j Kleberg
k
l
m
n j Terrell
k
l
m
n
j Crockett
k
l
m
n j Knox
k
l
m
n j Terry
k
l
m
n
j Crosby
k
l
m
n j Lamar
k
l
m
n j Throckmorton
k
l
m
n
j Culberson
k
l
m
n j Lamb
k
l
m
n j Titus
k
l
m
n
j Dallam
k
l
m
n j Lampasas
k
l
m
n j Tom Green
k
l
m
n
j Dallas
k
l
m
n j La Salle
k
l
m
n j Travis
k
l
m
n
j Dawson
k
l
m
n j Lavaca
k
l
m
n j Trinity
k
l
m
n
j Deaf Smith
k
l
m
n j Lee
k
l
m
n j Tyler
k
l
m
n
j Delta
k
l
m
n j Leon
k
l
m
n j Upshur
k
l
m
n

j Denton
k
l
m
n j Liberty
k
l
m
n j Upton
k
l
m
n
j De Witt
k
l
m
n j Limestone
k
l
m
n j Uvalde
k
l
m
n
j Dickens
k
l
m
n j Lipscomb
k
l
m
n j Val Verde
k
l
m
n
j Dimmit
k
l
m
n j Live Oak
k
l
m
n j Van Zandt
k
l
m
n
j Donley
k
l
m
n j Llano
k
l
m
n j Victoria
k
l
m
n
j Duval
k
l
m
n j Loving
k
l
m
n j Walker
k
l
m
n
j Eastland
k
l
m
n j Lubbock
k
l
m
n j Waller
k
l
m
n
j Ector
k
l
m
n j Lynn
k
l
m
n j Ward
k
l
m
n
j Edwards
k
l
m
n j McCulloch
k
l
m
n j Washington
k
l
m
n
j Ellis
k
l
m
n j McLennan
k
l
m
n j Webb
k
l
m
n
j El Paso
k
l
m
n j McMullen
k
l
m
n j Wharton
k
l
m
n
j Erath
k
l
m
n j Madison
k
l
m
n j Wheeler
k
l
m
n
j Falls
k
l
m
n j Marion
k
l
m
n j Wichita
k
l
m
n
j Fannin
k
l
m
n j Martin
k
l
m
n j Wilbarger
k
l
m
n
j Fayette
k
l
m
n j Mason
k
l
m
n j Willacy
k
l
m
n
j Fisher
k
l
m
n j Matagorda
k
l
m
n j Williamson
k
l
m
n
j Floyd
k
l
m
n j Maverick
k
l
m
n j Wilson
k
l
m
n
j Foard
k
l
m
n j Medina
k
l
m
n j Winkler
k
l
m
n
j Fort Bend
k
l
m
n j Menard
k
l
m
n j Wise
k
l
m
n
j Franklin
k
l
m
n j Midland
k
l
m
n j Wood
k
l
m
n
j Freestone
k
l
m
n j Milam
k
l
m
n j Yoakum
k
l
m
n
j Frio
k
l
m
n j Mills
k
l
m
n j Young
k
l
m
n
j Gaines
k
l
m
n j Mitchell
k
l
m
n j Zapata
k
l
m
n
j Galveston
k
l
m
n j Montague
k
l
m
n j Zavala
k
l
m
n
j Garza
k
l
m
n j Montgomery
k
l
m
n

Background Information
What is the total number of years you have lived in a state bordering the Gulf of
Mexico?
j
k
l
m
n Never lived in a state bordering the Gulf of Mexico
j
k
l
m
n <1-10
j
k
l
m
n 11-20
j
k
l
m
n 21-30
j
k
l
m
n 31-40
j
k
l
m
n 41-50
j
k
l
m
n 51 or more
Please select one of the following that best describes your affiliation.
j
k
l
m
n Business/Industry
j
k
l
m
n Education, K-12
j
k
l
m
n Education, University/College
j
k
l
m
n Government, City
j
k
l
m
n Government, County/Parish
j
k
l
m
n Government, State
j
k
l
m
n Government, Federal
j
k
l
m
n Non-Governmental Organization
j
k
l
m
n Other (please specify)

Relationship to Gulf of Mexico Research
This section of the survey provides insight about your personal perspectives of Gulf of Mexico research and how you
use research findings.
* Select the theme(s) that best describes your occupational interest (select up to
three that best apply). These themes were identified in the January 2007 Ocean Research
Priorities Plan and Implementation Strategy.
c
d
e
f
g Stewardship of Natural and Cultural Ocean Resources (e.g. examine resource dynamics, value resources, discover new uses
for coastal resources)
c
d
e
f
g Increasing Resilience to Natural Hazards (e.g. forecast hazard events, predict impact of hazards)
c
d
e
f
g Enabling Marine Operations, Business and Commerce (e.g. predict maritime conditions, enhance marine transportation,
understand interactions between the environment and marine operations such as ports, shipping, aquaculture, and energy
extraction)
c
d
e
f
g The Ocean's Role in Climate (e.g. study and model ocean-climate interactions, examine impact of climate on biogeochemistry
and ecosystems, project future climate change)
c
d
e
f
g Improving Ecosystem Health (e.g. understand and predict natural and anthropogenic impacts to ecosystems, produce
socioeconomic assessments to evaluate human impacts, develop metrics for management)
c
d
e
f
g Enhancing Human Health (e.g. examine and model positive and negative impacts of marine based natural resources, value
ocean-borne human health threats, develop ocean based products to enhance human health)
c
d
e
f
g None of the Above
Indicate (in the boxes to the right) the number of years you have primarily:
Conducted research in the Gulf of Mexico
Sponsored/Administered Gulf of Mexico research

programs
Used research findings as part of your profession

(but not as a researcher or research
sponsor/administrator)
* Which best describes your primary relationship with Gulf of Mexico research?
j
k
l
m
n Conduct research in the Gulf of Mexico
j
k
l
m
n Sponsor/Administer research in the Gulf of Mexico
j
k
l
m
n Use Gulf of Mexico research findings as part of your profession
j
k
l
m
n Use Gulf of Mexico research findings for recreational purposes
j
k
l
m
n Do not use Gulf of Mexico research findings
j
k
l
m

Follow up Question for Researchers
Please select only one of the following disciplines that best describes your Gulf of
Mexico research?
j
k
l
m
n Anthropology
j
k
l
m
n Atmospheric sciences
j
k
l
m
n Biological sciences
j
k
l
m
n Chemical sciences
j
k
l
m
n Computer and Information sciences
j
k
l
m
n Economics
j
k
l
m
n Education
j
k
l
m
n Engineering
j
k
l
m
n Geological sciences
j
k
l
m
n Physical sciences
j
k
l
m
n Political science/Law/Policy
j
k
l
m

Follow up Question for Administrators
Rate the following in terms of their value in enhancing collaboration between Gulf of
Mexico research programs.
Very Low Low Medium High Very High No Opinion
Developing new
j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n
partnerships in existing
regional initiatives
Increasing funding to
j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n
existing regional
initiatives
Developing new funding
j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n
initiatives that have multi-
state requirements
Developing new funding
j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n
initiatives that do not
have multi-state
requirements
Aligning state and
j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n
regional programs with
national plans such as the
Ocean Research Priorities
Plan and Implementation
Strategy
Addressing mandates for
j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n
regional coordination from
your agency/organization
Serving on regional work
j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n
groups
Reviewing a synthesis of
j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n
regional research activities
Reading documents about
j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
m
n j
k
l
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the results of other
research

Follow up Question for Research Users
Please rate the value of the following as a user of Gulf of Mexico research results.
Direct one-on-one contact
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with researchers
Raw research data
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provided directly from a
researcher
Access to databases that
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contain raw research data
Summarized data that
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has been interpreted by
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collected the data
Research results
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interpreted by individuals
within your organization or
another third party
Inventory of current
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research conducted
throughout the Gulf of
Mexico including the
names of the individuals
conducting the research
and project descriptions
Regional meetings where
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researchers are
presenting results of their
work
National meetings where
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researchers are
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Research results
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published in peer
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Prioritization of Research Areas (page 1 of 3)
The six societal themes and subsequent research areas quoted in this section were identified in the January 2007
release of the Ocean Research Priorities Plan and Implementation Strategy. Please rate the priority level of each
research area considering its relevance to the Gulf of Mexico over the next fifteen years.
1) Stewardship of Natural and Cultural Ocean Resources
“The ocean is a source of food, minerals, and energy and is used for transportation, recreation, and
tourism. The ocean preserves a record of the nation’s cultural past. The ocean remains a vast,
unexplored realm with the capacity to provide new pharmaceuticals, industrial products, and energy
sources. At the same time, its resources are subject to many pressures, such as overfishing, habitat
destruction, and competition with invasive species.”
Understand the status
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and trends of resource
abundance and
distribution through more
accurate, timely and large
scale assessments
Understand interspecies
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and habitat/species
relationships to support
forecasting resource
stability and sustainability
Understand human-use
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patterns considering
economic, sociological,
and cultural factors that
may influence resource
stability and sustainability
Apply advanced
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understanding and
technologies to enhance
the benefits of various
natural resources from the
open ocean and coasts

2) Increasing Resilience to Natural Hazards
“Communities, maritime operations, cultural resources, social services, and ecosystems are
vulnerable to coastal and marine physical hazards. Although society cannot eliminate natural hazards,
their impacts can be reduced. Sustained and coordinated investment in research and technology will
provide the knowledge and information base to assess and reduce risk, save lives and property,
ensure more rapid recovery and effective mitigation, and develop informed and effective responses to
future hazard events.”
Understand how hazard
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events initiate and evolve
and apply that
understanding to improve
forecasts of future hazard
events
Understand the response
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of coastal and marine
systems to natural
hazards and apply that
understanding to
assessments of future
vulnerability to natural
hazards
Apply understanding to
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develop multi-hazard risk
assessments and support
development of models,
policies, and strategies for
hazard mitigation
This question continues onto the next page.

Rate the priority level of each research area considering its relevance to the Gulf of Mexico over the next fifteen
years.
3) Enabling Marine Operations
“Marine operations require freedom of navigation in the global ocean and the ability to conduct
mapping and charting activities, gather tide and current information, and use U.S. ports, harbors,
estuaries, and the Great Lakes. Marine operations also deal with issues such as bridge clearance,
dredging, navigation aids, and ice coverage. Forward-thinking, innovative research, coupled with
technological advances, will permit marine operations to meet challenging requirements for increased
levels of transportation and commerce in the maritime domain and to address security concerns,
while balancing sustainable use and protection of the environment.”
Understand the
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interactions between
marine operations and
the environment
Apply understanding of
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environmental factors
affecting marine
operations to characterize
and predict conditions in
the maritime domain
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environmental impacts
and marine operations to
enhance the marine
transportation system
4) The Ocean’s Role in Climate
“The ocean plays a fundamental role in governing climate through its capacity to store and distribute
heat and carbon. The challenge is to accurately assess the ocean’s past and present state, processes,
and phenomena influencing climate, and society’s influence on them, and to improve predictions and
projections of climate change. These predictions and projections will improve society’s ability to
respond to and reduce, where feasible, climate related hazards; to adapt to climate change and
variations (e.g., sea-level rise, changing weather patterns); and to inform management and policy
decisions addressing human and environmental impacts.”
Understand ocean-climate
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interactions within and
across regions
Understand the impact of
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climate variability and
change on the
biogeochemistry of the
ocean and implications for
its ecosystems
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the ocean to help project
future climate changes
and their impacts

This question concludes on the next page.

Rate the priority level of each research area considering its relevance to the Gulf of Mexico over the next fifteen
years.
5) Improving Ecosystem Health
“Comprehensive, well-focused, interdisciplinary research can provide the information needed to

balance competing uses of the marine environment, to better predict the impacts of such use, to
manage those impacts in a manner that ensures the long-term health and sustainability of marine
ecosystems, and to help restore ecosystems damaged from past and current activities or events.”
Understand and predict
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the impact of natural and
anthropogenic processes
on ecosystems
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natural and human
caused processes to
develop socioeconomic
assessments and models
to evaluate the impact of
multiple human uses on
ecosystems
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marine ecosystems to
develop appropriate
indicators and metrics for
sustainable use and
effective management

6) Enhancing Human Health
“The ocean can be a source of health hazards. Understanding the causes of health hazards and how
they can be mitigated or managed will lead to fewer illnesses from contaminated seafood, polluted
waters, known and emerging disease-causing microbes, and harmful algal blooms (HABs). In the next
decade, efforts to enhance human health will focus on the cause, prevention, and treatment of
disease. The ocean also holds abundant resources that convey a variety of health benefits to humans.
Exploration of new habitats, combined with emerging biochemical and biotechnical techniques, will
promote discovery and development of bioproducts that promote human health.”
Understand sources and
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processes contributing to
ocean-related risks to
human health
Understand human health
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risks associated with the
ocean and the potential
benefits of ocean
resources to human
health
Understand how human
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use and valuation of
ocean resources can be
affected by ocean-borne
human health threats and
how human activities can
influence these threats
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ocean ecosystems and
biodiversity to develop
products and biological
models to enhance
human well-being

Open comments
List very high research priorities for the Gulf of Mexico over the next fifteen years
that have not been addressed in previous questions.
Are there any additional comments regarding this survey, the regional planning
effort, or the use of the Ocean Research Priorities Plan as a framework to identify
regional needs?
Please provide your contact information if you wish to be included in future

correspondences related to this project.
First Name
Last Name
Organization or
Affiliation
Email Address
Upon clicking “done” you will be sent to the Gulf of Mexico Research Plan (GMRP) website. You will be able to access preliminary
survey results from this webpage. You can bookmark this page to access updated survey results at any time. Connection to the GMRP
website will indicate that your survey response was received and recorded.
Thank you for your time and input. Click done to submit your response to this survey.


Appendix D:
Gulf of Mexico Research and Information Needs
Survey Results


Table of Contents

1. Summary Results ........................................................................................................................ 1

2. County Level GIS Maps of Results ............................................................................................. 3
Results by ORPP‐defined Theme.......................................................................................... 5
Results by ORPP‐defined Research Priority ..................................................................... 12

3. Survey Respondent Comments Overview................................................................................ 32

Comments Organized by ORPP Themes and Research Priorities
Stewardship of Natural and Cultural Resources .................................................. 33
Increase Resilience to Natural Hazards ................................................................ 41
Enabling Marine Operations................................................................................. 45
The Oceanʹs Role in Climate ................................................................................. 47
Improving Ecosystem Health ............................................................................... 50
Enhancing Human Health .................................................................................... 61

Comments Organized by Other Categories ...................................................................... 63

Education and Communication Needs........................................................... 63

Information Needs ............................................................................................. 64

Coordination, Policy, and Management Needs............................................. 67

Habitat / Restoration Topics ............................................................................. 72

General Responses to Open‐Ended Question .................................................................. 74

Gulf of Mexico Research Planning Survey Results
Average Rating of Ocean Research Priorities Plan Themes and Priorities
Theme Average
(RP number identifies research priorities that are affiliated with each theme.) rating*
Improving Ecosystem Health (RP 14-16) 4.21
Stewardship of Natural and Cultural Ocean Resources (RP 1-4) 4.14
The Ocean’s Role in Climate (RP 11-13) 4.07
Increasing Resilience to Natural Hazards (RP 5-7) 4.00
Enhancing Human Health (RP 17-20) 3.75
Enabling Marine Operations (RP 8-10) 3.73
The following table describes each research priority from the Ocean Research Priorities Plan:
Average
Research Priority rating*
Understand and predict the impact of natural and anthropogenic processes on ecosystems (RP 14) 4.30
Understand human-use patterns considering economic, sociological, and cultural factors that may influence resource
stability and sustainability (RP 3) 4.26
Apply understanding of marine ecosystems to develop appropriate indicators and metrics for sustainable use and
effective management (RP 16) 4.23
Understand interspecies and habitat/species relationships to support forecasting resource stability and sustainability (RP 2) 4.23
Understand the status and trends of resource abundance and distribution through more accurate, timely and large-scale
assessments (RP 1) 4.20
Understand the response of coastal and marine systems to natural hazards and apply that understanding to assessments
of future vulnerability to natural hazards (RP 6) 4.13
Understand the impact of climate variability and change on the biogeochemistry of the ocean and implications for its
ecosystems (RP 12) 4.10
Apply understanding of natural and human caused processes to develop socioeconomic assessments and models to
evaluate the impact of multiple human uses on ecosystems (RP 15) 4.09
Understand ocean-climate interactions within and across regions (RP 11) 4.08
Apply understanding of the ocean to help project future climate changes and their impacts (RP 13) 4.04
Understand the interactions between marine operations and the environment (RP 8) 3.95
Understand how hazard events initiate and evolve and apply that understanding to improve forecasts of future hazard
events (RP 5) 3.95
Apply understanding to develop multi-hazard risk assessments and support development of models, policies, and
strategies for hazard mitigation (RP 7) 3.93
Apply advanced understanding and technologies to enhance the benefits of various natural resources from the open
ocean and coasts (RP 4) 3.88
Understand sources and processes contributing to ocean-related risks to human health (RP 17) 3.78
Understand human health risks associated with the ocean and the potential benefits of ocean resources to
human health (RP 18) 3.77
Understand how human use and valuation of ocean resources can be affected by ocean-borne human health threats and
how human activities can influence these threats (RP 19) 3.75
Apply understanding of environmental factors affecting marine operations to characterize and predict conditions in the
maritime domain (RP 9) 3.70
Apply understanding of ocean ecosystems and biodiversity to develop products and biological models to enhance
human well-being (RP 20) 3.68
Apply understanding of environmental impacts and marine operations to enhance the marine transportation system (RP 10) 3.55
* Average rating of importance according to survey respondents (1 = Very Low to 5 = Very High). Average rating for each theme is the computed
average rating of all research priorities within the given theme.
GMRP Appendix D 1
Gulf of Mexico Research Planning Survey Results
Demographics and Occupational Interest
Occupational Interest
(N = 1,358)
(Respondent could select up to three interest areas.) Number with Interest Percent with Interest
Improving Ecosystem Health 761 56%
Stewardship of Natural and Cultural Ocean Resources 669 49%
Increasing Resilience to Natural Hazards 271 20%
Enabling Marine Operations, Business, and Commerce 267 20%
The Ocean’s Role in Climate 246 18%
Enhancing Human Health 198 15%
None of the Above 195 14%
Years of Experience Average Total

(N = 1,207) Years Years
Use research as part of profession 10.60 9,994
Conduct research 8.55 5,591
Administrate research 4.48 2,991
Total years reported 20,576
Survey Responses by State Survey Respondent Affiliation Survey Responses by Affiliation

(Total Responses = 1,582) (Total Responses = 1,486)
to Research
(Total Responses = 1,380) NGO
Mexico
Other Administrate Other 6%
3% Government
6% Research 5%
Federal
Alabama 7%
Use as Part 12%
11% Louisiana Do Not Use Education,
of Profession
30% Research Higher Ed
39%
8%
Other 34%
Use for 13%
Mississippi Recreational
15% Purposes
13%
Business
Florida Government
and Industry
Texas 18% Conduct Research State/County
28% 17%
17% 18%
For more information about the survey results, contact Steve Sempier at stephen.sempier@usm.edu
or visit http://masgc.org/gmrp.
MASGC-08-007
This publication was supported by the National Sea Grant College Program of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration under NOAA Grant NA06OAR4170078 and the Florida Sea Grant Program, Louisiana Sea Grant
Program, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, and Texas Sea Grant Program.The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect
the views of those organizations.
GMRP Appendix D 2
County Level Results

The Gulf of Mexico Research and Information Needs Survey results were examined on
a county level. The average rating of each of the twenty Ocean Research Priority Plan
(ORPP) research priorities was calculated and then the research priorities were ranked
from highest to lowest priority according to each county. The average rating of the six
ORPP societal themes were calculated based on the average rating of all research
priorities that supported the societal theme. The societal themes were also ranked from
highest to lowest for each county.

The following figures provide the results of this analysis. Counties that had an N less
than 3 were not included in the figures.

GMRP Appendix D 3
Gulf of Mexico Research and Information Needs Survey Results
Number of Responses by County
GMRP Appendix D
Number of Responses
101‐120
81‐100
41‐80
21‐40
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
11‐20
3‐10
Less than 3
Miles
4
Relative Ranking of ORPP Societal Theme:
Stewardship of Natural and Cultural Ocean Resources
GMRP Appendix D
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
4
5
6 (Low)
Miles
*Counties with <3 survey responses were not reported.
5
Increasing Resilience to Natural Hazards
GMRP Appendix D
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
4
5
6 (Low)
Miles
6
Enabling Marine Operations
GMRP Appendix D
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
4
5
6 (Low)
Miles
7
The Oceanʹs Role in Climate
GMRP Appendix D
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
4
5
6 (Low)
Miles
8
Improving Ecosystem Health
GMRP Appendix D
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
4
5
6 (Low)
Miles
9
Enhancing Human Health
GMRP Appendix D
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
4
5
6 (Low)
Miles
10
Top Ranked ORPP Societal Theme by County
GMRP Appendix D
Top Ranked Theme
Ecosystem Health
Oceanʹs Role in Climate
0 50 100
− 200 300 400
Stewardship of Resources
Other or Several Theme(s)*
Not reported**
Miles
*In some cases an invididual county had multiple themes that were the top ranked theme due to ties in ranking.
This may have included ʺEcosystem Healthʺ, ʺStewardship of Resourcesʺ, and/or ʺOceanʹs Role in Climate.ʺ
**Counties with <3 survey responses were not reported.
11
Relative Ranking of ORPP Research Priority 1:
Understand the status and trends of resource abundance and
distribution through more accurate, timely and synoptic assessments
GMRP Appendix D
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
4
5
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
6‐10
11‐15
16‐20 (Low)
Miles
12
Understand interspecies and habitat/species relationships
to support forecasting resource stability and sustainability
GMRP Appendix D
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
4
5
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
6‐10
11‐15
16‐20 (Low)
Miles
13
Understand human‐use patterns that may influence
resource stability and sustainability
GMRP Appendix D
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
4
5
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
6‐10
11‐15
16‐20 (Low)
Miles
14
Apply advanced understanding and technologies
to enhance the benefits of various natural resources
GMRP Appendix D
from the open ocean and coasts
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
4
5
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
6‐10
11‐15
16‐20 (Low)
Miles
15
Understand how hazard events initiate and evolve,
and apply that understanding to improve
GMRP Appendix D
forecasts of hazard events
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
4
5
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
6‐10
11‐15
16‐20 (Low)
Miles
16
Understand the response of coastal and marine systems to
natural hazards and apply that understanding to
GMRP Appendix D
assessments of future vulnerability to natural hazards
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
4
5
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
6‐10
11‐15
16‐20 (Low)
Miles
17
Apply understanding to develop multi‐hazard risk
assessments andsupport development of models,
GMRP Appendix D
policies, and strategies for hazard mitigation
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
4
5
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
6‐10
11‐15
16‐20 (Low)
Miles
18
Understand the interactions between marine
operations and the environment
GMRP Appendix D
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
4
5
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
6‐10
11‐15
16‐20 (Low)
Miles
19
Apply understanding of environmental factors
affecting marine operations to characterize and
GMRP Appendix D
predict conditions in the maritime domain
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
4
5
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
6‐10
11‐15
16‐20 (Low)
Miles
20
Apply understanding of environmental impacts and marine
operations to enhance the marine transportation system
GMRP Appendix D
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
4
5
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
6‐10
11‐15
16‐20 (Low)
Miles
21
Understand ocean‐climate interactions
within and across regions
GMRP Appendix D
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
4
5
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
6‐10
11‐15
16‐20 (Low)
Miles
22
Understand the impact of climate variability
and change on the biogeochemistry of
GMRP Appendix D
the ocean and implications for its ecosystems
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
4
5
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
6‐10
11‐15
16‐20 (Low)
Miles
23
Apply understanding of the ocean to help project
future climate changes and their impacts
GMRP Appendix D
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
4
5
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
6‐10
11‐15
16‐20 (Low)
Miles
24
Understand and predict the impact of natural and
anthropogenic processes on ecosystems
GMRP Appendix D
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
4
5
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
6‐10
11‐15
16‐20 (Low)
Miles
25
Apply understanding of natural and anthropogenic processes
to develop socioeconomic assessments and models to
GMRP Appendix D
evaluate the impact of multiple human uses on ecosystems
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
4
5
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
6‐10
11‐15
16‐20 (Low)
Miles
26
Apply understanding of marine ecosystems to
develop appropriate indicators and metrics for
GMRP Appendix D
sustainable use and effective management
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
4
5
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
6‐10
11‐15
16‐20 (Low)
Miles
27
Understand sources and processes contributing
to ocean‐related risks to human health
GMRP Appendix D
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
4
5
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
6‐10
11‐15
16‐20 (Low)
Miles
28
Understand human health risks associated with
the ocean and the potential benefits of
GMRP Appendix D
ocean resources to human health
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
4
5
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
6‐10
11‐15
16‐20 (Low)
Miles
29
Understand how human use and valuation of ocean
resources can be affected by ocean‐borne human health
GMRP Appendix D
threats and how human activities can influence these threats
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
4
5
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
6‐10
11‐15
16‐20 (Low)
Miles
30
Apply understanding of ocean ecosystems and biodiversity
to develop products and biological models
GMRP Appendix D
to enhance human well‐being
Relative Rank
Not reported*
1 (High)
2
3
4
5
0 50 100
−
200 300 400
6‐10
11‐15
16‐20 (Low)
Miles
31
Survey Respondent Comments

Overview

The Gulf of Mexico Research and Information Needs Survey included one statement and one question
that collected comments from survey respondents. They were:
1. List very high research priorities for the Gulf of Mexico over the next fifteen years that have not been
addressed in previous questions.
2. Are there any additional comments regarding this survey, the regional planning effort, or the use of
the Ocean Research Priorities Plan as a framework to identify regional needs?
There were 406 responses to the statement and 165 responses to the question. Individual comments were
then categorized into the Ocean Research Priorities Plan (ORPP) themes and research priorities. In cases
where a single comment had several distinct topics or ideas the individual comment was broken into
separate ideas and each ideas was placed in the most appropriate category. In some cases a single idea or
comment closely matched more than one research priority. In these cases the idea was included under
both priorities. In addition, there were comments that did not easily fit into one of the ORPP themes or
research priorities so additional categories were made to group these responses. Similar comments that
were mentioned by several individuals were combined to be one item under a given theme, priority, or
category.

The bullets below are the survey respondents’ original comments and are primarily unedited. Comments
that were unintelligible are not included below.

This document contains raw data from survey respondents. They remain in this raw form so
that meanings are not unintentionally changed. Please keep this in mind when reading this
document.
GMRP Appendix D 32
Comments Organized by ORPP Themes and Research Priorities

ORPP Theme: Stewardship of Natural and Cultural Resources

General Comments for Stewardship of Natural and Cultural Resources

 Fisheries resources
 Though covered under more general priorities, fisheries‐specific priorities will be important and
remain at the forefront, both the eyes of the general public (i.e., consumers) and commercial and
recreational interests (i.e., economic interests)

RP1: Understand status and trends of resource abundance and distribution through assessments

Stock assessments and fish ecology/biology
 Understand the dynamics between fisheries trophic levels and fisheries and the environment
 Fisheries biology and management (i.e. shark conservation) especially in trophic level research
 Fisheries ecology, population structure and change, stock abundance, distribution of fish
resources and resource use, fish movements, predator prey interactions, interactions among
species
 The impact of human pressures and global warming on parasite and diseases of commercial
resources and its impact on their sustainability
 Effects of loop current on recruitment of offshore spawning juvenile fish species into estuaries
 Long term trends in abundance/recruitment and relation to physical variables
 Complete and aggressive biodiversity inventories in the open Gulf, deep Gulf, and marginal
estuaries and lagoons. This is critical if the rate of change in the Gulf reflects the rate of
anthropogenic change on the Gulf coast
 Natural biomass variability within the region (similar to short term climate variability) ‐‐ can you
separate naturally occurring variability from anthropogenic influences
 Develop a long term strategy of monitoring of biodiversity (along with environmental change)
 Improvements to fishery assessments
 We need better, more reliable, information of marine life populations and methods to
protect/manage pressured species. When I hear position papers I feel that it is all ʺspinʺ written
by advocates of that particular ʺsideʺ of the issue. I wonder if anyone knows the real truth of the
issues
 Particular attention should be paid to ecosystem‐based approaches to fisheries research and
management
 Ecosystem based management of fisheries
 Effects of coastal erosion on future Gulf of Mexico marine fisheries species
 Fisheries impacts from ecosystem collapse in Louisiana
 Better understand the life history info needed for more effective fisheries management in the long
term. For example, the lack of knowledge for some of our more important species ... red snapper
... is pathetic
 Bluefin tuna spawning aggregations
 Enhanced research on fisheries (primarily snappers/groupers) that fall within both state and
federal management jurisdictions

GMRP Appendix D 33
Bycatch, fishing impacts, and fishing efficiency
 Fishing stock depletion
 Address effects of the shrimping industry destroying the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico
 Effects of the commercial shrimping industry has as far as by catch is concerned
 Improved methods of evaluating the impacts of resource extraction from the marine
environment, such as shrimping, on benthic habitats
 Ecological effects of fishing (trawling)
 Bycatch in shrimp trawls and overfishing or Red Snapper by the commercial fishing fleet
 Effects of bycatch on recruitment and cohort strength
 Fisheries bycatch problem and associated inefficient fishing gear
 Research on equipment and fishing techniques to minimize bycatch and equipment that is
damaging to habitats
 Address different causes of by catch death such as use of salt boxes and barrels where water and
salt are mixed with sodium biosulfate. My experience has been very little bycatch survive a bath
in such water. Also why not use TEDs on all types of shrimp producing nets, such as skimmers,
butterfly, as well as now existing trawl requirements and FEDS in all nets also?
 Effect of commercial fishing in the Gulf
 Improving operational efficiencies on gulf shrimp trawlers to better improve product quality and
lesson energy consumption
 fishing effort/catch/costs

Threatened species and species that have had limited research
 Identify unique life forms found only in the Gulf of Mexico and why
 increased understanding of little studied species
 Conservation, Protection & Restoration of threatened and endangered species
 determine status and trends of populations of protected species (sea turtles, marine mammals,
sturgeon, sawfish) in the Gulf of Mexico
 improvement of fisheries especially of rare or declining populations
 Assessing risk of endangerment for vulnerable marine species, including marine fish (e.g.
Warsaw grouper and speckled hind) in the Gulf of Mexico
 NMFS marine mammal stock assessments for the Gulf of Mexico are woefully out of date. They
should be brought up to date, and the threats to these stocks should be more clearly identified
and quantified as possible, including threats beyond commercial fishing operations (such as
environmental contaminants, recreational fishing gear entanglement and ingestion, boat
collisions and disturbance, etc.). Current and emerging threats need to be considered in
management plans for these animals, along with changes to their ecosystems. We should work
more closely with the other 2 countries that share responsibility for the Gulf (Mexico, Cuba) to
assess resources and threats
 We need better, more reliable, information of marine life populations and methods to
protect/manage pressured species. When I hear position papers I feel that it is all ʺspinʺ written
by advocates of that particular ʺsideʺ of the issue. I wonder if anyone knows the real truth of the
issues

GMRP Appendix D 34
Sustainability and socioeconomic topics
 Sustainable use of resources and respective commercial readjustments relative to predicted
supplies and demands
 Conservation of marine resources, and regulation of fishing industry to allow a sustainable
fishery. Conservation, not exploitation
 Ascertaining that stocks of wild fish for human consumption are self‐sustaining
 Enhancing and promoting sustainable fisheries
 Overfishing
 Overfishing of certain gamefish, specifically Yellowfin Tuna. Red snapper
 research on sustainable fisheries
 We need to continue our research in the areas of fisheries sustainability and improved water
quality which may be interwoven within Improving Ecosystem Health and Enhancing Human
Health issues
 Economically and biologically sustainable Gulf fisheries
 The highest priority should be sustainable fisheries in a changing global climate
 sustainable fishing practices
 Assessment of fishing pressure
 ECOSYSTEM analysis The use of MPAs (Marine protected areas) sustainable fishing practices
 Understand the connectiveness at different time and space scales to understand processes that
define life on Earth. Evaluate the role of the marginal seas in the human scale, describing
gradients that can lead to understand how to achieve sustainability in resources of interest to
humankind
 We need to continue our research in the areas of fisheries sustainability
 Create sustainable fish stocks
 Sustainable sportsfishing species, spotted seatrout hatcheries

Factors impacting resource abundance and distribution
 Investigation of hypoxic area that can cause fish and invertebrate kills harmful to commercial and
recreational fishing and to overall ecosystem health
 Impacts of harmful algal blooms
 Pollution affecting commercial fisheries

RP2: Understand interspecies and habitat/species relationships to support forecasting resource stability
and sustainability

Habitat and relationship to resources
 Marsh and Estuary Production (fish, shrimp, crabs, ducks, alligators, birds...)
 Fringe habitat ‐‐ character and importance to overall ecosystem health
 Defining Essential Habitats
 Mostly has been addressed...but we need a comprehensive vulnerability assessment (esp. in
relation to sea level rise) conducted that incorporates conservation strategies of declining habitat
types and species
 Improved understanding of the ecological importance of freshwater inflow to Texas estuaries.
Scientific documentation of the ecological importance of non‐tidal coastal wetlands in Texas,
especially those whose hydrologic connections are not obvious Improved understanding of
GMRP Appendix D 35
seagrasses in Texas‐ trends, human impacts, management (role of water quality protection‐ TSS,
nutrients)
 Comprehensive analysis the relationship between estuarine systems and the ocean resources that
depend on them
 How has increased human population density and habitat modification in the coastal zone
affected estuarine habitats and estuarine‐dependent species?
 The importance of the health and overfishing of the estuaries, inland bays and waterways that
feed the Gulf of Mexico, and how they in turn impact the entire Gulf system
 Wetlands preservation
 Deep‐sea habitats and exploration
 The land‐sea margin and especially the role of tidal rivers in maintaining estuarine and marine
productivity should be a very high research priority
 Fringe habitat ‐‐ character and importance to overall ecosystem health
 Research on the Enhancement of Alabamaʹs Gulf Coast Fisheries by Development of Artificial
Reefs should be evaluated
 Establishing and evaluating the benefits of Marine Protected Areas, especially no‐take Marine
Reserves, with respect to protecting ecosystems, improving fisheries, and increasing our
knowledge and understanding of marine systems. Improving design of MPAs and Marine
Reserves and networks of both
 What are the natural production mechanisms in the coastal zone of the Gulf of Mexico
 Understanding Biological processes on the Ecosystem level
 ECOSYSTEM analysis
 Energy production infrastructures that enhance marine harvesting potential
 Developing strategies for enhanced seafood production through ecosystem enhancement and
aquaculture

Interspecies relationships
 Research on ecosystem resilience and the effects of removal of single, targeted commercially
popular species from ecosystem. For instance, what is predicted effect of removal of top
predators (sharks)? What is predicted effect of removal of large quantities of forage fish, which
are also filter feeders (menhaden)?
 Microbiological symbiotic interactions
 Investigate chemolithotrophic bacterial activity in the Gulf as it serves as a nutritional resource
for higher trophic levels
 Better understand trophic transfer in coastal marine systems
 Develop an understanding on factors that affect methane cycling in the hydrocarbon seep zone as
bacterial methane consumption essentially serves as a bottom‐up food resource and removes
methane from seawater
 Connection between ecosystems and regions (i.e. circulation, gene flow)

Stressors and relationship to species population/behavior
 Evaluate interactions between natural and anthropogenic stressors at the individual and
population levels
GMRP Appendix D 36
 The number one priority for effective ecosystem‐based management would be estimating food
web structure and human impacts on it and communities in general. Understanding the physics
of the system, as well as characterizing Gulf‐wide benthic habitats (via sonar applications
followed by ground truthing of sediments) is critical to that goal
 Interaction between Gulf of Mexico and estuaries through physical forcing, nutrients and trophic
exchange
 Anoxia in the gulf and impact on marine animals
 How do harmful algal blooms affect fisheries and entire food webs?
 The two main priorities should be eutrophication and habitat loss
 Monitoring the changes in water temperature of the gulf and its impact on the impact on the
ecosystem biodiversity
 Fish migration route changes due to ocean and Gulf of Mexico temperature changes. How do
short‐term (episodic) forcings of the ocean influence the transport of nutrients, species, and
pollutants
 Deep water investigations of methane hydrate bearing geologic structures particularly ecosystem
health and diversity, and potential large scale disassociation of hydrates that could impact
continental shelf integrity (e.g. slumps and slides dangerous to deep‐water oil exploration) or
trigger massive methane releases to the atmosphere
 Global warming effects on whales migrations routes

Invasive species
 Aquatic Invasive Species ‐ Biofouling ‐ Ballast water ‐ Mariculture
 Marine transportation of aquatic invasives. Better understanding of the connections between
Gulf Ecosystem with that of the coastal zone and the impact continued population growth with
have and the potential solutions
 General biosurveys ‐ who is there INVASIVE SPECIES!! ‐ (including introduction and monitoring
and prevention) organismal interactions ‐ on individual scale and ecological scale
 Are invasive (non resident) species increasing in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) and is this the result
of anthropogenic activities? Have the >4000 oil/gas platforms contributed to this increase? What
will the effect of these species be on GOM marine/estuarine communities?
 estuarine invasive species
 Need to evaluate the risk of invasive species affecting aquatic animal populations
 effects of invasives on native ecosystems
 invasive species
 Marine bioinvasions
 Prevention, management, and impact of invasive species

RP3: Understand human‐use patterns that influence resource stability

Economics
 research about the economic impacts of recreational and commercial fishing and management
plans based on the benefits for the greatest number of people
 More focus should be paid to the social and economic impacts
 socio‐economic studies & forecasts of the energy industry in the western Gulf of Mexico 4) socio‐
economic studies of the marine transportation industry in the western Gulf of Mexico 5) socio‐
economic studies of the fishing industry in the western Gulf of Mexico
GMRP Appendix D 37
 An understanding of the ecosystem services that the GOM provides and then valuation of those
services
 Estimate the value and sustainable use of commercial and recreational fishery resources
 Value the benefit received by ecosystems of the Gulf of Mexico so we can communicate its value
to citizens (users). Also this estimates can be used in decision‐making processes
 Establishing and evaluating the benefits of Marine Protected Areas, especially no‐take Marine
Reserves, with respect to enhancing non‐consumptive activities
 Develop a catalog of options for mitigating human development, including costs and anticipated
benefits
 Economically and biologically sustainable Gulf fisheries
 Need ways to translate data into information, i.e., connect the dots. Need more integrated
studies where natural and social science are connected

Recreational uses
 Research showing effects of small charter boat operators and other recreational consumers efforts
like reef building
 Sustainable and low impact recreation activities
 Favoritism of the commercial fishing sector over recreational fishing when setting catch quota
and size limits. Unbiased research on economic valuation of commercial vs. recreation fishing
impacts.
 Determine the number of private boat recreational fishers. Determine the frequency, number,
and date of private boat recreational trips. Determine the species targeted, the species caught, the
pounds per species harvested, gear type, and the location of harvest of private boat recreational
fishers
 Understanding the balance between recreational and commercial uses of marine resources

Stakeholders and Cultural resources
 Research finding a way that the resource is not given to a select few people/entities for
exploitation while other users are banned from the resource
 In depth studies on the human environments and stake holders who use the Gulf of Mexico
resources
 Preservation of Cultural Groups who are indigent to the Gulf and engage in Commercial Fishing
and rely on the Gulf waters for subsistence
 livelihoods of coastal people
 Public use and access issues related to the Gulf
 While cultural resources were mentioned, it might be more explicitly stated that prehistoric and
historic sites are threatened by rising sea levels and by the destruction of marshlands that
previously protected the sites from hurricanes and other destructive weather events. This
damage should be mitigated
 conflicts between marine conservation and marine resource dependent communities
 Social vulnerability of populations living along the coast
 We need to focus on water access and how changing coastal demographics are affecting marine‐
related industries in the near term
 I feel that often the understanding of biological systems takes precedent over the understanding
of human systems. More funding needs to be put in to understanding the human systems

GMRP Appendix D 38
RP4: Apply understanding and technology to enhance benefits of various natural resources

Aquaculture
 Once the National Offshore Aquaculture Act of 2007 passes Congress, offshore aquaculture will
become a high research priority. The NMFS Southeast Regional Office is already gearing up to
submit their plan for the Gulf and implement regulations in 2008
 Mariculture
 aquaculture
 Offshore aquaculture
 alternatives to natural fisheries (i.e. aquaculture)
 Lacks inclusion of key attributes for seafood production, commerce and utilization, and related
aquaculture development
 Increasing productivity via aquaculture
 Develop husbandry technologies for declining marine species
 Develop sustainable aquaculture to minimize negative impact on receiving streams from
aquaculture operations and to reduce fishing process
 Development of stock enhancement program
 Developing strategies for enhanced seafood production through ecosystem enhancement and
aquaculture
 Open ocean aquaculture and the political economy and ecology of development in the EEZ in
light of above comments
 Development of ecologically sustainable fish farming in the Gulf of Mexico
 Stock enhancement
 Offshore Aquaculture Development of a marine aquaculture industry to relieve
pressure/overfishing on the wild fishery
 NOAA is looking at the potential of offshore aquaculture both in context with oil structures and
away from such structures. There is a potential for significant research in siting, operating and
production of seafood at offshore aquaculture sites and it is important that Sea Grant continue to
fund the development of new species and technologies for production and environmental
protection in this area. Having a regional planning project for aquaculture and identification of
optimum offshore aquaculture sites is a critical component of this work
 The impacts of mariculture in shallow warm waters
 Different species used in sea farming‐helpful or harmful to the area?
 Open ocean aquaculture and the political economy and ecology of development in the EEZ in
light of above comments
 Evaluate the potential for fisheries enhancement to restore depleted fisheries

Traditional energy sources
 offshore oil and gas resources
 forecasts of the energy industry in the western Gulf of Mexico
 Find ways to safely and cleanly increase energy raw materials form the seas
 Need to conduct a comprehensive assessment or risk analysis to determine how society, physical
environment and organisms will be affected by climate change along the Gulf Coast (winners,
neutrals and losers??) Factor in change in energy use, supply and human demographics
GMRP Appendix D 39
 We need better information about the effects of an LNG facility in the Gulf of Mexico. When I
hear position papers I feel that it is all ʺspinʺ written by advocates of that particular ʺsideʺ of the
issue. I wonder if anyone knows the real truth of the issues
 Impact of off‐shore drilling and development
 The DEAD ZONE. This situation is not being addressed, yet ʺenvironmental concernsʺ which
have limited if any negative effects are being employed to modify and control the development
of needed industrial complexes. The possible use of wide spread aeration of much of the DEAD
ZONE, as a byproduct of the use of energy generation, has not been effectively evaluated or
presented for consideration
 implications of global petroleum production peaking (Hubbertʹs Peak)
 Unbiased research on impacts of other commercial marine enterprises on marine resources. i.e.
LNG plants, petro exploration and transport, dredging activities, etc
 offshore oil and gas resources
 Uses for off‐shore drilling rigs once they are not in commercial use
 implications of global petroleum production peaking (Hubbertʹs Peak)
 Not including FL in oil industry reparation contracts shows gross lack of understanding of Gulf
circulation;

Alternative Energy
 Understanding the potential to use the Gulf for sustainable production of energy, i.e.: wind, wave
energy, et al. (other than gas/oil production)
 Potential to use currents in deep‐water ship channels and ports to generate renewable electricity
 Deep water investigations of methane hydrate bearing geologic structures particularly potential
as an energy resource, and potential large scale disassociation of hydrates that could impact
continental shelf integrity (e.g. slumps and slides dangerous to deep‐water oil exploration) or
trigger massive methane releases to the atmosphere
 Opportunities for alternate forms of energy ‐ e.g. wind resources
 Effects (cost/benefit) of wind farms in the Gulf
 The use of the continental shelf as a platform for wind generated electricity is a very viable option
for the Gulf coast states as there is a readily available work force and technology capable of off
shore construction on a large scale. There should be significant effort put into: 1) selection of
locations for wind farms that are most effective for the wind patterns of the area. 2) Couple this
information with the existing electrical distribution and use. 3) Study the environmental effects
on migrating birds and aquatic life. This is an important opportunity for the scientific
community to get in front of the industrial applications. It would be pro‐active to be a partner in
this process and actually help drive it, as an advocate rather than waiting for industrial users to
feel the wrath of making choices that may not be what the scientific community feels are correct.
Further, what ever decision the industrial community makes, should be based on sound basic
research
 Explore the potential for sustainable low impact energy production (wave or wind) from the
GOM

Biotechnology and Value‐added
 other biotech resources besides medically related
 There should also be greater emphasis placed on seeking out alternative methods of waste
treatment that is more eco‐friendly. I would like to see major effort placed on research to convert
GMRP Appendix D 40
algae and other seafood by‐product into bio‐diesel fuels, omega‐3 fatty acids and organic
fertilizers
 Increased utilization of potential human food resources from marine environments.
Development and application of current and novel technologies to increase value of seafoods,
including underutilized species and by‐catch from current fisheries
 Coastal Engineering for Sustainability: Apply knowledge and tools to coastal issues to enhance
productivity and sustainability while providing for human needs
 Seafood Technology should be a high priority when developing ocean research priorities ‐ not
only environmental biology and other such disciplines, just because resource managers and
administrators want to support their own disciplines

ORPP Theme: Increase Resilience to Natural Hazards

RP5: Understand how hazard events initiate and evolve and apply that understanding to improve
forecasts of future hazard events

 Characterization of the Gulf Loop Current and its impacts/effects on tropical and sub‐tropical
events, including hurricanes
 Improve forecasts of storm surge and wind associated with tropical storms
 Oceanographic anomalies relation with hurricane trajectories and frequency
 Increased hurricane activity due to changes caused by global warming
 Role in Hurricane generation and intensification, particularly the Loop Current Improved
hurricane modeling using ocean feedback. Ocean data collection needs to go up by a factor of at
least ten...for starters
 Better monitoring of the Gulfʹs temperature variations and circulations to help predict storm
movement patterns with more in‐place buoy’s for temperature measurements and wave
velocities and heights
 Forecast the landfall intensity of hurricanes
 Needed are major improvements in hurricane intensity forecasts
 The basics of water molecular movement in the waves and the effects of the wind forces on the
development of wave dynamics particularly as it develops in storm surges
 Hurricanes
 Storm surge
 Erosion
 weather events
 earthquakes

RP6: Understand response of coastal and marine systems to natural hazards and apply
understanding to assessments of future vulnerability to natural hazards

General comments
 forecasting storm impacts
 The impact of the development of Barrier Islands and their impact on Gulf Currents and tidal
flow and itʹs nutrients
GMRP Appendix D 41
 BARRIER ISLANDS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTION????
 Restoration of wetlands to absorb energy from storms and protect water quality
 Development of seamless bathymetric‐topographic datasets for use with coastal
inundation/storm surge modeling and prediction
 Coast profile alteration by hurricanes
 Sediment mobilization, transport and deposition in major storm events
 The fate/movement of sediment in near‐shore environments. How does sediment transport effect
the near shore environment along the Gulf Coast (and not just within state lines)
 Improved methods of evaluating cross‐shelf and along‐shelf sediment transport under both
storm and non‐storm conditions so as to better predict sediment impacts on benthic habitats
 Bottom sediment mapping and coastal wetland accretion/erosion trends
 Freshwater resources to bays and estuaries Loss of sediment transport from river
impoundments which results in increased erosion and habitat loss
 Coastal Wetland Loss or Shoreline Retreat Hurricane Protection
 Land Loss Risk Analysis ‐ Assess and identify potential risk of land loss across the Gulf coastal
region. This is important for both coastal residents and coastal restoration programs
 No mention of periodic over flow of Mississippi river to build up wetlands. Similar to controlling
Niagara River for tourism by controlled out flow. This will help navigation & wetlands in place
of either or approach. We need both navigation for commerce and wetlands for storm protection
 Affects of estuaries on GOM stability and recovery from natural disasters
 Establishment of barriers to buffet storm impacts
 Research on natural protective features of coastal resources (beaches, dunes, wetlands) to
enhance resilience
 Most have been well‐addressed. However, I think the role of coastal forests in storm
amelioration and as habitat for coastal and migratory wildlife is an important part of the Gulf
ecosystem
 Resilience and role of coastal salt and freshwater wetlands in ecology and biochemical cycling.
Healthy, abundant coastal wetland complexes most likely play a crucial role in mitigating effects
of climate change and disturbance. Yet these resources (especially isolated freshwater wetlands)
are being destroyed for development at an alarming rate since the Cook County supreme court
ruling
 Research needs to not be so focused on just the environmental impacts such as climate changes.
These changes are so long term they do not relate to existing dangers from pollution and hazard
mitigation after storm events and these are more immediate needs
exchange. Influence of freshwater inflow on GOM estuaries and carbon transport onto the
continental shelf
 Positive and Negative impacts (e.g., biological, ecological, flooding, droughts, and geophysical)
of Tropical Cyclones that enter the Gulf of Mexico

Erosion/Subsidence
 Coastal erosion to our coast line reduces our storm surge protection
 Effects of land subsidence (especially in Louisiana
 Coastal Erosion, Marsh Loss
 Beach erosion
GMRP Appendix D 42
 Understanding the causes of coastal erosion and development of strategies and programs to
respond to erosional events
 Coastal erosion and freshwater diversion inter‐relationship
 Effects of coastal erosion on future Gulf of Mexico marine fisheries species
 subsidence, wetland loss, beach erosion
 Stop Louisiana coastal erosion, and rebuild barrier islands. If they can build islands with dredges
in the Middle East and build cities on them I believe we can start building barrier islands with
dredges. Letʹs quit putting money into studies with a bunch of words for PhD’s, buy a couple of
dredges, probably save money and dictionaries and start working up and down the coast making
land. Hurricanes are going to take while we make so it will be a permanent process
 Specific erosion studies and action. All I see is talk, talk, talk. I have used the Bayou Lafourche
resource for years and I see no conservation efforts, much less their results
 Subsidence and loss of critical wetland habitats
 Coastal erosion and hurricane vulnerability in Louisiana
 subsidence rates
 Coastal land loss, sediment availability, estuarine invasive species,
 subsidence, wetland loss, beach erosion
 Coastal land loss, sediment availability, large‐scale coastal restoration
 shrinking coast line, what can be done to minimize the damage
 coastal subsidence
 Land Loss Risk Analysis ‐ Assess and identify potential risk of land loss across the Gulf coastal
region. This is important for both coastal residents and coastal restoration programs
 Marsh Loss
 Arresting continuing land loss in TX, LA, MS
 Address the Louisiana coastal land loss problem through restoration projects
 coastal erosion and accretion
 Erosion of the coast lines
 accretion/erosion trends
 Remediation of coastal erosion by means other than bulkheads or seawalls

GMRP Appendix D 43
RP7: Apply understanding to develop multi‐hazard risk assessments and support development of
models, policies, and strategies for hazard mitigation

General comments
 More focus should be paid to the social and economic impacts as well
 storm surge dynamics
 Understand short and long‐term demographic changes resulting from hurricanes, oil spills,
harmful algal blooms, etc
 Protection of communities & infrastructure from storm surges
 Coastal hazard assessment and mitigation
 Impacts of marine debris on navigational safety and fishing grounds. This could be rolled up
into one of the larger theme areas presented already
 Developing combined physical, ecological and socioeconomic modeling capabilities to assess the
overall effects of coastal restoration and hurricane protection projects
 Social vulnerability of populations living along the coast. Development of social capital in
conjunction with coastal resilience to natural hazards
 Communications and behavior change research, especially related to hazard mitigation and
development activities
 tidal and storm surge modeling updated elevation data (heights/depths) for intertidal coastal
areas shoreline maps referenced to multiple vertical datums
 Another piece that is not mentioned is research regarding innovations in financial markets and
financial products and the environment. (Iʹm going out on a limb here, but something to think
about). There are innovations in financial products, such as catastrophe bonds, weather
derivatives, futures etc ‐ that create money flows and investments in areas that relate to Gulf of
Mexico issues. This is not something that is never discussed in meetings of academics and policy
people ‐ is this something worth exploring?
 Understanding the factors that impact community resiliency against natural hazards, developing
measurable indicators of resiliency
 Development of high resolution coastal physical and ecosystem models that can address natural
variability, extreme events and climatic changes and support long term observational monitoring
networks for model validation
 Removal of high priced real estate further inland to avoid direct hurricane impact
 HURRICANE PROTECTION for the COASTLINE!!!
 continued study of environmental impacts from Katrina
 Development of social capital in conjunction with coastal resilience to natural hazards

GMRP Appendix D 44
Fish industry
 Continue to collect data on hurricane impacts to Gulf fishing communities
 Effects of hurricanes to the gulf coast region to our seafood industryʹ

Marine debris
 Ecosystem and societal impacts of marine debris from coastal storms
 Impacts of marine debris to fisheries, habitat, and navigation

ORPP Theme: Enabling Marine Operations

RP8: Understand interactions between marine operations and the environment

Marine Operations and Ecosystem Health
 Further research to assess the potential impacts of oil exploration on eastern Gulf of Mexico
communities
 influence of petroleum industry on GoM ecosystems
 The effects of removing non operational oil platforms on fish and invertebrate population
densities
 Mitigate environmental pollution both from ships and oil rigs
 Specifically, Evaluate potential threats to ecosystem health from oil drilling
 Impact of oil production facilities and processes
 Impact of off‐shore drilling and development
 Sea Floor subsidence due to the extraction of oil and gas from the Gulf of Mexico
 Effects of ʺonce through coolingʺ and ʺopen systemʺ cooling systems associated with active (and
proposed) power plants and LNG plants along coastal estuaries and shallow near‐shore gulf
environments
 Open Loop Liquefied Natural Gas Plants and their effect on the fish, water quality, and other
living organisms (coral, crustaceans, etc.)
 LNG processing terminals. Issues with oil and gas infrastructure (aging pipelines, etc.) and oil
and gas spill PREVENTION
 Research should be addressed to the cumulative affects of numerous off shore problems, pitfalls,
and advantages of desalination plants
 Clean Vessel and Barge Operations; Clean Marine Terminal Operations;
 Energy production infrastructures that enhance marine harvesting potential
 Ocean noise impacts to marine mammals and other fauna and flora

Invasive Species
 Biofouling ‐ Ballast water

GMRP Appendix D 45
Navigation
 Louisiana has paid the highest environmental price of any state to support the national interest in
navigation. Navigation from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico is possible via Louisiana. The
tremendous erosion rate of the bird foot delta is directly attributable to dredging at the Head of
Passes. However, there seems to be very little research into the responsibility of the navigation
industry for these problems, and in fact, the navigation industry resists virtually any effort to
minimize impacts or use dredged material beneficially. Research into the cause and effect
relationship between past and present navigation practices and current land loss/erosion
problems as well as research into methods to minimize impacts and use spoil beneficially would
be helpful

Aquaculture Siting
 NOAA is looking at the potential of offshore aquaculture both in context with oil structures and
away from such structures. There is a potential for significant research in siting, operating and
production of seafood at offshore aquaculture sites and it is important that Sea Grant continue to
fund the development of new species and technologies for production and environmental
protection in this area. Having a regional planning project for aquaculture and identification of
optimum offshore aquaculture sites is a critical component of this work

RP9: Apply understanding of environmental factors affecting marine operations to characterize and
predict conditions in the maritime domain

 Impacts of marine debris on navigational safety and fishing grounds. This could be rolled up
into one of the larger theme areas presented already
 Impacts of marine debris to fisheries, habitat, and navigation
 Researching better ways to transport high‐value resources to market that will withstand natural
storm related damages to existing structures
 Need improved wind field measurements and expansion of HF radar technologies to drive
numerical models for ocean circulation and improve weather forecasts

RP10: Apply understanding of environmental impacts and marine operations to enhance the marine
transportation system

 socio‐economic studies of the marine transportation industry in the western Gulf of Mexico
 No mention of periodic over flow of Mississippi river to build up wetlands. Similar to controlling
Niagara River for tourism by controlled out flow. This will help navigation & wetlands in place
of either or approach. We need both navigation for commerce and wetlands for storm protection
 We need to focus on water access and how changing coastal demographics are affecting marine‐
related industries in the near term

GMRP Appendix D 46
ORPP Theme: The Oceanʹs Role in Climate

RP11: Understand ocean‐climate interactions within and across regions

Sea level change
 Sea level change, both worldwide (eustatic) and local
 The effects of sea level rise due to climate change The effects of the reduction of artic ice and the
reduction of glaciers
 Impact of global warming and rising sea level on both natural and man‐made coastal systems
 Efforts involving climate change studies and particularly, regional research that models coastal
subsidence and sea level rise
 Global water‐balance (sea‐level rise), change in water currents or temperature and the global
impact. See the Gulf of Mexico as part of the big system
 (1) Probable effects of climate‐change induced changes in the rate of sea level rise on coastal
development in general and public infrastructure in particular. (2) Cost‐effective adaptive
strategies for contending with (1). (3) Vulnerability data needed to accomplish #1, especially
topographic elevation data at intervals of no more than 1 ft.

Air‐sea‐land interface/interactions and ocean circulation
 Incorporate the air‐sea‐land interaction when studying effects of climate change
 Understanding marine and coastal meteorology in the Gulf of Mexico and the Houston‐
Galveston metropolitan area. Atmospheric and coastal and marine surface exchange of moisture,
heat, momentum, and pollutants are of great interest to understand the natural processes
involving the ecosystem subject to climate change
 Climate change and potential impacts on ocean currents
 Physics of air‐sea‐land interaction
 Thermohaline circulation
 Study Ocean oscillations effects on the Gulf coast and Eastern sea‐board
 To get ocean circulation and overturning correct, we need better research models of ocean‐
atmosphere interaction than NOAA can run operationally. Without better atmospheric forcing
models than NOAA runs operationally, we will not get the Gulf of Mexico circulation right
 Need for detailed bottom mapping to include bottom lithology & geochemistry, sediment type,
and associated habitats. This baseline would then be used to assess the responses to upland
watershed change dynamics, near‐shore and estuary trends, and coastal response to sea‐level
change
 Large‐scale high‐quality multidisciplinary hydrographic surveys (WOCE‐style) to better
understand the role of GOM in forming of Gulf Stream waters and its response to climate change

RP12: Understand the impact of climate variability and change on the biogeochemistry of the ocean and
implication for its ecosystems

 The impact global warming on parasite and diseases of commercial resources and its impact on
their sustainability
 Understanding in the impact of global climate change of coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico
 Studies on invasive species that may appear as the result of warming water of Gulf
 Fish migration route changes due to ocean and Gulf of Mexico temperature changes
GMRP Appendix D 47
 The role of climate change on the structure and function of marine communities, including
predator‐prey interactions
 Sea level rise effects on coastal ecosystems
 Effects of Gulf warming on pelagic food webs
 The relationship between factors considered to contribute to global warming and the effects they
have on GOM pH. This is very important!!!
 The highest priority should be sustainable fisheries in a changing global climate
 We need to carbon‐balance the GOM region: how much carbon is entering through rivers and
leaving through air‐sea exchange and ocean circulation. This would allow us to answer basic
questions like: Is the GOM a regional sink or source of C? What processes control the
magnitude of C fluxes within the GOM region?
 Climate studies also should have a lower priority unless it involves carbon sequestration, because
climate studies ultimately are just scientific speculation and not applied science
 Understanding how land use change within river basins associated with the Gulf affect the
biological integrity and climatic roles of the Gulf
 All sounded important. The most important is to assess climate change and how it will affect the
life in the Gulf of Mexico. Also, when is development of the coastal zone unsustainable?
 How the reduction of fresh water will effect Ocean environments
 Resilience and role of coastal salt and freshwater wetlands in ecology and biochemical cycling.
Healthy, abundant coastal wetland complexes most likely play a crucial role in mitigating effects
ruling
 How do short‐term (episodic) forcings of the ocean influence the transport of nutrients, species,
and pollutants? How does this repositioning of materials contribute to the climate of the Gulf of
Mexico, and how important are the variations in this climate
 Future fate of coastal ecosystems in lieu of sea level rise and other related climate change
elements (focus on coastal and not marine)

RP13: Apply understanding of the ocean to help project future climate changes and their impacts

Impacts to Humans
 Biological community changes resulting from climate change and its effects on coastal landscapes
 Mississippi River discharge and sedimentation rates affecting the hypoxic zone and what
climatological affects are potentially spawned by such events
 The effects of climate change on coastal and marine ecosystems‐‐ with an eye to effects on natural
and human communities
 effects of Climate change on coastal ecosystems and the development of mitigation strategies for
the Gulf of Mexico
GMRP Appendix D 48
 Impact of predicted climate change on coastal communities and ecosystems (maybe included in
previous in different words)
 Need to evaluate how wetlands will change with climate change and appropriate restoration
strategies for now and into the future
 Humans within the coastal ecosystem as a factor of change and response to alterations resulting
from climate change
 Probable effects of climate‐change induced changes in the rate of sea level rise on coastal
development in general and public infrastructure in particular. (2) Cost‐effective adaptive
strategies for contending with #1. (3) Vulnerability data needed to accomplish #1, especially
topographic elevation data at intervals of no more than 1 ft
 If during the next 15 years there a more immediate sea level rise caused by sooner than
anticipated by shifts and sloughing of the ice sheet in western Antarctica, there would be very
serious impacts on the barrier islands (e.g., Horn Island, MS would cease to exist), tidal marshes
(diking would curtail reestablishment of tidal marshes into the lower flood plains adjacent to the
mouths of rivers, etc
 Most scientists understand the risks associated with the melting of our polar regions. Increases in
sea level is going to have a profound affect on our coastal areas, cities and communities,
transportation and shipping infrastructure, and on our natural resources such as our drinking
water aquifers that lie along coastal regions. Fresh water is a natural resource that is already
shrinking in volume as new stressors are placed upon in by increasing needs by rural, urban,
industrial, and agricultural users. Influxes of users migrating into the interior regions of the
country caused by displacement along our coastlines due to rising sea levels will have a profound
and long term affect on our countryʹs ability to cope and assimilate the masses. This issue needs
to be addressed while we have the flexibility of time to examine alternative methodologies to
prepare for this eventuality. This is a short‐, and long‐term planning need that is currently
receiving very little attention
 Need to conduct a comprehensive assessment or risk analysis to determine how society, physical
environment and organisms will be affected by climate change along the Gulf Coast (winners,
neutrals and losers??) Factor in change in energy use, supply and human demographics. Need
to develop ecosystem models to support climate change scenarios and current scenarios.
 Development of Integrated Ocean Observing Systems and their related technologies for long
range and long term monitoring of the ocean environment as well as quantitatively measuring
the impacts of climate change and human interaction
 Additional work in the area of mitigating climate change
 Impact of predicted climate change on coastal communities and ecosystems (maybe included in
previous in different words)

GMRP Appendix D 49
Impact of climate change (natural and humans/built environment)
 Storm risk and its relation to climate change
 I think that increase water temperature and changes in rainfall coupled land use and human
population growth will put more stress on the benthic and epibenthic inshore and near shore
faunal communities. The resulting BODs and CODs may precipitate a decrease in standing crop
of both bionomically (e.g., the zooplankton, mysids, amphipods that serve as major food sources
for juvenile fishes) and economically (e.g., oysters, penaeid shrimps, blue crabs) important
organisms resulting in significant negative ecological and economic effects
 ʺEsquemas de adaptacion a los cambios climaticos globales como son el incremento del nivel
medio del mar (Translation: Plans of adaptacion to the changes climaticos global as are the
increment of the medium level of the sea.) ʺ
 The impact of the Gulf of Mexico to both short, medium and long term Regional, National, and
Global climate

Sea Level Rise
 Better understanding of expected future rates of relative sea level rise and impacts to natural and
cultural resources of the western Gulf of Mexico
 Understanding past, present, and future sea‐level trends Understanding the effects of future sea‐
level rise on landscape and ecosystems
 Mostly has been addressed...but we need a comprehensive vulnerability assessment (esp. in
relation to sea level rise) conducted that incorporates conservation strategies of declining habitat
types and species
 Also, allowing fringing marsh retreat with increasing sea levels

Storms
 Increased hurricane activity due to changes caused by global warming
 What are the vulnerability of the Gulf coast because of global climate change

ORPP Theme: Improving Ecosystem Health

RP14: Understand and predict the impact of natural and anthropogenic processes on the ecosystem

Fishing industry
 Address effects of the shrimping industry destroying the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico and the
effects of the commercial shrimping industry has as far as by catch is concerned
 Research on the Enhancement of Alabamaʹs Gulf Coast Fisheries by Development of Artificial
Reefs should be evaluated
 Will commercial fishing harm the ecosystem in the coming years?

GMRP Appendix D 50
Coastal development and human population growth in coastal areas
 Impact of increasing land development on barrier islands and coastlines
 Anthropogenic impacts on the coastal zone, especially due to the expected spike in human
inhabitants within 100 miles of the water
 Better understanding of the connections between Gulf Ecosystem with that of the coastal zone
and the impact continued population growth with have and the potential solutions
 Impact of increasing land development on barrier islands and coastlines
 Many of the questions touch upon the connection between patterns of land development and
coastal ecological health, but none focus in on quantifying the nexus between land development,
land use, and ocean/water impacts
 projections along the northern gulf coast projections of population change along the northern
gulf coast implications of global petroleum production peaking (Hubbertʹs Peak)
 Though covered indirectly, I think that increase water temperature and changes in rainfall
coupled land use and human population growth will put more stress on the benthic and
epibenthic inshore and near shore faunal communities. The resulting BODs and CODs may
precipitate a decrease in standing crop of both bionomically (e.g., the zooplankton, mysids,
amphipods that serve as major food sources for juvenile fishes) and economically (e.g., oysters,
penaeid shrimps, blue crabs)important organisms resulting in significant negative ecological and
economic effects. If during the next 15 years there a more immediate sea level rise caused by
sooner than anticipated by shifts and sloughing of the ice sheet in western Antarctica, there
would be very serious impacts on the barrier islands (e.g., Horn Island, MS would cease to exist),
tidal marshes (diking would curtail reestablishment of tidal marshes into the lower flood plains
adjacent to the mouths of rivers, etc
 Impacts of different land use patterns on coastal resource health
 Coastal Population growth trend
 Understand the impact of continued and increasing human overpopulation and
overdevelopment on the Gulfʹs physical and biotic environment, and communicate this
understanding effectively to the public and to lawmakers
 Research concerning future land use development and ecosystem protection
 Habitat loss and development pressure
 ʺOver‐populationʺ of stressed coastal ecosystems
 Coastal Development
 Impacts of coastal development from increased population growth Develop smart coastal
development at the local and state levels
 SMART growth
 Impact of land use patterns on ecology of the Gulf and the development of mitigation techniques
How to improve quality of life for human coastal residences first and the nation second
 Coastal zone development and impacts on the marine environment

GMRP Appendix D 51
Anthropogenic Impacts
 Ecosystem and societal impacts of marine debris from coastal storms
 Hydrologic and biological effects of mangrove modification and deforestation
 Detrimental loss of wetlands habitat to human development
 I would give highest priority to research that focuses on habitat destruction and eutrophication
 Loss of coastal wetlands
 Ocean noise impacts to marine mammals and other fauna and flora
 The effect of bridges built over marine estuaries
 The impact of human pressures and global warming on parasite and diseases of commercial
resources and its impact on their sustainability
 Inter‐relationships between increased coastal development, eutrophication, HABs, and higher
trophic levels (e.g. charismatic megafauna, sea and shore birds, marine reptiles) since all carry
high economic benefits to coastal states
 Ecotoxicological modeling of stressed populations due to anthropogenic impacts
 Coastal erosion and freshwater diversion inter‐relationship and impacts/effects such as dead‐
zones
 Studies involved in determining the ecosystem and economic impacts of diverting the main flow
of the Mississippi River
 Altering human behaviors that are currently known threats to ecosystem health
 The effect of continued anthropogenic changes in the marine environment on the sustainability of
marine ecosystems
 Improved predictions of wetland loss, especially in the Mississippi River Deltaic Plain, and
especially estimates of loss due to sea level rise/climate change Improve wetland restoration
techniques, especially in the Mississippi River Deltaic Plain‐ Miss. R diversions, marsh creation,
barrier island restoration Improved understanding of hypoxia on the Inner Continental Shelf of
Louisiana and Texas Advancements in science that can help facilitate restoration of water quality
on the Inner Continental Shelf of Louisiana and Texas (D.O.) Improved understanding of
seagrasses in Texas‐ trends, human impacts, management (role of water quality protection‐ TSS,
nutrients) Research on contaminant effects at hotspots (Patrick Bayou, Greens Bayou, San Jacinto
River, Lavaca Bay, hotspots in Coastal Bend Bays, etc)and potential restoration techniques
 Effects of human induced changes (overfishing, shoreline hardening, dredging, etc.) on
environmental resilience
 To better understand anthropogenic impacts to the Gulf in order to prioritize management
activities to ameliorate those impacts
 Human environmental impact reversal
 Mitigation plans for oil spills, wastewater and anthropogenic and natural hazards need to be
updated/incorporate real‐time COOS information
 Understanding and mitigating human‐induced impacts on ecosystems
 Oceanography (all disciplines) of interactions between the continental shelves and continental
slopes. Processes involved (all disciplines) in deep benthic boundary layers around the GOM.
Identifying threatened coastal landscapes and habitats, including terrestrial Protecting
threatened landscapes
 We need to continue our research in the areas of fisheries sustainability and improved water
quality which may be interwoven within Improving Ecosystem Health and Enhancing Human
Health issues
GMRP Appendix D 52
 Develop a better understanding of how coastal systems and the open Gulf may respond to
changes (increases or decreases)of various anthropogenic stressors, including nutrient or toxic
inputs, fishing pressure, changes in freshwater inflow, etc
 Understanding how ecological processes and human impacts propagate across spatial and
temporal scales, and incorporating that into predictive spatially explicit models
 Feasibility studies on the use of clean cement debris waste for coastal erosion and barriers?
Effects of seasonal diversion techniques on the marine and vegetational species?
 The impact of the ecosystem health of the Gulf of Mexico on groundwater and other freshwater
resources
 Assessment of salt water intrusion and mitigation alternatives

General Water Quality
 We need improved water quality which may be interwoven within Improving Ecosystem Health
and Enhancing Human Health issues
 Anthropogenic impacts Water quality
 Historic trends in water quality

Energy industry
 Impact of off‐shore drilling and development on barrier islands and coastlines
 gas hydrates and oil / gas seeps and their impact on ecosystems and atmosphere
 oil spills
 Effects of ʺonce through coolingʺ and ʺopen systemʺ cooling systems associated with active (and
proposed)power plants and LNG plants along coastal estuaries and shallow near‐shore gulf
environments
 Specifically, Evaluate potential threats to ecosystem health from oil drilling

Pollution and Contaminants
 More research is needed on pollution and contamination of near shore areas, such as bays and
estuaries, and how to prevent these man‐made pollution problems from happening, either
through better enforcement or more regulations. Too many people take for granted that the
larger ocean can sustain waste discharges when much of this waste never leaves the near shore
areas
 scenic quality protection, non‐point source pollution
 Effects of endocrine disrupters and human/livestock pathogens (contained in runoff and waste
water discharge) on estuaries and near shore environments
 assess long term trends of pollutant concentrations, e.g. Hg. Assess the impact of coastal
development on nutrient budgets, assess the impact of sewage inflow
 Need to better understand the chemistry and impacts of pollutants at the land‐sea interface
 use of onsite wastewater treatment systems and their impact on the environment, food chain
 Develop effective strategies for treating or precluding anthropogenic pollution sources (land and
airborne) from entering the Gulf, coastal waters and its tributaries
 Effects of pharmaceuticals to non‐target species
GMRP Appendix D 53
 Additional research on mercury levels and how to reduce the level of mercury in the Gulf of
Mexico. mercury in fish and the coastal environment
 emerging contaminants,
 Reducing the impact of plastics on ocean life, especially very tiny ʺmicrobeadʺ plastics now in use
in many cosmetics

Hypoxia and Eutrophication
 Mutually address increased nutrient enrichment nationally
 Excess nutrient loading in the Gulf region
 Anoxic or ʺdeadʺ zone off the coast of Louisiana and other states
 Hypoxia
 eutrophication
 How Gulf of Mexico dead zone affects ecosystem
 GOM Dead Zone and change in its size, location, duration due to climate change, and inputs
from inland sources via rivers
 Understanding hypoxia on the LA and TX coast
 Effects of eutrophication and hypoxia on biological resources
 development of the sedimentary environment with respect to organic matter accumulation and
oxygen consumption
 Nutrient runoff/precision farming to prevent hypoxia
 Dead Zone and anoxic conditions of the Gulf
 establishing a better understanding of and means of reversing the dead zone(s)
 What effects other than the ʹdead zoneʹ might there be to increased nutrient loading in the GOM?
 Hypoxia and the Dead zone ‐ need to have a national perspective to deal with this growing
problem ‐ one that serious impacts your regional priorities concerning ecosystem health, human
health and sustainable resource use as well as a host of socio‐economic issues
 Investigation of hypoxic area that can cause fish and invertebrate kills harmful to commercial and
recreational fishing and to overall ecosystem health
 Long‐term elimination of hypoxia problems‐Root causes and mitigations as a national priority
with time lines
 Mitigation of causes of hypoxic zone
 Coastal erosion and freshwater diversion inter‐relationship and impacts/effects such as dead‐
zones
 Finding out why we have the dead zones in parts of the Gulf of Mexico
 dead zone
 Eutrophication and ecosystem health, and correlation with increases in coastal populations along
the Gulf Coast
 Mississippi River discharge and sedimentation rates affecting the hypoxic zone and what
climatological affects are potentially spawned by such events
 continue to address the cause and elimination of dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico
 Elimination of dead zone(s)
GMRP Appendix D 54
 Evaluate the causes and effect of the ʺdead zoneʺ on various levels of marine life in the Gulf
 Need Federal legislation and monitoring to reduce the Dead Zone. More research into how to
accomplish should be done immediately
 Study of the Dead Zone off LA
 Factors contributing to hypoxic zones Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia
 Nutrient Influences on Hypoxia and Harmful Algal Blooms
 Ideas for the mitigation or reversal of dead zones off the mouth of the Mississippi River...
 Understanding and reducing the annual Dead Zone
 Expansion of hypoxic zones
 Dead Zone decrease: Use of riparian buffers, decrease in fertilizer use, and ʺFrench Drainsʺ with
denitrifying bacteria to decrease nitrate
 Need to identify causes of severe anoxic events‐evaluate timing of wastewater/other discharge to
coastal waters;
 gulf hypoxia and its impacts
 The dead‐zone in our gulf is a stark reminder of the negative impact of ʹstatus‐quoʹ agricultural
practices. Thatʹs enough for now
 Hypoxic effects on marine fauna and human health
 did you cover the influence of 38 states and the impact to Hypoxia ‐ maybe that question is too
specific
 Solving the growing problem of artificial eutrophication and the ʺdead zoneʺ in the Gulf of
Mexico
 Mitigation activities for the hypoxia zone
 To determine the major sources of contaminants contributing to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico
and seeks solutions to the control and elimination of these sources of contaminants before it
progressively and negatively impacts more of the coastal ecosystem
 Understanding the hypoxic dead zone
 GOM Dead Zone and change in its size, location, duration due to climate change, and inputs
from inland sources via rivers

Natural Processes
 Meteorology of the GOM, including air‐sea‐coastal interactions and pollutant transport
 Oceanographic anomalies impact on terrestrial and marine ecosystems
 nutrient cycling, especially in the terrestrial‐coastal interphase
 understanding the effects of Gulf ecosystem processes on coastal estuarine systems
 Basic research on ecosystem structure and function has lagged in the Gulf for decades. More
needs to be done to stimulate basic research
 The fate/movement of sediment in near‐shore environments. How does sediment transport effect
the near shore environment along the Gulf Coast (and not just within state lines)
GMRP Appendix D 55
 Study of magnitude and implications for groundwater discharge from coastal aquifers to the
coastal zone: ‐‐ study redox sensitive elements within the sediment mixing zone between
groundwater and infiltrated seawater ‐‐ study of aquifer response to oceanic forcing due to
tides, waves, storms, and biology versus land‐based groundwater withdrawal ‐‐ study of
potential for salt water intrusion as sea level rises and the potential implications for potable water
resources
change
 Land‐Ocean interface studies at local bays, estuaries, and tidal inlets
 Understanding marine and coastal meteorology in the Gulf of Mexico and the Houston‐
Galveston metropolitan area. Atmospheric and coastal and marine surface exchange of moisture,
heat, momentum, and pollutants are of great interest to understand the natural processes
involving the ecosystem subject to climate change
 determine spectral light quality in relation to seagrass species growth or decline; factors driving
changes in spectral light quality
 Coordinated effort to determine the distribution of ocean habitats, fauna and flora that use them,
and associated productivity levels
 (2)Improved methods of remotely evaluating marine habitats and general bottom characteristics.
(4) Improved methods of evaluating cross‐shelf and along‐shelf sediment transport under both
 The impact of the development of Barrier Islands and their impact on Gulf Currents and tidal
flow and itʹs nutrients
 Changes in flux of materials from watersheds to estuaries and coastal ocean, specifically fresh
water, sediments, nutrients and contaminants. Altered biogeochemical budgets, for example
reactive nitrogen increase
 Physics of air‐sea‐land interaction
 Improved methods of evaluating cross‐shelf and along‐shelf sediment transport under both
 Resilience and role of coastal salt and freshwater wetlands in ecology and biochemical cycling
 Healthy, abundant coastal wetland complexes most likely play a crucial role in mitigating effects
ruling
 Role of freshwater spring vents in coastal marine environments

GMRP Appendix D 56
Anthropogenic versus Natural Processes
 Specifically, support research to define and distinguish natural from anthropogenic variation in
ecosystem change. This type of research will best guide management efforts across many
disciplines and themes
 Evaluate interactions between natural and anthropogenic stressors at the individual and
population levels
 Affects of estuaries on GOM stability and recovery from natural disasters and responses to
anthropogenic pressures on those estuaries
 How do short‐term (episodic) forcings of the ocean influence the transport of nutrients, species,
and pollutants? How does this repositioning of materials contribute to the climate of the Gulf of
Mexico, and how important are the variations in this climate
 Complete and aggressive biodiversity inventories in the open Gulf, deep Gulf, and marginal
estuaries and lagoons. This is critical if the rate of change in the Gulf reflects the rate of
anthropogenic change on the Gulf coast
 Studies on the fragile ecosystems of costal zones
 2) Research in the various priority areas conducted at multiple spatial scales to improve our
understanding of how issues such as ecosystem health are linked locally and regionally. Increase
and encourage collaborative projects between Sea Grant programs

Upstream and Watershed issues
 Influence of freshwater inflow on GOM estuaries and carbon transport onto the continental shelf
 More Mississippi river siphons to replenish the Delta
 Analysis of freshwater flows. Analysis of the impacts of decreased and restored freshwater flows
to tributaries to the GOM to the health of estuarine systems
 mitigating/eliminating human impact to ocean resources arising from inland waters
 I think you have pretty well covered it all unless you want to list some specific priorities such as
storm water runoff. The world has a serious problem with over use of natural resources, over
population and the environment and they are all inter connected
 Water quality degradation (eutrophication) resulting from watershed runoff
 Nutrient loading from North American rivers and impacts on the Gulf
 Status and trends related to storm water runoff and its impacts on the living resources and
habitats of the Gulf under current rates of development and current building practices
 Determine the effects of watershed use and water diversions on interactions in the GOM
 None of the priorities listed deal with what is actually happening up in the mountains in the
Mexican portion of the Gulf, v.gr. excessive nutrients, rich soils and sediments runoff from
accelerated desertification of ʺSierra Madre Orientalʺ mountain range due to deforestation. Lost
of mangrove forest in Mexico is accelerated for tourist developments and ever justified by jobs
creation and foreign investment. Campeche State government just recently got approval from
SEMARNAT (? why) to throw down hundreds of hectares of mangroves for a tourist
development (golf club and hotels greenlands!). Quintana Roo State...another lost case
GMRP Appendix D 57
 Many problems in the ocean (Gulf of Mexico), in the Mexican side stem from problems on land.
For example, depending on the Phisiography of the hydrological basin. Would not be important
to consider the study of the connection between land and ocean?
 Most have been well‐addressed. In addition to reducing the loss of coastal marshes (and their
associated biota, such as GOM marsh‐dependent fishes), the role of coastal watersheds in causing
or reducing (e.g., denitrification in the Atchafalaya Basin) pollution is also an area that could be
of significant importance in the coming decades
 Effects of non‐point source discharge, storm water run‐off, nutrient loading and fertilizer
use/misuse from the Mississippi river and other rivers on estuaries and the Gulf
 Impact of increased corn‐based ethanol production on Gulf Hypoxia
 Mitigate environmental pollution both from ships and oil rigs and from terrestrial (e.g., river
outflow) sources
 Need more information about the estuary‐ocean interface as far as human impacts on coastal
areas, mercury contamination, reduced freshwater inflow (due to upstream diversions), etc
 International and Inter‐state water pollution carried by Gulf currents to affect down flow systems
 Affects of levee systems on floodplains and how to correct past mistakes
 Relationship of land borne environmental elements (sediment, freshwater, nutrients) on coastal
and ocean processes;
 Understanding how land use change within river basins associated with the Gulf affect the
biological integrity and climatic roles of the Gulf
 Upstream/headwater impacts on downstream/coastal water quality was included in a round‐
about way, but this should be given more direct attention
 understand the link between highlands, lowlands and the ocean by producing hard data
regarding their link and the effect of land use change, erosion, water diversion and pesticide
input
 Diverting silt deposit away from continental shelf and redirecting this silt to the Mississippi
Delta
 Potential implications of a catastrophic diversion of the Mississippi River to the Atchafalaya
River
exchange. Influence of freshwater inflow on GOM estuaries and carbon transport onto the
continental shelf
 Quality and quantity of freshwater inflow
 Fully understanding the link between watersheds and estuarine systems
 Salt water intrusion in the B‐T estuary region due to continued coastal erosion
 Possible redirection/redeposition of sediment at/from the mouth of the river
 Needed are studies to better assess the impacts of rivers on the Gulf so that management
decisions can be made
 Freshwater inflows
 More Mississippi river siphons to replenish the Delta
 Land‐Ocean Interaction ‐ Assessment of total freshwater and nutrient inflows to the Gulf of
Mexico from all surrounding states (US and Mexico)
 change in drought/flood incidents re the Mississippi R causes and
 Interaction with groundwater from coastal states
GMRP Appendix D 58
 Fully understanding the link between watersheds and estuarine systems ‐
 Inland responsibility to the functionality of Gulf Coast habitat
 in a more direct form, the influence of all watershed on the gulf the desertification of some areas
far away from the coast but that have an important influence through the rivers to the gulf
 understand the link between highlands, lowlands and the ocean by producing hard data
regarding their link and the effect of land use change, erosion, water diversion and pesticide
input
 mitigating/eliminating human impact to ocean resources arising from inland waters
 None of the priorities listed deal with what is actually happening up in the mountains in the
Mexican portion of the Gulf, v.gr. excessive nutrients, rich soils and sediments runoff from
accelerated desertification of ʺSierra Madre Orientalʺ mountain range due to deforestation. Lost
of mangrove forest in Mexico is accelerated for tourist developments and ever justified by jobs
creation and foreign investment. Campeche State government just recently got approval from
SEMARNAT (? why) to throw down hundreds of hectares of mangroves for a tourist
development (golf club and hotels greenlands!). Quintana Roo State...another lost case
 Your survey focuses almost exclusively on the marine environment, and I think it would be a
mistake to disassociate the GOM from coastal watersheds (even at the Mississippi River scale)
regarding ecosystem health and the associated impacts on human populations and marine life
 did you cover the influence of 38 states and the impact to Hypoxia ‐ maybe that question is too
specific

Harmful Algal Blooms
 harmful algal blooms
 The cause of the harmful algal blooms must be determined. The blooms have a significant
negative economic impact when the blooms occur
 Hazardous algal blooms relation to anthropogenic activities such as agriculture
 red tide events
 Relationship of large scale upland runoff to Harmful Algae Blooms
 Better understanding of karenia brevis red tide events in the West Florida Coast…
 Red tide effects on marine fauna and human health
 Establish Gulf Oyster beds as a mechanism to control HABʹs and the associated toxins

Invasive Species

GMRP Appendix D 59
RP15: Apply understanding of natural and anthropogenic processes to develop socioeconomic
assessments and models to evaluate the impact of multiple human uses on ecosystems

 Addressing coastal population growth with land use scenarios and the natural processes and
habitats those scenarios affect
 More focus should be paid to the social and economic impacts as well
 understanding functional values of ecosystems
 Identify and catalog socioeconomic impacts associated with natural and man‐made events
 Understand the relationship between natural events and communities. Understand short and
long‐term demographic changes resulting from hurricanes, oil spills, harmful algal blooms, etc
 Inter‐relationships between increased coastal development, eutrophication, HABs, and higher
trophic levels (e.g. charismatic megafauna, sea and shore birds, marine reptiles) since all carry
high economic benefits to coastal states
 Studies involved in determining the ecosystem and economic impacts of diverting the main flow
of the Mississippi River
 Growth of use markets on the bio system of the Gulf of Mexico e.g. recreational impact and
subsequent impact on users
 Expanding fuel use and subsequent impact by more users
 identify major factors affecting energy transport from estuaries into Gulf
 Coastal development is proceeding rapidly, and the influences of changing human geographical
distribution on coastal processes, as well as the ability of the coast to continue to function
ecologically, will be critical
 Economic indicators of impacts to ocean resources
 Future development, city planning and their impacts on the coastal ecosystems. We must deal
with future issues of human inputs, management etc
 Understand how human population growth will affect our near shore and aquatic environments.
Develop tools for planning and develop investment resources for management of above effects.
Develop tools and resources for local communities to deal with above issues
 Another piece that is not mentioned is research regarding innovations in financial markets and
financial products and the environment. (Iʹm going out on a limb here, but something to think
about). There are innovations in financial products, such as catastrophe bonds, weather
derivatives, futures etc ‐ that create money flows and investments in areas that relate to Gulf of
Mexico issues. This is not something that is never discussed in meetings of academics and policy
people ‐ is this something worth exploring?
 Value of coastal rivers and their discharge of fresh water to estuaries and near shore waters.
Study alterations already in place (dams) and project what proposed dams and alterations can do
to tailwater sections of river including the coastal reaches of rivers. Look at cumulative impacts
where dams exist and more dams are proposed esp. for economic development and flood control.
Mississippiʹs Pearl River drainage is one such stream
 Socioeconomics of coastal resource restoration and management
 Identify how wetland banks operate and assess if they are efficient
 Lacks inclusion of key attributes for ...renewable and sustainable resources, and relations to
coastal water qualities and community well being
GMRP Appendix D 60
 I feel that often the understanding of biological systems takes precedent over the understanding
of human systems. More funding needs to be put in to understanding the human systems
 Need ways to translate data into information, i.e., connect the dots. Need more integrated studies
where natural and social science are connected

RP16: Apply understanding of marine ecosystems to develop appropriate indicators and metrics for
sustainable use and effective management

 Development of environmental impact indicators
 Development of nutrient criteria in the Gulf of Mexico and the inclusion of Mexico in these
criteria
 Establish sustainable loading for nutrients to the Gulf of Mexico and recommend policies that
could achieve that loading. Identify freshwater needs for Gulf estuaries and recommend
policies for maintaining those flows
 development of biotic indicator status
 Develop a series of indicators, including biomarkers, of ecosystem structure, function and
resilience
 use of indicator species and/systems as indicators of ecosystem health
criteria

ORPP Theme: Enhancing Human Health

RP17: Understand sources and processes contributing to ocean‐related risks to human health

Harmful Algal Blooms
 Identification and characterization of harmful algal bloom species and their impacts on coastal
tourism and public health
 Better understanding of the relationships between indigenous microorganisms and human health
needs to be promoted. This includes HABs, pathogenic bacteria and viruses, fungi, and parasites
 Understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the initiation of harmful algal blooms
 HABs‐ links with human activities (e.g. nutrient loading)‐red tide, brown tide, cyanobacteria
 The cause of the harmful algal blooms must be determined. The blooms have a significant
negative economic impact when the blooms occur
 Nutrient Influences on Harmful Algal Blooms
 Better understanding of karenia brevis red tide events in the West Florida Coast...
 Hypoxic/Red tide effects on marine fauna and human health

Mercury Bioaccumulation
 Need more information about the estuary‐ocean interface as far as mercury contamination
 Additional research on mercury levels and how to reduce the level of mercury in the Gulf Of
Mexico
 mercury in fish and the coastal environment

Human pathogens and wastewater
GMRP Appendix D 61
 Human pathogens and harmful substances associated with GOM seafood
 Onsite wastewater treatment systems and their impact on drinking water
 The idea that the ocean ʺis a source of human health hazardsʺ is untrue when speaking of human
pathogens. Humans and inadequate wastewater treatment are the sources of these hazards, not
the oceans

Others
 Understand the effects of human activity and climate change on shellfish safety
 Oil refinery effects on human health
 Learning more about the oceans and their inhabitants, both as a point of scientific curiosity and
from the benefit of human health and nutrition.

RP18: Understand human health risks associated with the ocean and potential benefits of ocean
resources to human health

 Improved characterization of risks to human health from different bacteria sources (human vs.
livestock/wildlife) in coastal recreational water environments
 Human pathogens and harmful substances associated with GOM seafood
 Key attributes for seafood production (e.g., oyster resources per safety issues)
 There are increasing food allergies in the population, and seafood allergies are increasing
dramatically. Increasing our ability to test (in forensic ways) fresh seafood should be a priority
 Mercury levels and other chemical levels in our seafood that could be a hazard to our health
 Mercury bioaccumulation in commercial fisheries
 Seafood contamination & seafood safety

RP19: Understand how human use and valuation of ocean resources can be affected by ocean‐borne
human health threats and how human activities can influence these threats

 Identification and characterization of harmful algal bloom species and their impacts on coastal
tourism and public health
 Understand short and long‐term demographic changes resulting from hurricanes, oil spills,
harmful algal blooms, etc.
 More focus should be paid to the social and economic impacts

RP20: Apply understanding of ocean ecosystems and biodiversity to develop products and biological
models to enhance human well‐being

 Development of ʺplug‐and‐playʺ sensor technologies to assist with beach health initiatives and
shellfish bed management
 Increasing our ability to test (in forensic ways) fresh seafood should be a priority
 Research on sources of coastal indicator bacteria loadings
 Improved bacterial indicators whose occurrence correlates with the risks identified above

Comments Organized by Other Categories
GMRP Appendix D 62

Education and Communication Needs

 What about Educational Outreach Programs, like the ones for the Save Our Lake Foundation?
Are there any programs such as that to raise awareness of this process in areas around the
region?
 Not exactly a research priority, but there is a great need to educate the populace on the
significance of issues and research capabilities that are indigenous to marine environments
including the Gulf of Mexico
 Increase education directed at dissemination of research activities and results
 The regional planning and research needs to be focused on slowing and reversing the corruption
of the integrity of the Gulf
 Involve the local community in research where appropriate and beneficial in order to create
greater awareness and understanding of these local problems. Education (youth and/or
community level) should be incorporated into research where feasible to ensure future practices
promote a healthy ocean
 Access to the Gulf for training of current & future professionals in marine related fields
 I just returned from an Austin TX teacher workshop on the NASA GRACE mission. This is the
Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment satellite system that is mapping the Earthʹs gravity
field and its time variations. We learned that these measurements are directly linked to long
wavelength ocean circulation processes and to the transport of ocean heat to Earthʹs poles. I am a
middle school teacher and find this information most interesting!!
 It is imperative that the information on the basic physical dynamics of the marine environment
interfaces with the coastline be re‐emphasized in the training individuals entering the marine
fields. The basics of water molecular movement in the waves and the effects of the wind forces
on the development of wave dynamics particularly as it develops in storm surges
 Not one word was said in this survey about the place of EDUCATION in this GOM Needs
Framework. What good will all this research do if no one can communicate this to the public ‐
both precollege, college and the public at large?
 Good science does not always produce good policy. Good science needs to be followed‐up with
education, legislation, and (usually) litigation
 Effective communication to the public of research results is critical to garnering the benefits from
that research and for ensuring future support for it
 Development and implementation of educational programs that introduce citizens to marine and
coastal issues. These same programs should then provide skills for citizens to become active in
the decision making process
 We need to place a greater priority on education and outreach, especially in funding and
sustaining a public awareness campaign concerning the relevance of the worldʹs ocean and its
watersheds to all people. And, we are currently working on a public awareness campaign with
the Joint Ocean Commission Initiative and the Gulf of Mexico Alliance in ʺusingʺ the GOM as a
pilot for the JOCIʹs public awareness effort
 Integration of science and education at ALL levels. Research is great but not when it is not being
disseminated to the GENERAL
 Public education on individual environmental impact, such as dumping, chemical runoff, etc.
 EDUCATION is needed‐not disparate programs piggy‐backed on other projects, but a serious,
dedicated effort targeting formal and informal audiences. Inter‐agency, multi‐institution efforts
GMRP Appendix D 63
need to be linked, consistent, science‐based information needs to be disseminated, taught in
schools, practiced in life
 Assessment of ocean literacy among the public users and establish methods to obtain a certain
level of literacy among all Gulf Communities
 Get the word out to the public!
 youth education and outreach for coastal studies and issues
 Need to place more importance on education and behavior changes. There are a lot of things that
can be done now with existing research. Get that where it is needed

Information Needs
Data Topics
 Ocean data collection needs to go up by a factor of at least ten...for starters
 Emphasize improved use and accessibility of existing data and research in addition to conducting
new research and generating additional data. Much existing data is underutilized and often
inaccessible. In particular, unnecessary restrictions are often placed on the use of and access to
fisheries dependent data

Monitoring Topics
 IOOS
 Development of ʺplug‐and‐playʺ sensor technologies to assist with beach health initiatives and
shellfish bed management
 Improved and more monitoring efforts in the near shore estuarine environment to enhance and
calibrate existing coastal hydrodynamic models
 real time ocean observing infrastructure in the western Gulf of Mexico
 Further research and monitoring efforts to move towards effective ecosystem‐based management
of marine resources
 It follows that we need better support capabilities in order to work in the Gulf of Mexico, for
instance, fixed platforms and logistical capabilities that researchers can occupy for extended
periods to accomplish a broad spectrum of investigations
 The need for a coastal observing system that is both cost effective and operationally viable
 Near‐bottom currents in deep water along and outside the Sigsbee Escarpment. nature, stability
and origin of mega furrows
 Development of Integrated Ocean Observing Systems and their related technologies for long
range and long term monitoring of the ocean environment as well as quantitatively measuring
the impacts of climate change and human interaction
 Real‐time monitoring sensor nets of the coastal ocean and marine resources
 Develop a long term strategy of monitoring of biodiversity (along with environmental change)
 There is a huge discrepancy of knowledge between the Mexican and American part of the Gulf of
Mexico. I think that there should be an agenda for Mexico which ensures that basic knowledge
will be gathered and that long term monitoring is established
 Develop robust monitoring and assessment programs, considering not only estuaries but also the
offshore portion of the coast. Socioeconomic and human health, aspects must be included.
Develop a series of indicators, including biomarkers, of ecosystem structure, function and
resilience
 Aggressive funding for COOS efforts in Florida…
GMRP Appendix D 64
 Establish an interdisciplinary observation and sensing capacity for the GOM including observing
systems (salinity, dissolved oxygen, water temperature, wind, wave height, etc.)that integrate
sensors (sonar, infrared, acoustics) telemetry (radio, satellite, telephone) and biochemical
analyses (elemental isotopic, genetic)
 Continued and enhanced monitoring of the GOM through coastal ocean observation networks,
satellites and increased monitoring of the deeper GOM. It is critical to have high quality long
term time series for most of the aforementioned priorities
 tidal and storm surge modeling updated elevation data (heights/depths) for intertidal coastal
areas shoreline maps referenced to multiple vertical datums integrate metadata better
coordination between feds and state and local stakeholders on ocean and coastal mapping
activities
 Mitigation plans for oil spills, wastewater and anthropogenic and natural hazards need to be
updated/incorporate real‐time COOS information Growth and development come at a high cost‐
we can talk about ʹmonitoringʹ all we want, but until the real problems are addressed (too many
people tapping into limited resources, not living green, seriously undereducated
citizens)environmental quality will continue to deteriorate
 Monitoring the changes in water temperature of the gulf and its impact on the impact on the
ecosystem biodiversity. 2) Monitoring the rising of water in the ocean as the results of global
climatic changes and it is impact on the costal areas
 Critical need to address languishing observing systems Sustainability of and maintenance of
observing systems Ensuring adequate cross‐pollination of research communities within the NGI
and Gulf of Mexico study groups, including GOMA, OOSʹs, etc
 The development of long term ecological monitoring in the coastal zone to support development
of complex ecosystem models
 Integrated Ocean observing systems that can be available for public, industry and academic use
 Data collection: parameters monitoring water quality, hydrodynamics, hydrology
 Integration and real time display of monitoring data

Mapping Topics
change
 Develop all information and data for use in coastal restoration and to maximize restoration rate
while minimizing to the extent potential adverse effects
 More‐detailed mapping of the bathymetry and offshore geology of the western Gulf of Mexico
‐ Development of seamless bathymetric‐topographic datasets for use with coastal
inundation/storm surge modeling and prediction ‐ Development of a Gulf‐wide coastal
sediment database to better identify sediment sources for beach and wetland restoration projects
‐ Development of better sediment transport and sediment budget tools to improve
implementation of regional sediment management plans
 new, near shore bathymetric surveys in the western Gulf of Mexico
 Detailed resource mapping in GIS
 Inventory of conditions, land use, natural resources and habitat
GMRP Appendix D 65
 The GoM falls within the EEZ of three nations. Over the mid‐term, there should be a cooperative
international effort to map critical habitat and human use patterns to develop comprehensive
spatial governance schemes
 Complete inventories of existing resources to understand what the extent of the impacts will be.
Develop consistent and complete long‐term monitoring programs for natural resources of the
coastal and marine areas of the Gulf
 Coordinated effort to determine the distribution of ocean habitats, fauna and flora that use them,
and associated productivity levels
 General biosurveys ‐ who is there INVASIVE SPECIES!! ‐ (including introduction and monitoring
and prevention)
 Mapping deep‐sea/cold water coral

Modeling Topics
 Strong support for the development of ecosystem‐based modeling tools for management
 Integration of ocean biological and physical models with ocean observations
 Ensure that any ʺmodelsʺ or other data generated is user friendly and highly assessable to
environmental consultants. These professionals need high quality, easy to find data to give their
clients (whether private of government) the very latest and best in ocean resource research
findings
 A complete, high resolution bathymetry set, a marine data type that can handle the
multidimensional characteristics of the marine/biogeochemical environment, use of a marine data
model that can help integrate data and information in differing formats, measurements, scales,
and languages, across the many different disciplines, and a portal for ALL that information
 Need for improved coastal mapping and detailed bathymetry Need for adaptive management
and monitoring of coastal restoration Need for comprehensive monitoring of ecosystem health
through sustained observations, including harmful algal blooms, coastal eutrophication and
hypoxia
 mapping inventory (Mississippi)
 Assessment, mapping, surveying deepwater resources (e.g., Pulleyʹs Ridge)
 real‐time environmental data collection, analysis, model building
 Getting known research results, models, programs, and tools to the hands of people that need it.
Spend more efforts translating this information to those that need it
 Capability to use interactive modeling to assess impacts (natural and man‐made) on coastal
system behavior/conditions

GMRP Appendix D 66
Coordination, Policy and Management Needs

International Cooperation Topics
 We would like to be included in the list of institutions that could contribute to the general goals
of the Gulf of Mexico Research. We have various researchers working on aspects of fisheries in
the coastal and estuarine zones of the Gulf of Mexico and we are very interested in collaborating
with groups that study the terrestrial‐coastal zone interphase (Ben de Jong, bjong@ecosur.mx, El
Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Villahermosa)
 I believe that it is crucial to have involved, if not all, but the most of the stakeholders interacting
and sharing the coastal zone in the Gulf. With this I want to suggest to promote the more that
you can the participation of the researchers and users in the different regions, at least the Mexican
and US groups. Sometimes, we understand, the distance implies high costs to get all the
stakeholders together, but I believe it must be a challenge to beat in order to get the best picture
of the situation in the Gulf
 Many Mexican researchers can not contribute to the knowledge of the Mexican Gulf because the
scarcity of economical resources and political changes along every government politics
 The GoM falls within the EEZ of three nations. Over the mid‐term, there should be a cooperative
international effort to map critical habitat and human use patterns to develop comprehensive
spatial governance schemes
 It is unfortunate that GOM region does not have a routine coastal margins monitoring program
parallel to the CalCOFI program (California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations,
www.calcofi.org) run by Scripps. The states bordering the GOM could expect significant
economic benefits to result from regular, standardized oceanographic monitoring of the regionʹs
fisheries and oceanography. It makes the most sense for TAMU to lead this, with support from
US and Mexican universities and funding agencies.
 Frequent, joint US‐Mexican scientist meetings are essential
criteria
 Further effort through inter‐governmental binational (Mexico‐USA) workshops such as 1st
Binational Collaboration Workshop organized by EPA‐New Orleans, USA and co‐sponsored by
CODEPAP‐Gov.State Veracruz,Mexico for US/Mexico Red Tide Programs
 International‐interstate‐interdisciplinary look and development of a management plan of the
Gulf
 International collaboration in various disciplines among the US, Mexico and Cuba
 International cooperation and collaboration with other countries around the Gulf to achieve the
research goals and priorities. Importance of marine protected areas to long‐term conservation of
the Gulf and establishment of a network of such reserves
 The Gulf of Mexico is a ʺbiocomplex systemʺ and the future habitat and resources management,
need a real integrated ecosystem approach initiative. This mean a comparative and integrated
analysis from the Florida tip to the Yucatan tip gradient, with focus on its geographic/hydrologic
units for understanding the frame work for sustainable management. Only the management
based on the ecosystem functioning is sustainable, particularly for dealing with habitat
degradation, climate change, vulnerability, and the future cost and availability of energy
 There are big differences between the research funds to USA and Mexico apply, then it is difficult
to establish a regional program. However, there are several initiatives which could improve the
USA‐Mex research and application program
GMRP Appendix D 67
 I am very glad this program is beginning, and I sincerely hope it brings together the US and
Mexico to better understand and manage the Gulf of Mexico
 International and Inter‐state water pollution carried by Gulf currents to affect down flow systems

Policy Topics
 Make no laws that will detract from clean commercial operations
 Methods to reduce nutrient pollution from Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers
 Controlling, eliminating, or neutralizing point source discharges (of all origins)in all watersheds
is critical to our ability to maintain, control, or restore the habitat of the nationʹs marine aquatic
resources. Authorities available for controlling these discharges need to be strengthened and
fully utilized

Fisheries Management Topics
 Maintenance of traditional user groups of common resources e.g. commercial fisheries
 Somewhere there needs to be research on the effect of commercial fishing on the gulf. Applying
limits to sports fishermen only cannot be the only solution
 Though covered under more general priorities, fisheries‐specific priorities will be important and
remain at the forefront, both the eyes of the general public (i.e., consumers) and commercial and
recreational interests (i.e., economic interests). Particular attention should be paid to ecosystem‐
based approaches to fisheries research and management
 Management of fisheries for sustainability
 Conservation of marine resources, and regulation of fishing industry to allow a sustainable
fishery. Conservation, not exploitation
 reducing recreational overfishing integrating continental zone management (Mississippi)
 As a charter boat operator for over 30yrs., it would be nice if the fed. gov. would use some of the
info. scientists other than NMFS had to offer, before they made decisions based on politics rather
than what real data supported
 Ecosystem management not species management

GMRP Appendix D 68
Other Topics
 Ecosystem based management still seems to be an idea for the future. Most data is still species or
area based. Perhaps a more collaborative data collection effort, as through the Regional
Collaboration team, can improve a comprehensive ecosystem model
 Alternative management strategies and their impact on Gulf resources (e.g. MPAs, Artificial
Reefs)
 Implementation of more marine protected areas
 Specifically, support research to define and distinguish natural from anthropogenic variation in
ecosystem change. This type of research will best guide management efforts across many
disciplines and themes
 Better ocean management, ecosystem based resource management
 Marine ecosystem governance framework Fisheries ecology, population structure and
movements, management Linkages between science and management
 Development of better sediment transport and sediment budget tools to improve implementation
of regional sediment management plans
 creation or establishment of Streamside Management Zones or their equivalent for protection of
estuaries, wetlands, coastal rivers and streams ‐ and reduction of human development in these a
 Sustainability of resources to protect both gulf products and the communities that depend on
them. Increased contacts with business concerns, i.e. Chambers of Commerce to help them
understand the impact that the health of the Gulf of Mexico will have on their constituents
 Restoration of sea grasses and sea life in bays along the Gulf needs to be a focus of more research.
Human degradation of those areas must be addressed and policies formulated, enacted, and
enforced to improve quality of life in those waters
 Since the La. Legislature & US Congress enact our laws, what steps have you taken to educate
them as to the results of canals in the coastal marshes, overfishing in the Gulf, denying silt to the
marshes through the use of levees, the effect of carbon dioxide gases on global warming, and
explaining why the glaciers retreated centuries ago when there were no diesel trucks and
gasoline engines
 coastal zone management, unless we start to look at our coast as being a finite resource we will
loose what everyone wants part of, the natural coast lines can not absorb the tremendous input
from the population that is moving to them, i.e. change the way we treat sewage go to the best
technology available not a modified 1950ʹs design, start to think about fresh water as being
limited in the near future, and move to garbage to steam plants to reduce the use of landfills
anywhere near the coasts
 Understand the impact of continued and increasing human overpopulation and
overdevelopment on the Gulfʹs physical and biotic environment, and communicate this
understanding effectively to the public and to lawmakers
 Implementation of conservation measures, and changes in policy, human behavior, and
legislation to utilize conservation research
 Ecosystem‐based management‐‐‐‐develop and implement framework to begin real steps in this
direction
 Emphasis on state and federal regulations and how Gulf of Mexico research will impact and/or
shape future legislation. Linking research and development with resource management and
regulations
 International‐interstate‐interdisciplinary look and development of a management plan of the
Gulf
GMRP Appendix D 69
 Need for active management practices/methods and reduction of study after study with no
management conclusions
 Land development on coastal areas to prohibit infrastructure installations at tax payersʹ expense‐
e.g. Grand Island
 States, such as Texas, which have no coastal commission with regulatory authority should be
created so that a common system of coastal protection laws in areas now inconsistently regulated
by dozens of local ordinances, could be made uniform, providing better protection and more
predictability for citizens and businesses
 Need more focus upon effectuating science all the way through policy development and
implementation of those policies
 Regulatory policy is becoming more complex and inflexible and is an impediment to
sustainability. Intention is resource/habitat protection but there is typically no regional
perspective on ecological needs. Consequently regulatory decisions are typically not made in
context of regional needs (human, economic, ecological) but rather, primarily, in context of the
regulations. One recurring result is the decoupling of economic development activities to
ecological improvements (thus not leading to sustainability of either.) That’s the thesis
 View all political, industrial and developmental involvement in the research process with a
jaundiced eye. We live in a time when our country is for sale to the highest bidder and support
and grants from both government and private sectors are often like the feathers on a fishing lure.
They look attractive but their real purpose may be just to hide the hook
 What are the terms of reference for coastal ecosystem‐based management in the Gulf of Mexico?
4) What are the terms of reference for integrating Coastal Management with Large Marine
Ecosystem management in the Gulf of Mexico
 The restriction of water flow into the marshes by weirs and private owners that hold water inside
leveeʹs and keep this contained from people that cannot make a living because of this occurrence.
If a fisherman cannot block the movement of seafood in and out of cuts and by‐ways what gives
the right to a land owner to block the same...seems like this is the same and they should be given
a ticket by the LDW&F
 Need Federal legislation and monitoring to reduce the Dead Zone. More research into how to
accomplish should be done immediately
 There is a huge discrepancy of knowledge between the Mexican and American part of the Gulf of
Mexico. I think that there should be an agenda for Mexico which ensures that basic knowledge
will be gathered and that long term monitoring is established
 Good science does not always produce good policy. Good science needs to be followed‐up with
education, legislation, and (usually) litigation
 How do we get people to move from areas that are no longer sustainable or must constantly be
rebuilt? We seem to be moving a large amount of resources to benefit a small number of people
 Governance ‐‐ much work has already been done and is going on by similar multiagency groups
under the leadership of different agencies (e.g. EPA, NOAA, NASA, FWS, Corps, etc). Build
partnerships upstream from the coast, NPS pollution wonʹt be solved by coastal governments,
towns or counties
 Streamline the various governmental bodies that operate in this region into a single one (or at
least fewer ones) that will be more effective in presenting the priorities (such as those enumerated
here) to Congress and state legislatures, etc., and to more effectively get their message out to the
general public. Furthermore, to have this streamlined group of bodies actually have authority to
do things
GMRP Appendix D 70
 There are some institutional blocks to investigating some environmental impacts. Examination of
agricultural effects and oil exploration on water quality are avoided in response to exemptions
from regulation. The facts need to be obtained regardless of political public policy
 resource governance
 Coastal ʺprotectionʺ efforts and their role in further isolating valuable wetlands and taking them
out of ʺfisheries productionʺ
 Mitigation is a highly volatile word that needs redefining and lawful implementation
 Importance of Ecosystem Management‐‐showing the importance of the land to the ocean as well
as the ocean to the land
 Coastal Public Access
 Although we wish to believe in the concept of sustainable use of all coastal resources‐this is a
myth that could have catastrophic consequences for the future. Actions should be taken to
identify, label, prioritize and develop improved regulatory contingencies for these limited and
threatened Coastal Resources
 I fear that giving authority to make laws and regulations or to allow research to be used by the
Government is unwise unless the research is verified and proven scientific by mutually agreed
upon scientists is unwise. Case in point: The National Marine Fisheries stock assessment
 ecosystem based management of natural resources combine with human intervention and
disruption
 Establishment of construction codes and practices that can withstand future hurricanes and
storms
 Develop standards and practices for low CO2 emission to slow the progress of climate change
 The linking of scientific and technological information and discoveries to the decisions of policy
makers and the public related to economic and social behaviors, policy choices, planning and
resource allocation
 Marine protected areas, conflicts between marine conservation and marine resource dependent
communities
 Importance of marine protected areas to long‐term conservation of the Gulf and establishment of
a network of such reserves

GMRP Appendix D 71
Habitat / Restoration Topics
 Habitat loss
 Habitat restoration and degradation
 large‐scale coastal restoration
 Identification of marine resources needed to aid in coastal restoration
 Subsidence and loss of critical wetland habitats
 Habitat and water quality improvements
 Remediation of wetland loss
 Develop effective restoration methods and strategies for improving coastal and near shore
habitats
 Coastal wetland restoration
 Address the Louisiana coastal land loss problem through restoration projects
 Develop all information and data for use in coastal restoration and to maximize restoration rate
while minimizing to the extent potential adverse effects
 Development of a Gulf‐wide coastal sediment database to better identify sediment sources for
beach and wetland restoration projects
 barrier island restoration, migration, land use
 evidence of subsidence
 Restoration of wetlands to absorb energy from storms and protect water quality
 protection, restoration and expansion of sea grass beds barrier island restoration and protection
coastal marsh/wetlands and maritime forest protection, restoration and expansion areas
 Restoration of sea grasses and sea life in bays along the Gulf needs to be a focus of more research.
Human degradation of those areas must be addressed and policies formulated, enacted, and
enforced to improve quality of life in those waters
 Most effective and efficient methods for use in coastal restoration or preservation. It falls under
the general topics included, but is not specifically stated
 Restoration strategies, techniques and impacts. Investigations of the options for restoring marine
systems such as coral reefs, oyster reefs, sea grass beds, salt and brackish marshes and the success
rates of those techniques
 Habitat restoration
 Identifying threatened coastal landscapes and habitats, including terrestrial Protecting
threatened landscapes Research concerning future land use development and ecosystem
protection
 Rebuilding wetlands and barrier Islands lost due to human intervention, such as levees built on
the Mississippi River which have over the YEARS forced the sediment off the continental shelf vs.
being used to rebuild the wetlands and Barrier Islands
 Cost‐effective coastal restoration technologies. Triage methods to determine which areas can be
saved and which will have to be let go
 Coastal wetland restoration
 Need for adaptive management and monitoring of coastal restoration
 Habitat restoration and degradation
 Need to evaluate how wetlands will change with climate change and appropriate restoration
strategies for now and into the future
GMRP Appendix D 72
 Development of ecosystem restoration technologies based upon risk‐based assessment tools
 Improve wetland restoration techniques, especially in the Mississippi River Deltaic Plain‐ Miss. R
diversions, marsh creation, barrier island restoration Advancements in science that can help
facilitate restoration of water quality on the Inner Continental Shelf of Louisiana and Texas (D.O.)
 Engineering and Restoration
 Coastal Restoration for Louisiana
 Develop effective restoration methods and strategies for improving coastal and near shore
habitats
 Identify land/environmental restoration strategies for Barataria‐ Terrebonne Estuary system
 Stop Louisiana coastal erosion, and rebuild barrier islands. If they can build islands with dredges
in the Middle East and build cities on them I believe we can start building barrier islands with
dredges. Letʹs quit putting money into studies with a bunch of words for PhD’s, buy a couple of
dredges, probably save money and dictionaries and start working up and down the coast making
land. Hurricanes are going to take while we make so it will be a permanent process
 shrinking coast line, what can be done to minimize the damage
 Need to rapidly move toward some definitive plan to save and restore Louisiana’s wetlands
 Coastal Restoration Strategies and Technologies Effects of Levees and Other Hydrologic
Modification Upon Ecosystem Health Sustainable Development in Coastal Areas
 Developing combined physical, ecological and socioeconomic modeling capabilities to assess the
overall effects of coastal restoration and hurricane protection projects
 Our focus is primarily on research that informs coastal/estuarine ecology and engineering for
restoration and maintenance objectives. However, we also place a high value on ongoing efforts
involving climate change studies and particularly, regional research that models coastal
subsidence and sea level rise
 What is the biological carbon sequestration potential for restored salt and brackish water
marshes?
 Sediment availability in the lower Miss River delta to rebuild the LA coastline. Assessment of salt
water intrusion and mitigation alternatives
 preservation of coastal area (wetland, delta, etc)
 Remediation of wetland loss
 Research on mitigation and the effects of known mitigated site on the Gulf of Mexico
 useful and meaningful restoration, ecosystem‐integrated approaches
 Socioeconomics of coastal resource restoration and management
 With the ever‐increasing intense pressure of development and mitigation of our natural eco‐
systems....I feel that much more serious emphasis needs to be placed on the enhancement,
preservation and restoration of natural estuarine habitats. If we maintain the
development/mitigation mind‐set with only regard to the bottom‐line...then I sense we will loose
these amazingly productive area of our coastal regions...resulting in a significant diminishing of
the web of life that so many depend on for their livelihood and enjoyment. No wetland...no
seafood?
 Wetland restoration in Louisiana rates very high

GMRP Appendix D 73
General Responses to Open‐Ended Question

 I based my priority rankings on what I think is the level of priority currently in the area and not
what the priority should be. I believe that these are all important themes and research areas in
the GOM. Thus, I think that the priority level should be higher
 The language used in phrasing the questions was wordy and confusing
 I would like to see the Plan made available to all citizens of the Gulf Coast area
 What regional planning effort? If there is one, it is not being made obvious to researchers. There
are too many such groups all working in isolation (e.g., GOMA, NGI, etc)
 More information is needed on the Ocean Research Priorities Plan
 See note about the disproportionate representation of Louisiana individuals on the panel
 More research done in the western gulf states, specifically Texas
 It’s clear that much of the data collected to support research in any of these priority areas can also
be used for others. They arenʹt mutually exclusive. It would be nice to see a regional or inter‐
regional plan acknowledge and address this so that data collection and data integration can
serve as many of these priorities in the Gulf as possible
 As of this date, most everything has been addressed. But life changes as the world changes
within the next fifteen years
 It is unclear whether this survey is limited to the Gulf of Mexico (i.e. that water area beyond the
shoreline) or includes the coastal and estuarine areas and the upland, all of which affect the Gulf
proper
 Not much thinking outside the box. Priorities have already been established, and we are merely
asked to respond to them. This questionnaire seems designed to authorize an existing agenda,
not create a new one. Therefore it was a waste of time
 After years of working in the Gulf fishery I have seen amazing research and understanding bring
about some great ideas. Unfortunately special interests have seen ways into the process at key
times and have skewed the results of the effort. Combined with a general lack of results from
law enforcement, be it due to under‐funding or courts not being willing to effectively penalize
violators, all this research and all of these rules generally offer little benefit to our fishery. The
management of the Gulf fishery has been well intended and is important but without
enforcement of the rules now in place how can we say our research indicates different rules are
needed. Quite simply, the most important and only useful research relating to the outcome of a
policy is research that occurs when the policy is completely enforced. I have seen a lot of
research findings and policy based on the failure of previous policy to effect change when the
failure is with enforcement not the previous policy. When we spend as much effort enforcing
policies in effect at this time then and only then can we conduct more research and tune the
policies we have
 Good questions, good questions focus the abstraction of the thoughts into good research, good
research provides best answer. God speed in your efforts Clay Rushing, Port Aransas, Texas
 This survey seems tilted towards anthropogenic‐GOM interactions at the expense of basic
research, assuming potential funding is a zero sum process
 There are several planning organizations as well as data management systems. There should be
more effort put into synchronizing data collection efforts, reporting, and funding between these
organizations
 I work in coastal areas influenced by and associated with GOM, but not in the Gulf directly
GMRP Appendix D 74
 It appears that navigation districts and the General Land Office often favor unfettered
development at the expense of the quality of coastal waters. These offices, which have a
responsibility to protect those waters (as well as enhance navigation) need to understand that the
balance has shifted in the past several years. Responsible management along with responsible
conservation and restoration needs to be every oneʹs focus
 More involvement and input from locals who live in communities most affected by the Ocean
Research Priorities Plan ‐ These individuals, their needs and knowledge are often excluded in
the planning process
 I wish that some of the questions had an option to write or comment since from my point of view
some questions require other options to be answered. I hope you can allow me to send some
comments to some of those if that option is open
 I would appreciate some dedicated effort to promote and sustain recreational boating, along with
its shore‐based infrastructure, along the Gulf Coast
 The Air Resources Laboratory is involved in two major issues: 1. Understanding the role of
atmospheric mercury in the GOM ecosystem. Primary goal is to collect supporting data to drive
models that address atmosphere‐surface exchange, transport through air and water, and
accumulation in fish. The ultimate goal is to address the threat to human health. 2.
Understanding turbulence in a variety of conditions. Under low wind conditions, to assess dry
deposition of mercury and oxidized & reduced nitrogen species. Under high wind conditions to
address effects of turbulence on building structures
 ARL realizes that the ecosystem issues are driven by water processes. However for mercury and
other substances where the atmosphere is an important source or is an important part of the
chemical cycle, we wish to participate in joint studies as appropriate.ʺ
 Make sure objectives are quantifiable
 Has been covered well
 In the last year, two research vessels based at Texas universities, the R/V Longhorn and the R/V
Gyre, have been retired. At one time Texas universities boasted five ocean‐capable research
vessels (three at UT, two at TAMU), now Texas has none. Lack of research vessels is impairing
research and ocean observing initiatives in Texas waters. It should be a priority to establish a
mechanism to fund a research vessel that can be used by Texas Universities and government
agencies
 publish the results of the survey
 Many needs of importance have been successfully identified in this survey ‐‐ Prioritizing them
will be a bigger challenge given limited funding sources for addressing them
 Survey seemed to go beyond the gulf as a region, and many items appear to address global
questions
 We must have a comprehensive planning process Gulf wide that is implemented for it to be
effective. Anything short of that will not solve the problems facing us in the Gulf
 What scale should research be performed at? How long does it need to be studied?
 Quit blaming the recreational fishermen for all of the marine life problems
 The general themes were clearly written to try to be broad, but they had the effect of restricting
the scope of topics. It should have been more open ended. For example, what are the biggest
threats to marine systems, global warming, invasive species, development, pollution? The
wording was such that I feel that the survey was directing answers a little. Also with this type of
survey I am tempted to put all are highly important‐‐‐but that does not provide information on
how to prioritize
GMRP Appendix D 75
 Thank you. Iʹm glad this research is being conducted
 Balancing Environmental and Economic Sustainability
 The plan needs to identify long‐term source of funding
 I would like to see an integrated approach to the fundamental problems related to coastal loss.
With the recent funding availability, itʹs time to have a unified approach that will better the Gulf
coast and Louisiana instead of seeing the same repetitive inter‐ and intra department and agency
turf battles for funding
 The scope of the survey needs to be more exhaustive and less dichotomous
 The regional planning and research needs to be focused on slowing and reversing the corruption
of the integrity of the Gulf
 As a scientist with the State of Florida, I have come to appreciate the necessity to establish a clear
link between research and regulations. The ability of our research to facilitate change in
managing our ocean and coastal resources only goes as far as our ability to guide regulatory
policy. We as a research community must establish that link between research and regulations
because we can only implement a change to the extent that the rules will allow. Without that
statutory authority, our research will only take us so far. For this reason I think direct impacts of
Ocean Research to Ocean Policy should continue to be of the highest priority
 Researchers should have their research interpretations (reports, and journal papers, etc.) archived
at central repositories to facilitate regional and state‐wide use. This is important for regional
corporate / topical memory and to provide efficient research needs critique. Too much is lost as
thesis and dissertation authors leave the area, subsequently their major professors leave the
region and said data is no longer in the realm of current researchers’ knowledge. For the
Geoscience Community the ʺState Geological Surveysʺ provide this function
 Efforts need to focus not necessarily on how we can maximize our use of oceanic resources but on
how to conserve what resources we have found to date to maximize their utility. Eliminating
waste and excess is the key
 National programs should be focused on GOM similar to other ocean basins, e.g. NSF. Gulf has
been treated as backyard pond with no significant importance for too long
 yes, the ocean research priorities plan as well as recommendations from the U.S. Commission on
Ocean Policy Report and the Pew Ocean Commission Report should all be used as a framework
to identify regional needs and state‐wide implementation
 Regional planning takes us no where if there is not an specific funding for any action proposed
 The ORPP is a good foundation on which to base a comprehensive approach. It is critical that
various groups such as NGI, GCOOS, Gulf Alliance coordinate their efforts and work towards a
common and mutually supportive vision for regional research issues
 Having lived on the Gulf Coast for 50+ years, it is my opinion that while various impact studies
have been done through the years, the results are generally watered down and disregarded in the
name of economic growth. The time has come for these studies to be more strongly emphasized
and yielded to for future preservation of our natural habitat
 The front end of the survey gives the impression that researchers should be taking the survey, not
the general public. The first research priority ʺStewardshipʺ did not address conservation of
marine resources and developing new uses for marine resources gives the impression of
exploitation. Any use of marine resources must be balanced against sustainability through
conservation
 We to address the Other states on how much damage to human an marine life that the dead zone
hurts us now and the future for food an lost of marine life
GMRP Appendix D 76
 How to preserve wetlands as a resource without destruction due to human habitation as a win‐
win situation. No mention of periodic over flow of Mississippi river to build up wetlands.
Similar to controlling Niagara River for tourism by controlled out flow. This will help navigation
& wetlands in place of either or approach. We need both navigation for commerce and wetlands
for storm protection
 Thanks!
 Iʹm an employee of a coastal county. I would like to know what role local governments could
play in management of the Gulf in an ecologically friendly way. I think our board of
commissioners and staff would like to know more about how to participate in regional efforts.
Should we be mapping habitat in our part of the gulf? Should we be sampling water quality ‐ if
so, how exactly? Should we be involved in a regional conversation about marine preserves (these
seem inevitable to me)? Can we write letters of support ‐ signed by our BCC? In this era of belt
tightening we probably cannot spend a lot of money, but we could muster professional staff and
volunteers (as appropriate) to be better stewards of our piece of the gulf. In the best scenario it
would be done in cooperation with our neighbors and be coordinated and analyzed by a regional
agency
 Interesting questions. No particularly scientific questions
 Boy, do you guys speak academese!
 Woefully lacking avenues of estuary research
 Recapture of funding from sources of past destructive effects which are now coming to light as a
result of human actions
 As a member of a task force advising SIMOR, I am very familiar with the ORRP, and believe that
it provides a good national framework for identifying national needs. However, each region and
smaller geographic area will need to refine the needs to meet the regional priorities. I hope that
you will be using the results of this survey and other methods to refine the needs for the Gulf,
and that smaller geographic areas (i.e., individual estuary or coastal stretch) will not be restricted
in defining their own unique priorities. Effective management most often happens at the local
level, addressing locally‐identified priorities
 Thanks!!!
 I would hope that interagency cooperation can transcend throughout this work so as maximum
use of available dollars is obtained.........
 The survey is excellent for the long range planning but the basic information on the marine
environment must be re‐emphasized as the foundation of any and all of the subject addressed
 I like the research surveyʹs and would like to know the results
 If we lose the Louisiana wet lands, and they are going fast, we wonʹt need PhD’s to study them.
So I suggest we do something other than study and watch them disappear
 This survey uses too many generalities and should address specific Gulf problems or processes
that are now all too familiar to Gulf residents
 Place the highest priority on updated information of all types for Louisiana. This should also
include the entire estuarine ecosystem, both wetlands and upland habitats
 Would like to see these results and planning strategies of this survey soon. Thanks for the survey
 The questions seem rather general/vague
 Need more definition on current cooperative efforts in the northern Gulf of Mexico
 I have no idea what ʺconsensusʺ has to do with science. Consensus‐seeking is just being
politically correct. This ʺsurveyʺ seems a waste of time
GMRP Appendix D 77
 As a businessman I thought the Ocean Research Priorities we very broad and generally non‐
descriptive leaving a lot room for interpretation with no defined goals
 Information derived from research efforts should be distributed widely, including inland
geographical areas which affect, as well as impact, oceanic biosystems and are affected by the
same
 Pretty much the above
 Need to better coordinate existing programmatic funding to avoid/minimize duplication of effort
between agencies and intraagency programs. This could be supplemented by a new dedicated
funding source
 Appreciate the opportunity for input
 It would be helpful if this planning effort was more coordinated with the Gulf of Mexico Alliance
so that it could address the priorities identified by all Gulf States. A Sea Grant regional research
plan could be the research arm of the Alliance. This does not mean the Sea Grant plan should be
limited to only those topics identified by the Alliance, but extra weight should be given to those
topics that would advance these identified regional priorities
 The priority areas are so broad it is difficult to give them anything other than a very high rating.
We need to get down to more specific action items to have a really meaningful input, i.e. given
limited funding, what should we do first, second, etc
 We know so comparatively little about the oceans that cover 70% of the Earthʹs surface. I think
that we need to take strides in learning more about the oceans and their inhabitants, both as a
point of scientific curiosity and from the benefit of human health and nutrition. As population
increases, the amount of land available for use is decreasing rapidly, and we must seek new
frontiers or face imminent extinction
 glad you are doing it and hope some real action comes out of it rather than becoming a study that
is nice, has a report and is shelved
 The survey is to broad
 Look at the various state priorities to gain an understanding of what would be realistically
fundable with state dollars and compatible with adjacent or other GOM state interests so that
elements might be sanctioned as regional in interest and perceived need. This would provide a
slate of potential collaborations at the regional level.
 The ORPP priorities are not a good fit to Gulf regional needs
 Application of research is an intrical linking step between science and society... however the
research is the first step and application can not be completed until the knowledge is obtained, so
developing an understanding of marine system ecology and biology is the first stepping stone to
protecting our resources
 I think this survey was too broadly‐worded for a regional survey. I feel that many of the choices
we had to choose from were too similar
 ...these need to be funded adequately so competition does not handicap the effort but rather
enhances and promotes synergy
 I based my priority rankings on what I think is the level of priority currently in the area and not
what the priority should be. I believe that these are all important themes and research areas in
the GOM. Thus, I think that the priority level should be
 Many Federal Agencies funding GoMEX research. Need to drive collaboration between these
agencies to ensure research dollars are optimized
 Ensuring adequate cross‐pollination of research communities within the NGI and Gulf of Mexico
study groups, including GOMA, OOSʹs, etc
GMRP Appendix D 78
 Open loop LNG processing terminals should not be permitted
 I thought it was a little slack on biological sciences. Applied sciences are great, but we need to
know about the Gulf biological resources, and that means spending money on unsexy research
like taxonomy. We will pay the price if we fail to recognize this issue
 I am concerned about ongoing research/planning efforts that are not coordinated ‐ Gulf of Mexico
Program (EPA), Gulf of Mexico Alliance, NOAA hypoxia monitoring, Gulf of Mexico Research
Plan, etc
 Most regional planning are jokes
 I hail the intent of this survey to provide planners and managers the vital information needed to
establish long‐term sustainable protective policy for the enhancement of our limited coastal
resources and the over‐all health of our communities
 I understand that I am only peripherally involved in Gulf issues, but I believe hazard‐related
marine debris as well as fisheries‐generated debris are an important issue whose impacts should
be quantified through research efforts
 The use of visualization technology as an end user tool
 Please distribute to underserved audiences
 Nothing specific, except that near‐term research questions should be prioritized in the context of
Gulf of Mexico Alliance priorities and implementation objectives
 Have a method to test and evaluate new and innovative products produced as a result of
independent research and development by private companies
 I felt that the wording of this survey was unnecessarily vague and confusing
 Nice survey ‐‐ my guess is most will rate all categories high or very high. So, how do you
prioritize? There are a number of important issues, but not enough funding. If you have only
enough money to take on 1 or 2 tasks, which ones would they be?
 Basic research and prediction of the ocean, atmospheric, and marine sciences is important. In my
opinion, social science and economic studies are a waste of time.
 Excellent and easy to use survey
 See above
 Much of what was asked requires much basic knowledge of local and regional biodiversity and
functionality of various estuarine/marine systems in order to model future impacts. Much of this
basic data and not in the literature and are needed
 When information is prepared for the general public, write in common English (with appropriate
second languages where appropriate), do not use acronyms, avoid government‐talk, bureaucratic
babble, and mind boggling flow charts and diagrams which the public will never read or
understand
 General lack of focused research. More interest in individual research support for projects by the
PIʹs and institutions. Lack of focused funding and support for large, integrated projects that
might be useful in state/federal management efforts
 I assumed in taking this survey that when you said ʺGulf of Mexicoʺ you included the entire
coastal zone (i.e. the estuaries up to the 10 foot elevation). That wasnʹt clear in the initial
description
 Include large and small stockholders. Include historical studies of areas
 Individual stewardship responsibility of people
 Regarding a couple of survey questions; back to back questions related to my profession and how
I used GOM research findings. One indicated if I used research findings in my profession
GMRP Appendix D 79
excluding research. Of course I use research findings from other projects within my own research
project. My answers to the back to back questions may therefore appear to contradict each other

GMRP Appendix D 80

Appendix E:
Affiliation of Gulf of Mexico Research Plan
Workshop Participants and Facilitators


Affiliation of Gulf of Mexico Research Plan

Alabama Coastal Foundation
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Marine Resources Division
State Lands Division
Coastal Section
Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
Alabama Department of Environmental Management
Alabama Department of Public Health
Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau
Alabama Working Waterfront Coalition
Aquaculture Systems Technology, LLC
Auburn University
Department of Biological Sciences
Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquaculture
Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant Consortium
Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant Consortium Extension Program
Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance
Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politecnico Nacional
Coastal Planning & Engineering
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
Downtown Mobile Alliance
Emerald Coast Reef Association
Fairhope Environmental Board
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve
Office of Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas
Florida Department of Health
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
Rookery Bay NERR
Florida State University
The FORUM
Galveston Bay Estuary Program
Galveston Bay Foundation
Galveston Bay Information Center
Geological Survey of Alabama
Gulf Restoration Network
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution
Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission
Houston Advanced Research Center
Jackson State University
Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Implementation Team
Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Management Division
GMRP Appendix E 1
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Louisiana State University
Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices
Coastal Restoration and Enhancement through Science and Technology
College of Agriculture
College of Education
Department of Environmental Studies
Department of Food Sciences
Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences
Louisiana Geological Survey
Louisiana Sea Grant College Program
Louisiana Sea Grant Marine Extension Program
LSU Agricultural Center
Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
Comprehensive Resource Management Plan
General Council
Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
Office of Fisheries Division
Mississippi Development Authority
Mississippi State University
Coastal Research and Extension Center
College of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics
College of Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Extension Service
Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant Consortium Extension Program
Northern Gulf Institute
Mobile Bay National Estuary Program
Mote Marine Laboratory
MRAG Americas, Inc.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Applied Sciences Program
The Nature Conservancy
New College of Florida, Pritzker Marine Lab
Nicholls State University
Partners for Environmental Progress
PBS&J
Pinellas County Department of Environmental Management
Prairie View A&M University, Texas Gulf Coast Environmental Data Center
Science Systems and Applications, Inc.
Shaw Group
South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council
Southeast Louisiana University
Southwest Florida Water Management District
SRI International
St. Louis King of France School
GMRP Appendix E 2
Tanks‐A‐Lot Dive Charters
Tesla Offshore, LLC
Texas A&M University at College Station
Department of Geography
Department of Oceanography
Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System
Texas Sea Grant
Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi, Harte Research Institute
Texas A&M University at Galveston, Department of Marine Sciences
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Coastal Fisheries Division
Coastal Studies Program
University of Alabama
Department of Biological Sciences
Department of Geography
University of Alabama at Huntsville
University of Florida
Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Florida Sea Grant
Florida Sea Grant Extension
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension, Escambia County
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
College of Engineering
Research and Graduate Studies
University of Mississippi
National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology
National Sea Grant Law Center
University of South Alabama, Smart Coast
University of South Florida
College of Marine Science
Florida Institute of Oceanography
University of Southern Mississippi
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Economic Development
University of Texas
US Environmental Protection Agency
EPA Gulf of Mexico Program
Gulf Ecology Division
US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service
GMRP Appendix E 3
US Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Marine Fisheries Service
Restoration Center
Southeast Fisheries Science Center
Galveston Laboratory
Lafayette
Southeast Regional Office
National Ocean Service
Gulf Coast Services Center
National Marine Sanctuary Program
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
Office of Response and Restoration
National Weather Service
Lake Charles Office
Mobile Office
NWS Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center
Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research
Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory
National Sea Grant College Program
US Department of Defense, US Army Corps of Engineers
US Department of Interior
Minerals Management Service
National Park Service Gulf Coast Network
US Fish and Wildlife Service
US Geological Survey
Center for Coastal and Watershed Studies
Louisiana Fish and Wildlife Cooperative Research Unit
Valdosta State University
Wolf Bay Watershed Watch

GMRP Appendix E 4


Appendix F:
Gulf of Mexico Research and Information Needs
State Workshop Reports

This document contains raw data from workshop participants. They remain in this raw form
so that meanings are not unintentionally changed. Please keep this in mind when reading
this document.


Table of Contents

Texas Workshop Report............................................................................................................................ 1

Louisiana Workshop Report ......................................................................................................... 30

Mississippi Workshop Report ...................................................................................................... 63

Alabama Workshop Report .......................................................................................................... 91

Florida Workshop Report ........................................................................................................... 116

Gulf of Mexico Research Planning
Workshop Report

For the workshop held in
Galveston, Texas
on
February 28, 2008

Workshops were partially funded through a grant provided by the
National Sea Grant College Program to:
Florida Sea Grant College Program
Texas Sea Grant College Program
1
Background

The purpose of the Gulf of Mexico Research Plan (GMRP) is to identify regional research and information
needs and develop a strategy to address these needs through collaboration with agencies and organizations
that conduct and use Gulf of Mexico‐related research. The project is sponsored by the National Sea Grant
College Program and Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant College Programs. The GMRP is rooted in stakeholder input,
and workshops were one of the primary methods used to collect this input. Workshops were held in each
Gulf of Mexico state and supported by numerous individuals (see acknowledgements section). This report
provides the results from the workshop at the NOAA Fisheries Service Galveston Laboratory, Texas.

The workshop agenda (appendix A) was designed to identify high‐priority research topics related to the six
societal themes described in the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology’s 2007 document
“Charting the Course for Ocean Science in the United States for the Next Decade—An Ocean Research
Priorities Plan and Implementation Strategy.” The themes included:
 stewardship of natural and cultural ocean resources,
 increasing resilience to natural hazards,
 enabling marine operations,
 the ocean’s role in climate,
 improving ecosystem health, and
 enhancing human health.

A process (appendix B) was developed to allow workshop participants (appendix C) to efficiently develop a
list of research priorities in a limited amount of time. Participants were divided into breakout groups by
theme area to discuss specific research topics, information needs, and other topics that related to their theme
area. Individuals in the breakout group then voted for the research topics discussed in their session that they
believed were most important. The eight to ten topics with the highest votes were then presented to all
workshop participants. All workshop participants then voted for these top research topics across all theme
areas.

This report presents 1) the results of the breakout group voting for each theme area, 2) the non‐research
topics discussed in each breakout group, and 3) the results of the large group voting session across all theme
areas.

If you will be using the information provided in this report for planning or other purposes we would like to
hear from you. For more information about the Gulf of Mexico Research Planning effort or to share how you
will be using the results of the GMRP workshop(s) please contact Steve Sempier, Gulf of Mexico Research
Planning Coordinator, at stephen.sempier@usm.edu.

You can also learn more about the GMRP at the project’s web site at: masgc.org/gmrp.

GMRP Appendix F
Texas Workshop Report 2
Breakout Group Results

Participants in each themed breakout group identified research needs and voted for the research topics they
believed were most important. Each participant was provided eight votes and they could place up to two
votes on an individual research topic.

Prior to the voting session some breakout groups combined multiple ideas that were mentioned during the
brainstorming session, and therefore crossed out similar ideas so that they would not be available during the
voting session. The tables below include all comments written on the flip chart paper, and those topics that
were crossed out on the flip chart paper are indicated with a strike through in the table.

Information needs and policy, management, and education related topics were also captured in the breakout
group sessions but were not voted on for the prioritization process. The results of these discussions are also
included under each themed heading.

GMRP Appendix F

Research Needs

Table 1. Research topics identified by the “Stewardship of Natural and Cultural Ocean Resources” breakout
group and voting results from the breakout group voting session.

Research Topic Votes
Human use trends
‐What is the level, what is the effect on the resource?
‐Need to increase, decrease protection of resource (regs) 15
‐What is socio‐economic impact of increase/decrease on
users?
Research on targeted trophic relationships to support
ecosystem based approach (ex: fisheries (menhaden 15
snapper), endangered spp., non‐indigenous spp.)
Bottom up. Impact of freshwater inflow on lower trophic
levels of food chain and the water quality / nutrients / 11
sediment
Connectivity of populations species and habitats 11
ID changes in diversity and abundance over time and habitat
10
to ID causes (anthro/climate) time series over w/years
Develop new maps physical and biological habitats to
9
determine what resources exist
Socio‐economic value of restoration and conservation
programs and variable scales and examine if the is habitat 9
functioning as expected (or as replacement)
Analyze and predict ecosystem health through visualization
6
of anthropogenic stressors for GOM
Continuous non‐indigenous fowling community monitoring
6
in GOM waters
Research into communication and behavior change related to
5
conservation projects
Geo/technology advances and impacts to resources /
geopolitical (example: Panama Canal super panamex ships) 3
How to share and collaborate data collection in real time to
2
capitalize on othersʹ collections (i.e. I can use their bycatch)

GMRP Appendix F

Information Needs

 Access to existing data ‐‐ ex: fisheries, all sorts of data
 Data mining from individual researchers
 Database of technical and human resources available to support field research
 Description of the linkage between the value of functional ecosystems and human‐use value
 Ecosystem based management of endangered spp.
 Increased instrumentation and coordination of oceanographic data and real time access
 Mapping of physical and biological habitats w/ 21st Century technology
 Models to look at human‐use trends and effects on ecosystems data gap analysis to couple
existing models

Policy, Management or Education Topics

 Forecast and develop solutions to environmental impacts of increasing human population
density along the Gulf Coast
 How do freshwater inflows meet needs of users and ecosystems
 Science interpretation to close gap between education and science
GMRP Appendix F

Research Needs

Table 2. Research topics identified by the “Increasing Resilience to Natural Hazards”
breakout group and voting results from the breakout group voting session.

Compare characteristics along coast to measure natural
sustainability vs. hazard. 6
‐What makes a community resilient?
Interactions between barrier / coastal / nearshore
6
morphology an vegetation and hurricane impacts
Vulnerability assessment of natural and human communities
to global and local sea‐level rise and the underlying source 6
of vulnerability
Long‐term changes to coastal sediment budgets 5
What is magnitude and frequency of hurricanes long term? 5
How often do tsunamis impact GOM?
4
‐Magnitude and frequency
Understand/quantify impacts of winter/spring storms 3
Effect of Gulf loop current on tropical systems 2
How do natural hazards impact living resources? 2
How do oceanographic current patterns in Gulf help to build
2
resilience in ecosystems?
How have humans impacted resiliency of biological and
2
physical environments?
Characterize long‐term ecological change caused by natural
1
hazards
Is there a link between ecological footprint and natural
1
hazards and all aspects of social and ecological?
What can be done to increase resilience of built
0
environments?
How is surge impacted by nearshore morphology; how does
0
vegetation impact surge?
What characteristics that make a community resilient or
0
vulnerable?
What is natural sediment budget for a region (major river
0
system)?

GMRP Appendix F

Information Needs

 Add gauging stations in tidal plains to monitor water quality and quantity
 High‐resolution comprehensive geophysical, habitat, bathy mapping continental shelf
 Long‐term data modeling
 Measure interaction between SST and ecology
 More LIDAR, more often


 Better beach and dune protection policies
 Info GIS‐based geodatabase of various discipline data
 Need a better understanding of data (available/accessible) and how to get it

GMRP Appendix F


Research Needs

Table 3. Research topics identified by the “Enabling Marine Operations” breakout group and voting results
from the breakout group voting session.

Effect of morphological changes due on society relative to
(e.g., coastal photogrammetry); long‐term study of
(intracoastal waterway, etc.)
‐Shoreline changes
‐Development 7
‐Habitat identification
Sea‐level rise and its impact on industrial operations
‐Assessment
‐How do we cope
Enhance ports
‐Develop, validate, and assimilate data models and
numerical forecast models
6
‐Observing system experiments (OSEs) modeling allows
you to determine optimal observations
‐Validation (comparing and improving models)
Enhancing coastal and real‐time systems
5
‐Developing and validating numerical forecast models
Ship traffic and port facilities marine operations Shipping,
dredging, and port facilities impacts on ecosystems, such as:
‐Air pollution
‐Human/animal health 5
‐Sediment
‐Water quality
‐Dredging expansions
Developing better models for valuation of habitats to allow
for policy‐makers to make more informed decisions about 4
placement of development, etc. (cost benefit analysis)
Improve forecasts of hurricane intensity 4
Research and development techniques for rapid assessment
of bathymetry of ports and harbors following (i.e., 4
autonomous underwater vehicles, SS sonar)
Determine what the mean shoreline is and making common
2
references (datum) for sea level measurements
Understanding impacts of offloading open loop LNG
2
terminals to ecosystems
Understanding loop current ring shedding, how they work
1
so we can increase our ability to predict
GMRP Appendix F
Table 3 (continued). Research topics identified by the “Enabling Marine Operations” breakout group and
voting results from the breakout group voting session.
Integrating differing HF radar systems 0
Develop new techniques for data assimilation into numerical
0
models (e.g., of circulation)
Dredging impacts on ecosystems 0

Information Need

 Process of educating public on recreational and commercial use of the port/waterways for
successful/non‐successful use of ports (how do varying uses affect various user groups)


(none provided)
GMRP Appendix F
The Ocean’s Role in Climate

Due to group size limitations one breakout group that was comprised of individuals with interest in
“Enhancing Human Health” and/or “The Ocean’s Role in Climate” identified and prioritized research topics
and related needs for both theme areas. The top ranked research priorities from these two theme areas were
presented to the large group for the large voting session.

Research Needs

Table 4. Research topics identified by the “Ocean’s Role in Climate” breakout group and voting results from
the breakout group voting session.

Sea‐level rise (SLR) and climate change
‐Rate of change of SLR and subsidence
‐Effect of SLR on coastal shorelines and environment
‐Effect of SLR on ecosystems
15
‐Measure public attitude on SLR
‐Research on approaches to restore habitat
‐Research on local government approaches to SLR
‐Role of development in inhibiting vertical migration
Precipitation
‐Change in patterns and quantity (gradient shift)
‐Freshwater influx/inflow
‐Inflow of freshwater, nutrients, sediments and effect it has 13
on biological, biogeochemical, and physical coastal
processes
‐Frequency and intensity of droughts
Loop current
‐Relationship with storm frequency and intensity
‐Change in current regime 12
‐Temperature
‐Links to global scale climate patterns
Relationship of climate change to fisheries
‐Recruitment
12
‐Distribution
‐Link between fish ecology and climate change
Change climate related to temperature
‐Distribution of species
‐Invasive species change susceptibility 9
‐Stratification of water column
‐Link between fish ecology and climate change
Research best locations and types of in situ sensors needed
6
and temperature and spatial distribution of measurements
Change in CO2 levels on aquatic biology (ocean acidification) 4

GMRP Appendix F
Table 4 (continued). Research topics identified by the “Ocean’s Role in Climate” breakout group and voting
results from the breakout group voting session.
Groundwater and subsidence
‐Relationship exists 3
‐Rate of change
How humans will respond
‐Impacts on communities
‐Impacts of industry 3
‐Infrastructure breakdown
‐Change in energy usage
Add social dimensions; Economics 0
Change in CO2 levels on biology 0
Change in current regime 0
Change in energy usage; effects on climate, communities,
0
economy
Change precipitation patterns and change in freshwater
0
inflows
Climate change affect on quality of oysters and
0
contamination (also move to human health)
Climate change versus precipitation change and inflows
0
(nutrients, sediments, etc.)
Current, heat engines and how climate is related
0
‐Nutrients, hypoxia
Effect of SLR on coastal erosion 0
How will climate change affect invasive species?
‐Plankton; strong vertical migration 0
‐Changes in recruitment patterns
How will wetland habitats respond to SLR (and habitats and
0
communities in general)
Link between ecology and climate changes (impacts on
0
industry and communities lost)
Links to larger systems 0
Loop current impact on storm frequency and intensity 0
Public attitudes toward SLR 0
Rainfall patterns across GOM changes in ecosystem
0
‐Temperature and currents
Rate of change SLR 0
Rate of subsidence change 0
Research best locations and types of ground sensors 0
Role of development in inhibiting wetland migration as a
0
result of SLR
Species ranges changes/freezes due to climate change 0
What is the value of wetlands to fisheries 0

GMRP Appendix F

Information Needs

 Increase monitoring and data collection (sea‐level rise, surface elevation tables) long term
monitoring
 Need 3‐D patterns of currents in GOM
 Standardize data measurements (establish standards)


 Educate public on value of data collection and uses
 Federal flood insurance policies need updated
 Risk assessment
 Sound policy of local community with climate change
GMRP Appendix F

Research Needs

Table 5. Research topics identified by the “Improving Ecosystem Health” breakout group and voting results

Connectivity across the Gulf of Mexico (offshore banks roll,
connections to estuaries); connectivity around Gulf—system
wide model for the Gulf of Mexico (lay groundwork, not
just conceptual—include data on forcing functions) 8
‐Need data to back up connectivity claims (we think
connections are there)
Impacts of multiple anthropogenic stressors on estuarine
populations (water quality degradation, fresh water inflow, 7
alternates, loss of habitat)
Freshwater inflow
‐Effects of changing habitat characteristics on user species
and production characteristics of the system
‐Researching putting processed water in confined areas
6
‐Use oysters as indicator species (health/disease and
abundance)
‐Hydrodynamics‐‐impacts to aquifers/understanding
underground water movement
Development of ecosystem model; (Ecopath—parks and
wildlife (TPWD) working on University of Houston)
5
‐Lay out relationships in food web
‐Lay out connections to abiotic factors
Impacts of fisheries on the bottom habitat in the Gulf of
Mexico, commercial and recreational
‐On bottom habitat
‐Impacts of structures
5
‐Removal of top predators (impacts of)
‐Impacts on habitat
‐Economic impacts of regulation and marine reserves
‐Impacts on Gulf and estuarine populations
Invasive marine and estuarine species
‐Survey whatʹs in there
5
‐Investigation impacts, interactions
‐Research socioeconomic impacts
GMRP Appendix F
Table 5 (continued). Research topics identified by the “Improving Ecosystem Health” breakout group and
Changes in coastal demographics; changes in population
density and changes in types of user groups—research how
changes can influence decision/policy making 4
‐Changing makeup of communities (transitioning from
resource‐dependent, rural)
Impacts of tourism and urban development, specifically on
water quality
‐Impacts of dune loss
‐Relationship to harmful algal blooms 4
‐Relationship to mangroves and submerged aquatic
vegetation (increased vulnerability to sea‐level rise and
humans)
Species composition of primary producers and how changing
over time impacts consumers (e.g., relate to oyster health);
hope to do in Swan Lake project 3
‐Phytoplankton species
‐Changes in harmful algal blooms
Understanding larval movement and the importance of
specific areas
‐Relative importance different sites
‐Would inform fisheries management 3
‐Would inform marine reserve placement
‐Would inform industrial activities (e.g. LNG)
‐Aquacultural siting
Climate induced changes in ecosystems, coupled with
anthropogenic impacts
2
‐Movement of organisms; changes in where recruitment
occurs; changes in species composition
Global economy’s impacts on Gulf of Mexico tourism >
impacts development in at risk areas, changes in 2
demographics; impacts who’s fishing
Global economy’s impacts of Gulf of Mexico fisheries;
1
understand changes, impacts to economics of local fisheries
Impacts of artificial reefs/role of artificial reefs in distribution
of marine benthic species and other fish species
1
‐Impacts on fishing in surrounding areas
‐Role in spread of invasives?
Monitor seasonal abundances of different kinds of larvae—to
inform oyster restoration work
‐Use genetic bar‐coding to identify larvae 1
‐Eventually want to use genetic markers to quantify how
much of each kind
GMRP Appendix F
Impacts (biotic and abiotic) of offshore oil and gas (liquid
natural gas and seismic activity) on benthic populations,
0
water quality, and socioeconomic impacts that then result
(e.g., impacts of mercury)
Impacts of low dissolved oxygen, trend of declining
0
dissolved oxygen
Impacts of nutrients from offshore aquaculture sites
‐Impacts of nutrients
‐Impacts on fisheries/human use 0
‐Information placement
‐Research different species
More bathymetry (e.g., multi‐beam) applied to identify
0
habitats and associated communities
Need more information about how to restore mangroves,
0
how can help natural regeneration after storms
Research efficacy of restoration sites over time
‐Site of sites 0
‐Function, condition/quality
Socioeconomic impacts of development in storm/flood‐prone
0
areas
Economic impacts of exotic species and social impacts
0
(quality of life impacts)
Economic impacts of fisheries regulations going on now;
0
economic impacts of marine reserves
Impacts of commercial and recreational fishing on Gulf
0
populations
Impacts of liquid natural gas impacts of seismic activity—
0
impacts on biotic and abiotic
Monitoring over oyster diseases and predator, re.: freshwater
0
inflows (can inform restoration efforts)
Re: freshwater inflow—research delivery of used (processed)
water to confined areas to increase freshwater flow 0
‐Sammy has work underway—Swan Lake
Research how vulnerability to sea‐level rise and hurricanes
0
changes when lose dunes to development

GMRP Appendix F

Information Needs

 Animal movement patterns
 Compiling historic information on areas impacted by development and areas where did
mitigation/restoration (ID before lose institutional knowledge)
o Determine if really no net loss
o Also will help ID priority areas to preserve/conserve
 Habitat characterization
 Information on species diversity to inform an ecosystem approach especially the non‐charismatic
species (phytoplankton worms)
 Lots of basic information needs in Mexico (e.g., oceanographer, fish assessment, habitats)
o Apply new technologies (i.e. sidescan sonar)
 On the ground data collection/monitoring needs to be increased; also need to coordinate
 Temporal/spatial gaps in data > hard to fill in gaps—need to coordinate monitoring and data
management across diverse topics to get ecosystem approach (e.g., expand SEAMAP surveys)


 Education (re: Gulf of Mexico as large system, connections)
 Establish offshore aquaculture where will have least impact
 Management needs biological, oceanographic, and socioeconomic assessment of Gulf of Mexico as
system applied to improve management/address management issues
 Preserve/conserve priority areas (based on analysis of historical data or impacts and mitigation
restoration)
 Prevention of invasives and remediation
 Select species for offshore aquaculture that will minimize impacts
GMRP Appendix F

Due to group size limitations one breakout group that was comprised of individuals with interest in
“Enhancing Human Health” and/or “The Ocean’s Role in Climate” identified and prioritized research topics
and related needs for both theme areas. The top ranked research priorities from these two theme areas were
presented to the large group for the large voting session.

Research Needs

Table 6. Research topics identified by the “Enhancing Human Health” breakout group and voting results

Pathogens
‐Reducing E.coli bacteria in coastal waters
‐Correlation between human health and water quality
‐Change in temperature and effects on human water‐borne
diseases
16
‐Impacts on ability of coastal wetlands to improve water
quality
‐Impacts on temperature change and vibrio, etc.
‐Change water quality on seafood contaminants and
infectious agents
Seafood safety
‐Change in water temperature, runoff, marshes
‐Mercury
‐Affects of water quality inflows on seafood
15
‐Bioaccumulation
infectious agents
‐Impacts on temperature change and vibrio, etc.
Disruption of fisheries
‐Endocrine disruptors (pharmaceuticals)
‐Mercury 13
infectious agents
Insect borne diseases
‐Betters ways to control mosquitoes without environmental
blowback
‐What is relationship between mosquitoes, wetlands and
malaria?
‐Impacts of spraying 11
‐Change insect‐borne diseases?
infectious agents
‐Change in temperature and effects on human water‐borne
diseases
GMRP Appendix F
Table 6 (continued). Research topics identified by the “Enhancing Human Health” breakout group and
HAB’s
‐Factors responsible for HAB’s
‐Occurrence and distribution of HAB’s 10
infectious agents
Pharming the ocean for pharmaceuticals
‐Change water quality on seafood contaminants and 5
infectious agents

Information Needs

 Educate public on value of monitoring programs
 More monitoring programs
o Health issues
o Elevation


 Human health education on seafood safety
 Risk assessment for oyster safety, etc.
GMRP Appendix F
Overall Results—Research Priorities Determined in Large Group Voting Session

The research topics presented in Table 7 were derived from the highest rated topics from each of the themed
breakout groups. The column titled, “Theme,” in Table 7 corresponds to the breakout group from which the
research topic originated. The following codes were used: stewardship of natural and cultural ocean
resources (Stewardship), increasing resilience to natural hazards (Resilience), improving ecosystem health
(Ecosystem), enabling marine operations (Operations), enhancing human health (Human), and the ocean’s
role in climate (Climate).

Each participant had 12 votes for the large group voting session and could place up to two votes for any one
research topic.

Note that in some cases research topics presented by different breakout groups were very similar. An in‐
depth analysis of similar topics identified within and between workshops will be discussed in a later report.

Table 7. Results of the large voting session for high‐priority research topics across all theme areas.

Research Topic Votes Theme
Connectivity across the Gulf of Mexico:
‐Connections between offshore banks and estuaries
‐System‐wide model for the GOMEX ‐ not just conceptual ‐ 31 Ecosystem
include data on forcing functions
‐Need data to back up connectivity claims
Rate of sea‐level rise (SLR) & subsidence:
‐Effect of SLR on coastal shorelines & environment
‐Effects of SLR on ecosystems
‐Measure public attitude on SLR 25 Climate
‐Research approaches to restore habitat
‐Research on local governmental approaches to SLR
‐Role of development in inhibiting vertical migration
Seafood safety:
‐Effect of HAB’s
‐Effect of bioaccumulation 20 Human
‐Change in water quality, temperature, runoff, mercury
‐Impacts of temperature change & vibrio
Developing better economic models for the valuation of
various habitats (ecosystems) allowing informed decisions
18 Operations
on placement / construction / development / expansion of
marine facilities and operations
Shipping, dredging, port facilities impacts on ecosystems (ex.
air pollution, human / animal health, sediment, water 18 Operations
quality)
GMRP Appendix F
Table 7 (continued). Results of the large voting session for high‐priority research topics across all theme
areas.
Enhance coastal & ocean real time observation systems:
‐Develop & validate numerical circulation models and
develop techniques for data assimilation into those
16 Operations
models
‐Use OSSEs to determine optimal placement of offshore
observations
Precipitation:
‐Change in pattern & quantity (gradient shift)
‐Freshwater influx / inflow
16 Climate
‐Inflow of freshwater, nutrients, sediments, & effects it has
on biological, biogeochemical, and physical coastal
processes
Human use trends:
‐Level of human use
‐Effect on resources
‐Need to change (increase/decrease) protection of resources
‐Socio‐economic impact of changes (increase/decrease) on
15 Stewardship
users
‐Models to capture above & gap analysis to couple with
existing models
‐Models to forecast impacts of increasing human
populations
Relationship of climate change to fisheries:
‐Recruitment
15 Climate
‐Distribution
‐Link between fish ecology & climate change
Research on targeted trophic relationships to support
ecosystem based approach (i.e. fisheries (menhaden, 15 Stewardship
snapper); endangered species; non‐indigenous species)
Freshwater inflow:
‐Effect of changing habitat characteristics on user species
and production characteristics of the system
14 Ecosystem
‐Researching putting processed water into confined areas
‐Use oysters as indicator species (abundance & health /
disease)
Pathogens:
‐Reducing E. coli in coastal waters
‐Temperature effects on water‐borne diseases
‐Vibrio & oysters 14 Human
‐Change in wetland abilities to remove aquatic pathogens as
result of climate change
‐Change in water quality & inflows
Socio‐economic value of restoration & conservation
programs at variable scales & is the habitat functioning as 14 Stewardship
expected
GMRP Appendix F
areas.
Change in climate related to temperature:
‐Distribution of species
‐Invasive species – how they are changing 13 Climate
‐Stratification of water column
‐Link between fish ecology & climate change
Identify changes in diversity & abundance over time (time
series over & within years) to identify causes 13 Stewardship
(anthropogenic / climate)
Understanding the impact of the Gulf of Mexico Loop
current on
13 Resilience
1) Tropical systems
2) Ecosystem resiliency
Characterize & model community resilience and
sustainability against natural hazards
12 Resilience
‐Ecological footprint
‐Built environment
Develop new physical & biological habitat maps to
12 Stewardship
determine what resources exist
Impacts of tourism & urban development
‐Impacts on water quality
‐Relationship to harmful algal blooms
11 Ecosystem
‐Impacts to mangroves and submerged aquatic vegetation
‐Impacts of dune loss on vulnerability to sea‐level rise &
hurricanes
Interactions between coastal / nearshore morphology &
11 Resilience
vegetation and hurricane impacts
Understand larval movement & the importance of specific
areas:
‐Relative importance, different sites 11 Ecosystem
‐Inform fisheries management, marine reserve placement,
industrial activity siting (LNG, aquaculture)
Assess the vulnerability of natural & human communities to
global & local sea‐level rise & the underlying source of 10 Resilience
vulnerability
Pollutants:
‐Pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, metals, etc.; effect
on fisheries 10 Human
‐Change in water quality & inflows on pollutants & result
on seafood
GMRP Appendix F
areas.
Enhance PORTS (Physical Oceanography Real Time Systems)
through:
‐Develop & validate numerical models for nowcasts and
8 Operations
forecasts of currents, waves, & water levels for PORTS
‐Use observing system experiments (OSEs) to determine
observations needed for models
HAB’s
‐Factors responsible for HAB’s
8 Human
‐Occurrence & distribution of HAB’s
‐Effects of change in water quality & inflows
Loop current
‐Changing temperature
‐Changing current regime 8 Climate
‐Relation with storm frequency & intensity
‐Links to global scale climate patterns
Changes in coastal demographics; changes in population
density and changes in community make‐up – research how
7 Ecosystem
changes influence decision / policy‐making (e.g. transition
from rural, resource‐dependent communities)
Impacts of commercial & recreational fisheries; economic
impacts re: fisheries
‐Impacts on habitat, benthos
‐Impacts on top predators; how does removal of top
7 Ecosystem
predators impact system
‐Impacts on Gulf & estuarine areas
‐Economic impacts of fishing regulations and marine
reserves
Invasive species (marine & estuarine):
‐Survey what’s there
7 Ecosystem
‐Impacts & interactions
‐Research socioeconomic impacts
What is long‐term magnitude & frequency of hurricanes? 7 Resilience
Analyze & predict ecosystem health through visualization of
6 Stewardship
anthropogenic stressors of Gulf of Mexico
Change in carbon dioxide levels on aquatic biology (e.g.
6 Climate
ocean acidification)
Connectivity of species & habitat populations 6 Stewardship
Development of ecosystem model
‐Lay out relationships in food web 6 Ecosystem
‐Lay out connections to abiotic factors
Impacts of multiple anthropogenic stressors on estuarine
populations (e.g. look at water quality degradation, changes 6 Ecosystem
in freshwater inflow and loss of habitats all together)
GMRP Appendix F
areas.
Research & develop techniques for rapid assessment of
bathymetry of ports & harbors (i.e. AUV, side‐scan sonar, 6 Operations
satellite)
What are long‐term changes to coastal sediment budgets? 6 Resilience
How will humans respond?
‐Impact of communities
‐Impact of industry 5 Climate
‐Infrastructure breakdown
‐Change in energy usage
Impact of freshwater inflow on lower trophic levels of food
5 Stewardship
chain & the water quality (nutrients / sediments)
Improve forecasts of hurricane intensity 4 Operations
Pharming the sea
‐Pharming the ocean for pharmaceuticals 4 Human
‐How water quality changes & inflows affect the “pharm”
Determine the mean shoreline and common references
3 Operations
(datums) for various sea level measurements
Effects of morphological changes on society relative to:
‐Sea‐level rise
‐Coastline / shoreline changes 3 Operations
‐Development
‐Habitat identification
How often do tsunamis impact the Gulf of Mexico –
3 Resilience
magnitude & frequency
Understand impacts of open loop LNG terminals to
3 Operations
ecosystems
Quantifying climate change – determine / research best
locations & types of in situ sensors needed and temporal 2 Climate
and spatial distributions of measurements
Species composition primary producers & how changing
over time:
‐Phytoplankton species 2 Ecosystem
‐Changes in HAB’s – try to identify triggers / causes
‐Impacts on consumers (e.g. oysters)
Understand / quantify impacts of winter / spring storms 2 Resilience
GMRP Appendix F
areas.
Continuous non‐indigenous fowling community monitoring
1 Stewardship
in GOM waters
Insect‐borne diseases:
‐Research better ways to control mosquitoes without
environmental blowback
1 Human
‐Relation of mosquitoes, wetlands, malaria:
‐Impact of spraying
‐Change in insect‐borne diseases
Ground water & subsidence:
‐Relationship
0 Climate
‐Spatial extent
‐Rate of change
Inland runoff variability impacts to coastal systems 0 Resilience
GMRP Appendix F

Acknowledgements

This workshop would not have been possible without the support of numerous individuals. Thank you to all
of the following:

Host:
NOAA Fisheries Service, Galveston Lab (Roger Zimmerman and Ronnie O’Toole)

Sponsors and workshop support:
NOAA National Sea Grant College Program
Texas Sea Grant (Bob Stickney and Ralph Rayburn)
Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant Consortium (LaDon Swann, Kay Bruening, and John Grigsby)

Facilitation support:
Gulf Coast Services Center (Heidi Recksiek, Tina Sanchez, and Ann Weaver)
NOAA Sea Grant (Kola Garber)
Texas Sea Grant (John Jacob and Logan Respess)

Workshop participants:
See appendix C.

Gulf of Mexico Research Planning Principal Investigators:
LaDon Swann, Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant Consortium
Charles Wilson, Louisiana Sea Grant College Program
Bob Stickney, Texas Sea Grant College Program
Karl Havens, Florida Sea Grant College Program

Transcription support:
Science Systems and Applications, Inc. (Kelly Knowlton)
Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant Consortium (Kay Bruening, John Grigsby, Devaney Cheramie,
Loretta Leist, Melissa Schneider, and Valerie Winn)
GMRP Appendix F
Appendix A:
Gulf of Mexico Research Planning Workshop Agenda

NOAA Fisheries Service Galveston Laboratory
Galveston, Texas
February 28, 2008
10:00 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Workshop Agenda

10:00‐10:15 Check‐in, coffee

10:15‐10:40 Welcome and Purpose of the GMRP workshop (all participants)

10:40‐10:45 Small Group Session Goals and Objectives (all participants)

10:45‐11:45 Identify Research Topics within Themes (breakout group)

11:45‐12:10 Break and Pick‐up Lunches

12:10‐1:30 Refine and Prioritize Research Topics—includes breakout group
voting session (breakout group)

1:30‐2:00 Groups Present Top Research Topics for each Theme (all participants)

2:00‐2:30 Voting Session of all Research Topics (all participants)

2:30‐2:45 Wrap up (all participants)

GMRP Appendix F
Appendix B:
Process diagram to identify and prioritize research topics at the GMRP workshop

GMRP Appendix F
Appendix C:
Last E‐mail
First Name Affiliation
Name Address
Alvarado
Jaime Texas A&M at Galveston alvaradj@tamug.edu
Bremer
Kristopher Benson NOAA Restoration Center kristopher.benson@noaa.gov
Douglas Biggs Texas A&M University main campus dbiggs@ocean.tamu.edu
Alan Bunn NOAA/NOS alan.bunn@noaa.gov
Edward Buskey University of Texas ed.buskey@mail.utexas.edu
Piers Chapman Texas A&M University piers.chapman@tamu.edu
Jennifer DeBose NOAA/FGBNMS jennifer.debose@noaa.gov
Winston Denton TPWD Winston.Denton@tpwd.state.tx.us
Rohini Drake Texas A&M University Galveston
Jean Ellis NASA Stennis Space Center jean.t.ellis@nasa.gov
Jorge I. Euan‐Avila CINVESTAV‐IPN euan@mda.cinvestav.mx
Kola Garber* NOAA Sea Grant Nikola.Garber@noaa.gov
Gregg Gitschlag NMFS Galveston gregg.gitschlag@noaa.gov
Houston Advanced Research Center
Lisa Gonzalez lgonzalez@harc.edu
(HARC)
Gary Graham Texas Sea Grant glgshrimp@embarqmail.com
Joseph Grant NASA Stennis Space Center joseph.grant@nasa.gov
Norman Guinasso Texas A&M University guinasso@tamu.edu
Rebecca Hensley Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept rebecca.hensley@tpwd.state.tx.us
Emma Hickerson NOAA/FGBNMS emma.hickerson@noaa.gov
John Jacob* Texas Sea Grant jjacob@tamu.edu
Steven Johnston Galveston Bay Estuary Program sjohnsto@tceq.state.tx.us
Robert L. Joseph U.S. Geological Survey rljoseph@usgs.gov
NOAA National Marine Sanctuary
Bill Kiene william.kiene@noaa.gov
Program
Kelly Knowlton Science Systems and Applications, Inc. Kelly.Knowlton‐1@nasa.gov
Jae‐Young Ko Texas A&M at Galveston koj@tamug.edu
Montra Lockwood National Weather Service montra.lockwood@noaa.gov
Heather Miller Texas A&M University hmiller@geo.tamu.edu
Thomas Minello NOAA Fisheries SEFSC tom.minello@noaa.gov
Worth Nowlin GCOOS wnowlin@tamu.edu
Craig Peterson NASA SSC Craig .A. Peterson@NASA.GOV
Antonietta Quigg Texas A&M University at Galveston quigga@tamug.edu
Sammy Ray Texas A&M University‐Galveston rays@tamug.edu
Heidi Recksiek* NOAA Gulf Coast Services Center heidi.recksiek@noaa.gov
Logan Respess* Texas Sea Grant l‐respess@tamu.edu
Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. Coastal
Lance Robinson lance.robinson@tpwd.state.tx.us
Fisheries Division
GMRP Appendix F
(continued)
Last E‐mail
Name Address
William Sager Texas A&M University wsager@tamu.edu
Tina Sanchez* NOAA Gulf Coast Services Center tina.sanchez@noaa.gov
Anja Schulze TAMUG schulzea@tamug.edu
Elizabeth Scott‐Denton NOAA Fisheries elizabeth.scott‐denton@noaa.gov
Steve Sempier* MASGC stephen.sempier@usm.edu
TX GC Env Data Center (TEXGED),
Safwat Shakir shshakir@pvamu.edu
Prairie View A&M University
Elizabeth Shelton Galveston Bay Information Center sheltone@tamug.edu
Douglas Sherman TAMU Geography sherman@geog.tamu.edu
James Simons TPWD james.simons@tpwd.state.tx.us
Sharron Stewart Galveston Bay Foundation sharron@netyeti.com
Bob Stickney* Texas Sea Grant stickney@tamu.edu
LaDon Swann* MASGC swanndl@auburn.edu
James Tolan Texas Parks and Wildlife Department james.tolan@tpwd.state.tx.us
Michael Turco U S Geological Survey mjturco@usgs.gov
W.M. von Zharen Texas A&M University dr_vonzharen@msn.com
Ann Weaver* NOAA Gulf Coast Services Center ann.weaver@noaa.gov
John Wormuth Texas A&M University jwormuth@ocean.tamu.edu
Roger Zimmerman NOAA Fisheries Service roger.zimmerman@noaa.gov

*Workshop facilitator or floater.

GMRP Appendix F

Workshop Report

Baton Rouge, Louisiana
on
February 26, 2008

30
Background

provides the results from the workshop at the Louisiana State University Energy, Coast and Environment
Building, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.


areas.

areas.



GMRP Appendix F
Louisiana Workshop Report 31




GMRP Appendix F

Due to the large number of participants in the “Stewardship of Natural and Cultural Ocean Resources” there
were two separate breakout groups that performed a brainstorming session. After the brainstorming session
the two groups merged and combined topics. Members of both breakout groups voted for the combined
topics. The table below is the combined topics that were discussed and voting results.

Research Needs

groups and voting results from the breakout group voting session.

Long term restoration and ecosystem trajectories from
12
different perspectives
Valuation of key aquatic indicator species and non‐market
resources in coastal areas. Economic incentives for 10
landowners and public
Effects of river diversions (site specific) 9
Freshwater quantity and quality around Gulf of Mexico (ex:
TX vs. MS) and relationship to health of estuary and ripple 8
to cultural/coastal community
Benefits and costs of restoration (including modeling) 8
Impact of trawling on cultural resources and where they are 7
Borrow areas—effect on:
‐Water quality
6
‐Fisheries
‐Sediment processes
Placement of fine sediment
‐Water quality
6
‐Marshes
‐Processes/habitat utilization
Understand adaptation to habitat loss and archiving and
6
understanding lost cultural resources (socio/cultural)
Research historic and prehistoric past human densities in
6
coastal zones
Local social understanding of benefits/burdens of restoration
6
efforts
Human use patterns
Relationship of oyster reef structure, biomass, and health to
5
water quality as it relates to oyster fisheries industry
throughout Gulf (at a regional scale)
Impacts of hypoxia to fisheries and non‐consumptive species 5
How large structures (leaky levees) affect coastal processes in
5
restoration
Re‐assess mass‐wasting of sediments‐fluidized mud 5
Response of Lake Pontchartrain and Mississippi Sound to
4
closure of MRGO (Mississippi River Gulf Outlet)
GMRP Appendix F
Table 1 (continued). Research topics identified by the “Stewardship of Natural and Cultural Ocean
Resources” breakout groups and voting results from the breakout group voting session.
Fisheries: access, ownership, allocation
3
‐How do we allocate: cultural, social, or economic
Corrosion/leaking rate and effect of depth of ships sunk
3
during World War II
Determine legacy of organic loading in hypoxia 3
Long and short term responses of coastal processes to large
3
storms
Update understanding of land/water linkages in Mississippi
3
Basin and Gulf—local policies to reflect this
Research maritime history/inventory cultural sites 3
Flux of freshwater/saltwater in geological materials 3
Feasibility of revitalizing low salinity estuaries 2
Effect on water quality from industrial processes (oil and gas)
1
(strategic reserve)
Natural history of Gulf of Mexico benthic habitats (are they
0
still viable)
Identify the genomes within a species that are salt tolerant as
0
we move inland
Results of human use of resources extraction or change and
0
the influence on future job markets
Downline affects of restoration efforts, etc. 0
Quantify/qualify migratory bird habitat in relation to
0
recovery efforts
Best avenues for determining behavioral and economic
0
impacts of environmental practices
Implications of hardening shorelines 0
Alternative energy sources 0
Diversion and hurricane impact on invasive species 0
Valuation of human use activities in coastal zones 0
Non market valuation innovation research 0
Sediment‐what happens to marshes and other estuarine
0
habitats with movement of sediment
What happens to the borrow areas extraction/dump sites to
0
water quality
Effect of cave (salt brine water) clearing on Pascagoula and
0
Gulf of Mexico salinity
How to model (help manage) “living” ecology and the
0
resulting economics
Models that predict what animals need and the resulting
0
restoration economics
GMRP Appendix F
Resources” breakout groups and voting results from the breakout group voting session.
System changes due to finer particulate movement by
0
dredging and placement
How does the extraction site fill up and how does it move
0
(quality of the material)
What is the impact of pulling water from Gulf to cool natural
0
gas plans and LNG
Response of community freshwater resources to coastal
0
changes
Impacts to water quality and fisheries of deep borrow areas
0
produced by sediment mining
Impacts of leveling oyster reef on mitigating storm effects 0
Research on Pleistocene spread of humans 0
Long term eutrophication impacts and restoration trajectories 0

GMRP Appendix F

The information needs and policy, management and education related topics described below came from
both breakout groups that discussed issues related to “Stewardship of Natural and Cultural Ocean
Resources.”
Information Needs

 Additional survey/testing of cultural resources
 Experiments set up but we are not monitoring‐‐right people and right parameters
 Increase interaction among governments at all levels and include landowners
 Inventory of coastal infrastructure
 Large group behaviors/interactions‐‐social trap of large groups in response to various issues
 Modeling the environment
 Need to monitor parameters (i.e. oyster monitoring only 2 parameters)
 Where are we catching fish
o How are they moving to respond to hypoxia


 Assess populations to assess sustainability
 Create more marine reserves and long‐term research sites
 Legal protection for cultural sites beyond state waters
 Need monitoring information so that we can educate communities on the effect of management
changes
 Protect and maintain extant habitats
 Protection of shipwrecks and relic sites that are not protected
o Educate that these are non‐renewable
 Public needs to understand ramifications to land use violations for rebuilding
 Public understands how these changes to fisheries and habitats impact/benefit
 Re‐introduce lost species: bear, wolves, manatees, birds
 University presidentʹs forums (land use and zoning)
GMRP Appendix F

Research Needs


Real Time ‐ Predicting Systems
‐Predict response of built environment to hazards modeling
‐Improve boundary effects, forcing bottom vs. surface,
17
consider predicting surface waves, compare responses
from different topographic/ landscape vegetated features,
vegetated cover (modeling)
How do preservation, restoration actions impact
communities and economic activities?
What is 30 year impact of constructing a levee? 14
How do levees alter natural flow patters of storm surge?
(modeling)
Measure peopleʹs (citizens and decision makers)
understanding of vulnerability & what they can do to
reduce impact
‐Explore behavioral science 11
‐Partnership to translate & communicate technical data
for improved risk based decisions
‐How to measure a communityʹs resiliency
Protection of critical infrastructure ‐ highways, bridges,
utilities, hospitals, shelters ‐ research on reducing 10
vulnerability
Understand, quantify, predict impacts to first line of natural
10
defense ‐ barrier island, shoreline
Effects of natural hazards on water quality & living resources
9
‐ Field work & remote sensing techniques & modeling
What makes habitat more resilient?
8
Are restored habitats more or less resilient?
What is relationship/impacts to community leaders careers
RE: land use decisions in hazard areas and to past case 5
study decisions where good decisions were made
Research toward ʺbelievableʺ scientific projections of future
4
coastal conditions
Predictive models for marine debris
‐Industrial
‐What goes where & what are best methods to secure ‐ 1
(under development by NOAA)
‐Improved mapping of debris fields
What are best ways to mitigate damage to natural systems? 1
GMRP Appendix F
Table 2 (continued). Research topics identified by the “Increasing Resilience to Natural Hazards”
Are certain coastal forests more resilient than others?
(fresh vs. salt habitats)
0
‐What improved species can be used?
‐What are critical aspects of these habitats?
Development of coastal flooding or tidal real time predicting
system ‐ more meteorology data…not limited to surge or 0
seasons or extreme events (modeling)
How does altered hydrology affect future impacts of storms ‐
0
look at interaction of different development types
Social modeling of impacts 0
What is level of vulnerability of (built environment) critical
infrastructure? Assessment of baseline conditions compared 0
to different level events

Information Needs

 Compile recovery knowledge ‐ lessons learned
 Get post Katrina baseline data then follow with regular data collection


(none provided)

GMRP Appendix F


Research Needs


Research into alternative (to reefs) sustainable ʺuseʺ of de‐
commissioned platforms (alternate energy; aquaculture;
10
eco‐tourism; weather meteorological stations)
‐Assumes ʺleft in placeʺ
Documentation of significant verses perceived impacts of off‐
shore aquaculture (biological and ecological);
‐Structure type
‐Mariculture on Gulf of Mexico 9
‐Must precede permitting (e.g. permitting issues)
onsite analyses; small demonstration
‐Learning curve here
Strategic planning on regional transport linkages
(port barge‐rail‐track)
‐ʺIntermodalʺ 8
‐Maximum economic and environmental efficiencies
(transport mileage‐include metrics = carbon footprint)
Socio‐economic characterization of the coast fishing
communities
7
research and economic alternatives
(transitioning aquaculture)
Potential impacts of oil‐gas activities in deepwater (>1000
7
meter) habitats
Research into aquaculture ʺgrow‐outʺ technologies (net pens;
recirculation systems (land)) 6
Goal: stock enhancement and food security
Identify ʺcandidateʺ species
‐Species selection for Gulf of Mexico aquaculture
5
(land‐based or offshore)
‐Economic/marketing/production/genetics
GMRP Appendix F
Develop operational hydrodynamic outcast / forecast or
models system for Gulf of Mexico
‐Waves
‐Currents
‐Temperature
4
‐Salinity
‐More weather stations?
‐Deal with existing data limitations
‐Goal: more accurate predictions
‐Mariners; management
Identification and characterization of legal pathways for
ʺreliableʺ predictable/ ʺuseʺ of marine service center /
facilities
4
e.g. ‐ staging areas, heavy equipment public / private
ownership
Goal: expedited recovery
Investigation into ballast water and aquatic invasive species
(AIS)
‐Quantify releases, species, harbors
2
‐Source of ballast
‐How much / what type, etc.
‐Monitoring
Research into physical minimization alternatives / legal
utilization of use / food banks of commercial fishing bycatch 1
legal and physical
Develop metrics that documents carbon footprint of shipping
0
(lower carbon costs; transport miles; etc.)
Research into emergency use of marine support services and
facilities
Example: Publicly owned and operated marinas
0
(define legal pathways for reliable emergency use marine
service center)
Staging area (heavy equipment)
Research into incorporating existing community fishermen
0
into aquaculture

GMRP Appendix F

Information Needs

 Gulf of Mexico (GMFMC) does not have good info on socio economic (fishing community)
 Identify and define legal pathways for reliable emergency marine services center use
 Lack of species selection information for land‐based and offshore aquaculture
 Need a better understanding about stake holders in marine operations (IOOS; GCOOS; etc.)
 Need better ʺregimeʺ on ocean ʺuseʺ
o Re: aquaculture, shellfish
 Quality of ʺsafe harborsʺ (harbors of refuge) for foul weather protection


 Awareness RE: ʺcarbon footprintʺ or transport miles of environmental benefit of shipping (decrease
carbon costs)
 Increase education and outreach for the general public
o RE: aquaculture (offshore)
 Increase outreach into incorporating existing communication of fishermen into aquaculture
 Policy
o RE: permitting for offshore aquaculture
o need a way to permit this…
o ʺoffbottomʺ aquaculture too
GMRP Appendix F

Research Needs


Sea‐level rise & storm surge interaction: areas of concern:
As a result in seal level rise:
‐Salt water intrusion
‐Cultural
‐Improve understanding of storm surge
‐Change ecosystems
9
‐Change in coastal flooding: improve elevation
‐Infrastructure
‐Tax base
‐Agriculture
‐Human health
‐Changing wetland composition
As climate change is occurring (i.e. rainfall
patterns/distribution, river flows) improve understanding
of freshwater inflows, distribution, and use (past, present
and future) including river flows and rainfall in the coast ‐‐‐
8
physical and biological changes.
‐Historic geologic history of river flow patterns in past.
How did it bring us to today and where will this
take us?
Improve understanding of carbon flux and implications;
properties of Gulf of Mexico change and impact 7
methane/carbon dioxide
Interaction of loop current with weather: how does it change
with changes in the ocean (salinity, upwellings, coastal
interactions, ocean temperatures)? 7
How is the loop current affected by ENSO: Northern
Atlantic Oscillation?
Hypoxia: Improve understanding of hypoxia: How will
climate change interact (more or less?) in conjunction with
6
temperature, nitrogen, phosphorus, endocrine disruptions,
algal blooms?
Improving knowledge of the effects of storms due to climate
6
change (i.e. number, frequency strength) path
GMRP Appendix F
Economic impacts of climate change, i.e.:
‐Maritime commerce
‐Oil / gas activities
5
‐Fisheries
‐Levees / barrier islands
‐Infrastructure tax base
Improve understanding of how organisms and plants will
4
change with climate change (physical, geographic regions)
Quantify the rate of change or melt (glacier and snow)
2
and where (Antarctic and Arctic)
Climate, ocean, coastal interaction; coastal surface and water
0
interactions
Quantify the impacts of radiation effects on biota due to
0
global climate change
As a result in seal level rise need research on change: salt
water intrusion, change in sediment deposition; coastal 0
flooding (temp; permanent)
Better models for elevations improved methods 0
Change of storm surge / wetland interaction 0
Improving knowledge of hurricane frequency and strength
and path ocean / atmosphere interaction enter into Gulf and 0
play
Interaction of storm system with the coast
Effects of storms due to climate change (i.e. #, frequency, 0
strength)
Under ocean temperatures as relates to climate change
0
Improve understanding of ocean temperatures

GMRP Appendix F

Information Needs

 Continuous data
 Expand elevation data knowledge ‐ more frequent surveys and more density
 Higher and higher resolution bathymetry / LIDAR (better data)
 More sensors in Gulf of Mexico
 Need more coastal and subsurface geological data
 Pool evaluation data


 Data consistencies from ocean to land
 Effects of climate change on coastal restoration and coastal development
 Engage other agencies
 Engagement of local, state, regional governance (on climate change (multi‐disciplinary)
o How use this information to mitigate?
 Heavy participation by Army Corps of Engineers
 Hypoxia prediction
 National policies on flood insurance
o Should we rebuild here?
o Draft policy on climate change & how to mitigate
 What to do with private property?

GMRP Appendix F

Due to the large number of participants in the “Improving Ecosystem Health” there were two separate
breakout groups that performed a brainstorming session. After the brainstorming session the two groups
merged and combined topics. Members of both breakout groups voted for the combined topics. The table
below is the combined topics that were discussed and voting results.

Research Needs

Table 5. Research topics identified by the “Improving Ecosystem Health” breakout groups and voting results

What is ecosystem health
‐Need to figure out how to measure
‐Need larger suite of indicators and better understanding of
how it relates
17
‐Indicators of ecosystem health
‐Have many metrics, but not ecosystem functions
‐Further define metrics for evaluation ‐ broad ecosystems
(e.g. fish communities)
River diversions/ sediment management
‐Shoaling impacts
‐Sediment impacts on habitats & species 13
‐ID optimal use & allocation of sediment
‐Diversion effects on water quality, marshland populations
Ecosystem significance of shifts in habitat types (especially
vegetative changes) that are occurring in Louisiana 11
‐Define factors causing these shifts
Evaluate total potential of Mississippi River for restoration:
including management/inputs basin, especially sediment,
11
freshwater volume, nutrients ‐ Atchafalaya/Miss optimal
distribution
Understanding hydrologic requirements of healthy marsh
ecosystems
11
‐Freshwater influence flotant (floating marsh)
‐Hydrology other coastal wetlands
Non‐native species
‐Impacts on coastal systems
‐Modeling effects, potential pathways of introduction
10
‐Risk analysis & control potential
‐Inventory threats
‐ID sources/ vectors, pathways
Impacts of global climate change on local ecosystems
‐Range extensions of ecosystem 9
‐Develop flexible ecosystem models to predict local impacts
Research on forested wetlands/coastal forests to understand
8
ecosystem function & resilience ( e.g. to hurricanes)
GMRP Appendix F
Table 5 (continued). Research topics identified by the “Improving Ecosystem Health” breakout groups and
Economics research
‐Economics of habitat loss and restoration
‐Economics important for identifying trade‐offs, can also be
part of incentives for behavior change
7
‐Model economics of ecosystem shifts
‐Look at benefit, costs, distribution across interests
‐“Atlantis” model from Australia good (e.g. of one that
includes economics)
Understanding human/public attitudes and perceptions
‐Incorporate into models
‐Important for identifying trade‐offs
‐Research what incentives/motivations will work, e.g.:
7
‐Get landowners to participate in eco‐friendly
development)
‐Social science research into what people think about
restoration, their understanding
Define outer boundaries anthropogenic input to Gulf &
assess cultural impacts for example as they relate to:
‐Oil platforms 5
‐Impacts of ecosystem health & production
‐Fishing
Hypoxia effects distribution, abundance, recruitment &
mortality in fish and invertebrates – North Gulf – especially 5
impacts in the Gulf east of Mississippi River
Impacts/connections re:
‐Discharges & run‐off (impacts to freshwater & coastal
waters) & research into ways to control metals
‐Impacts on sediment, bacteria
‐Ultimate fate & transport of pollutants (nutrients) inland to 5
the Gulf
‐Efficacy of different run‐off management
strategies/structures
‐Effectiveness of Best Management Practices
Natural variability – still don’t know how much variability is
5
natural in a healthy system (e.g. brown marsh)
GMRP Appendix F
Table 5 (continued). Research topics identified by the “Improving Ecosystem Health” breakout groups and
Coastal plains land use/ land cover
‐Understand impacts to estuarine and Gulf (conveyance
from riparian to other two systems) 4
‐Systems approach to 3 systems
‐Look at riverine as well
Need to create an analysis framework based on existing and
future quantitative and predictive models
‐Weave models together to look at large scale and
evaluate scenarios
‐Combine individual models of marsh states and use by
species (use to inform)
‐ Hydrodynamic modeling 4
‐“Ecospace” model (will be able to evaluate restoration
alternatives on basin scale)
‐Check applicability of existing models to Louisiana (may
need to tweak a bit)
‐“LACES” model might be one to look at (discussed in
Louisiana during CPRA process)
Offshore aquaculture
‐Impacts of releases, nutrients, metals from structures,
4
other toxics
‐Look at new user conflicts
Research potential beneficial use of discharge (e.g.
wastewater to wetlands work and New Orleans sewage
board) 4
‐Look at ecological, economic, technological (e.g. active
project in Hammond)
Characterize structure & function of offshore (deepwater)
biology
‐Define “health”
‐Status
‐Regional baseline 3
‐Soft sediment
‐Hard sediment
‐Water column
‐Estimate indicators
GMRP Appendix F
Barrier Islands
‐Separating natural dynamics from anthropogenic
2
influences to better manage anthropogenic inputs
‐Analysis of previous & current restoration
Develop methods to address disturbances to bottom
community structure from fisheries activities 2
‐Mitigate active fishing gear impacts
Develop real‐time 3‐D model of Gulf circulation 2
Flows between systems
‐Offshore to freshwater (across coastal system)
2
‐Movement of species, carbon flows (e.g. Atchafalaya good
place to do this study)
New measures of coastal wetland productivity
2
‐Especially anthropogenic effects
Impacts of wind power (e.g. on flyways)
‐Wind patterns
‐Feasibility (should we pursue) 0
‐Look at new user conflicts (trade‐offs, socioeconomic
issues)
Integration of coastal observing systems & technologies to
facilitate ecosystem approach ‐ there is some going on, but 0
need more information
Need to define historical baselines for ecosystems
‐Use historical information to define targets
0
‐Identify trade‐offs in management alternatives (affect
different users in different ways)
Role of Mississippi River flow in isolating populations 0
Understand function of habitats
‐Highlighting production, fish condition
0
‐Impacts of habitat loss plus impacts of restoration (e.g.
marshland , oyster, natural ridges)

GMRP Appendix F

The information needs described below came from both breakout groups that discussed issues related to
“Improving Ecosystem Health.”

Information Needs

 Better bathymetric data for region
 Centralized database for existing data & models
o Inventory of existing data (e.g. fishing licenses, alligator catch data, to bldg permits)
 Expand collection baseline data ‐ OOS
 Forested wetlands
 Information on availability of sediments ‐ where & when
 Monitoring data
o Gulf wide database
 Need standards, metadata process to help organize & manage data (e.g. NASA working on
ʺCOASTʺ (coastal online assessment & synthesis tool) intended to facilitate harmonization of data,
synthesis)
 Role of oyster/shell reefs on water quality & how it affects whole system


(none provided)
GMRP Appendix F

Research Needs


Discovery of drugs and natural products from marine and
coastal environments
‐Can you synthesize these compounds? 11
‐Phytoplankton waste processing turn into value added
products
Warming Changing temperature, effect on seafood/ marine
resources and content, seafood distribution (microbial, 8
safety)
Consumption of fish and shellfish
‐Chronic health/hazard or benefits ‐ Is it creating 5
inclusion of known at risk groups?
Determining Enhancing, incorporating the health impacts of
5
omega‐3 fatty acid in seafood that is normally low
Research to devise antibody based assay for biotoxins for
fish/shellfish 5
‐ Cheap, quick for restaurants
Stimulate coastal development to maximize “health /
lifestyleʺ benefits and minimize risk/hazard (e.g. bike path,
vegetable path) 5
‐Resilience (designing infrastructure to withstand hazards)
‐ʺHealthy sustainable coastal growthʺ
Determine amount of mercury pollutants (biological /
chemical) contaminant of seafood 4
‐Is it a problem in the Gulf of Mexico?
Determining / quantify human benefits of coastal living
‐Mental health benefits of recreational activities: sailing,
4
swimming
‐ When does overuse become detrimental?
Identify alternative resources for energy (e.g. wind, wave,
current).
4
‐Identify potential impacts
‐Green versus oil industry and human impacts?
Improve our understanding of the spatial aspects of health
resource locations and delivery in coastal areas (hospitals,
4
clinics, community‐based schools, etc.)
during post storm conditions
Verification of vibrio risk assessment
4
(risk assessment has not been completed yet)
Educating inland residents about coastal health hazards 3
Health services infrastructure during storms 3
GMRP Appendix F
Impact of coastal development on coastal heritage /
2
communities / culture
Understand and identify problems
‐Coastal process, wetland processes (and how Louisiana is
2
loosing theirs), land loss and how it impacts human
health
Understand consumer demand analysis changes for ocean
2
products in the face of adverse events
Clearer understanding of blue‐green algae (versus HAB)
1
other diatoms
Does length of tenure living in coast impact your
0
stewardship?
How do we prioritize what we look for regarding
0
pharmaceutical products?
Think more than products we get from ocean: tourism 0
Where do we look for pharmaceutical products in the ocean? 0

Information Needs
(none provided)


 Avoid consumer misconception‐conception
 Educating inland resident about health hazard at coast
 Effective education on HAB’s
 Improve education regarding individual responsibility for water quality
 Improve federal matching funding for rural and urban sewage treatment and non‐point source
pollution
GMRP Appendix F
Overall Results—Research Priorities Determined in Large Group Voting
Session


research topic.



Sea‐level rise & storm surge interactions
Areas of concern:
‐Salt water intrusion
‐Cultural change
‐Change in ecosystems 40 Climate
‐Change in coastal flooding; improve elevation
‐Agriculture
‐Human health
‐Wetland composition
Benefits & costs of restoration (including modeling) 36 Stewardship
River diversion / sediment management
‐Shoaling impacts
‐Sediment impacts on habitats & species 36 Ecosystem
‐Identify optimal use & allocation of sediment
‐Diversion effects on water quality & marshland populations
Discovery of pharmaceuticals & natural (bio) products from
31 Human
marine and coastal environments
Evaluate total potential of Mississippi River for restoration:
management & inputs from Mississippi basin
31 Ecosystem
‐Sediment, freshwater volume, nutrients
‐Optimal distribution of Atchafalaya / Mississippi rivers
Understanding hydrologic requirements of healthy marsh
ecosystems
29 Ecosystem
‐Freshwater influence on flow time
‐Hydrology of other coastal wetlands
GMRP Appendix F
areas.
Research into alternative (to reefs) sustainable ʺuseʺ of
de‐commissioned platforms
‐e.g. Alternative energy
28 Operations
‐Aquaculture
‐Eco‐tourism
‐Weather stations
Development of real time predictive model that includes
meteorological data, appropriate land use / land cover and 26 Resilience
improved boundary data (not just hurricanes)
Ecosystem health indicators
‐Need to figure out how to measure
26 Ecosystem
‐More indicators needed
‐Better define metrics for ecosystem evaluations
Placement of fine sediment
‐Water quality
‐Marshes 22 Stewardship
‐Habitat utilization
‐Processes
Research into aquaculture ʺgrow‐outʺ technologies… net pens,
re‐circulation systems, etc. 22 Operations
‐Goal = stock enhancement, food security
Borrow areas effect on
‐Water quality
21 Stewardship
‐Fisheries
‐Sediment processes
Measure citizensʹ and decision makersʹ understanding of
vulnerability and how to translate / communicate technical 21 Resilience
data to improve decisions
Economic impacts of climate change
i.e. maritime / commerce
‐Oil / gas activities
‐Fisheries 20 Climate
‐Levees / barrier islands
‐Infrastructure
‐Tax base
Research historic sites & prehistoric human densities in
19 Stewardship
coastal zones
Socio‐economic characterization of Gulf coast fishing
communities
19 Operations
‐Research into economic alternatives, e.g. transitioning or
aquaculture
GMRP Appendix F
areas.
Non‐native species
‐Impacts on coastal systems
‐Modeling pathways of introduction
18 Ecosystem
‐Risk analysis & control potential
‐Inventory & prioritize threats
‐Identify source, vectors
Long term restoration & ecosystem trajectories from different
17 Stewardship
perspectives
Documentation of biological/ecological impacts of offshore
aquaculture on Gulf of Mexico
‐Significant / perceived 16 Operations
‐Precedes individual permitting issues
‐Small demonstration project (on‐site analyses)
Assess level of vulnerability of built environment, baseline
15 Resilience
condition, and research how to reduce losses
Impacts of global climate change on local ecosystems
‐Range extensions 15 Ecosystem
‐Develop flexible ecosystem models to predict local impacts
Ecosystem significance of shifts in habitat type (especially
vegetative) that are occurring in Louisiana
14 Ecosystem
‐Define factors causing these shifts and impacts on
ecosystem function
Strategic planning on regional transportation linkages
‐Port ‐ barge ‐ rail ‐ truck
14 Operations
‐Increase maximum economic & environmental efficiencies
‐Including metrics (e.g. carbon footprint)
Impacts of trawling & location of cultural resources 13 Stewardship
Effects of river diversions 12 Stewardship
Pollutant / nutrient dynamics & efficacy of pollutant
management strategies
‐Fate & transport of pollutants, nutrients ‐ inland to the Gulf
12 Ecosystem
‐Impacts / connections of freshwater discharge
‐Efficacy of BMPs / management techniques (including
controlling structures)
Understand adaptation to habitat loss & archive lost cultural
12 Stewardship
resources (social & cultural)
Understand, quantify, predict impacts to first line of natural
12 Resilience
defense (e.g. islands)
Valuation of key non‐market aquatic resources & indicator
12 Stewardship
species
Potential impact of oil & gas activities in deepwater habitats
11 Operations
(>1000 m)
GMRP Appendix F
areas.
Freshwater quantity & quality around Gulf of Mexico &
relationship to health of estuary & ripple to cultural & 10 Stewardship
coastal community
Identify species selection for Gulf of Mexico aquaculture
‐Land‐based & offshore 10 Operations
‐Economics / production / genetics / etc.
As climate change is occurring (i.e. rainfall patterns,
distribution, frequency, river flows) improve understanding
9 Climate
of freshwater movement, distribution, & use ‐ past / present /
future
Hypoxia ‐ improve understanding
‐How will climate change interact in conjunction with 8 Climate
temperature, nitrogen, phosphate, & endocrine disruptors
Interaction of Loop Current with weather
‐How does it change with changes in the ocean (i.e. salinity, 8 Climate
upwelling, coastal interaction, and ocean temperature)
Research looking at hypoxic effects on ecosystems 8 Stewardship
Improve knowledge of the effects of storms (i.e. number,
7 Climate
frequency, strength, path) due to climate change
Determine what makes different habitats more resilient 6 Resilience
Improve understanding of how organisms / plants will change
with climate change (physical & geographic regions); 6 Climate
including quantify impacts of radiation effects on biota
Increase consumption / utilization of alternative energy
resources that reduce environmental impact, thus increase 6 Human
human health benefits
Local social understanding of benefits / burdens on restoration 6 Stewardship
Study impacts of natural hazards on water quality and living
6 Resilience
resources
Develop a simple and rapid method to measure contaminants
5 Human
in seafood
Improve understanding of carbon flux & implications (i.e. CO2
5 Climate
and methane)
Effect of climate change on seafood quality and safety 4 Human
Determine amount of pollutants (biological & chemical) in
3 Human
seafood within the Gulf of Mexico
How do preservation, restoration actions impact (intended and
3 Resilience
unintended) communities?
How do previous land use decisions affect careers of
community leaders, e.g. lack of regulations enforcement or 3 Resilience
positions re: limiting development
GMRP Appendix F
areas.
Improve our understanding of the spatial aspects of our health
3 Human
service resources locations / delivery in coastal areas
Research on ʺbelievableʺ scientific projections of future coastal
3 Resilience
conditions
Stimulate coastal development to maximize health &
3 Human
minimize risk
Verification of FDA Vibrio risk assessments 2 Human
Determine potential chronic health hazards / benefits due to
1 Human
the consumption of seafood, including known at‐risk groups
Quantify the rate of change of glacier & snow melt (i.e. Arctic
1 Climate
& Antarctic) & where
Enhance seafood quality with omega‐3 fatty acids 0 Human

GMRP Appendix F

Acknowledgements

of the following:

Host:
Louisiana State University‐‐Energy, Coast and Environment Building (Versa Stickle)

Louisiana Sea Grant (Chuck Wilson and Dave Nieland)

Gulf Coast Services Center (Heidi Recksiek, Tina Sanchez, and Ann Weaver)
Louisiana Sea Grant (Dave Nieland, Justin Farrell, Glen Thomas)
NASA Stennis Space Center (Jean Ellis)
NOAA Sea Grant (Kola Garber)

See appendix C.


GMRP Appendix F
Appendix A:

Louisiana State University Energy, Coast and Environment Building
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
February 26, 2008
10:00 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Workshop Agenda










GMRP Appendix F
Appendix B:

GMRP Appendix F
Appendix C:

First Last E‐mail
Affiliation
Name Name Address
Dave Ball Minerals Management Service david.ball@mms.gov
Don Baltz LSU dbaltz@lsu.edu
Ronald Becker LA Sea Grant rbecker@lsu.edu
Mark Benfield LSU Oceanography & Coastal Sciences mbenfie@lsu.edu
LSU Educational Theory, Policy, and
Pam Blanchard PamB@LSU.EDU
Practice
Harry Blanchet La. Dept. of Wildlife & Fisheries hblanchet@wlf.louisiana.gov
Kevin Boswell LSU‐ DOCS kboswe1@lsu.edu
David Bourgeois LA Sea Grant Marine Extension Program dbourgeois@agctr.lsu.edu
Rex Caffey LSU Sea Grant rcaffey@agctr.lsu.edu
Rafael Calderon The Nature Conservancy rafael_calderon@tnc.org
Q. Jim Chen LSU qchen@lsu.edu
Jim Cowan LSU jhcowan@lsu.edu
Doug Daigle CREST Program dougdaigle@gmail.com
Todd Davison NOAA Gulf Coast Services Center todd.davison@noaa.gov
Michele Deshotels Louisiana CPRA Implementation Team michele.deshotels@la.gov
Douglas Drennan Aquaculture Systems Tech, LLC douglas@beadfilters.com
Eurico D’Sa Louisiana State University ejdsa@lsu.edu
James Ebeling Aquaculture Systems Technology, LLC James@Beadfilters.com
Jean Ellis* NASA Stennis Space Center jean.t.ellis@nasa.gov
Brooks Ellwood Louisiana State University ellwood@lsu.edu
Deborah Epperson Minerals Management Service deborah.epperson@mms.gov
Roger Erickson National Weather Service roger.erickson@noaa.gov
Amanda Evans Tesla Offshore, LLC evansa@teslaoffshore.com
Mississippi State University Extension
Garen Evans gevans@ext.msstate.edu
Service
Justin Farrell* Louisiana Sea Grant jfarrell@lsu.edu
John Finley Louisiana State University jfinley@agcenter.lsu.edu
John Foret NOAA Fisheries Service john.foret@noaa.gov
Carol Franze LSU Ag Center/Sea Grant Program cfranze@agcenter.lsu.edu
Kola Garber* NOAA Sea Grant nikola.garber@noaa.gov
M. E. Betsy Garrison LSU College of Agriculture hcgarr@lsu.edu
Rusty Gaude LSU Sea Grant agaude@agcenter.lsu.edu
Linda Gauthier St. Louis King of France School lgauth1@lsu.edu
Tre Glenn MMS tre.glenn@mms.gov
Bill Graham NASA william.d.graham@nasa.gov
GMRP Appendix F
(continued)
Last E‐mail
Name Address
Louisiana Department of Natural
Bren Haase bren.haase@la.gov
Resources
Don Hayes University of Louisiana at Lafayette hayes@louisiana.edu
LSU, Department of Oceanography and
Haosheng Huang hhuang7@lsu.edu
Coastal Sciences
Thomas Hymel LA Sea Grant thymel@agctr.lsu.edu
Jack Irion MMS jack.irion@mms.gov
Kelly Knowlton SSAI Kelly.Knowlton‐1@nasa.gov
Roy Kron Louisiana Sea Grant rkron@lsu.edu
Jerome La Peyre LSU Ag Center jlapeyre@agctr.lsu.edu
Megan La Peyre USGS mlapey@lsu.edu
Paul LaRock Louisiana State University oclaro@lsu.edu
Dawn Lavoie USGS dlavoie@usgs.gov
Edward Laws Louisiana State University edlaws@lsu.edu
Brian LeBlanc LSU AgCenter/Sea Grant bleblanc@agctr.lsu.edu
Jack Losso Department of Food Science jlosso@lsu.edu
C. Greg Lutz LSU AgCenter / Sea Grant glutz@agcenter.lsu.edu
Hassan Mashriqui Louisiana State University & Sea Grant cemash@lsu.edu
Nelson May NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Nelson.May@noaa.gov
Terry McPherson NASA Applied Sciences terry.r.mcpherson@nasa.gov
Riley Milner Louisiana Geological Survey lmilne1@lsu.edu
Robert Moreau SLU‐Turtle Cove ERS rmoreau@selu.edu
Mike Murphy The Nature Conservancy mike_murphy@tnc.org
Richard Neill USDA‐NRCS richard.neill@la.usda.gov
Dave Nieland* Louisiana Sea Grant dniela@lsu.edu
Ebenezer Ogunyinka LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries eogunyinka@wlf.louisiana.gov
Paula Ouder Louisiana Sea Grant pouder@lsu.edu
Louisiana Department of Natural
James Pahl james.pahl@la.gov
Resources
Andy Patrick NOAA National Weather Service Andy.Patrick@noaa.gov
Craig Peterson NASA SSC Craig.A.Peterson@NASA.GOV
Aaron Pierce Nicholls State University aaron.pierce@nicholls.edu
Rick Raynie LDNR Coastal Restoration Richard.Raynie@LA.gov
NWS Lower Mississippi River Forecast
David Reed dave.reed@noaa.gov
Center
Amitava Roy CAMD, Louisiana State University reroy@lsu.edu
Lawrence Rozas NOAA Fisheries Service SEFSC lawrence.rozas@noaa.gov
GMRP Appendix F
(continued)
Last E‐mail
Name Address
Louisiana Universities Marine
Paul W. Sammarco psammarco@lumcon.edu
Consortium (LUMCON)
Tina Sanchez* NOAA Gulf Coast Services Center tina.sanchez@noaa.gov
Kevin A. Savoie LSU AgCenter/Sea Grant ksavoie@agcenter.lsu.edu
Mark Schexnayder LA Sea Grant mschexnayder@agcenter.lsu.edu
Warren Schulingkamp Louisiana Geological Survey warrenii@lsu.edu
Martha Segura NPS Gulf Coast Network martha_segura@nps.gov
Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant
Steve Sempier* stephen.sempier@usm.edu
Consortium
Richard Shaw LSU rshaw@lsu.edu
Mark Shirley LA Sea Grant mshirley@agcenter.lsu.edu
Patricia Skinner LSU AgCenter and Sea Grant Extension pskinner@agcenter.lsu.edu
Bob Stewart UL Lafayette bob_stewart@louisiana.edu
John Supan LA Sea Grant College Program jsupan@lsu.edu
Glenn Thomas* Louisiana State University gthomas@lsu.edu
R. Eugene Turner Louisiana State University euturne@lsu.edu
Thomas Van Biersle LGS‐LSU tvanbier@lsu.edu
Jenneke Visser Louisiana State University comvss@lsu.edu
Michael Wascom, JD Dept. of Env. Studies, LSU coewas@lsu.edu
Chuck Wilson* LA Sea Grant cwilson@lsu.edu
Maurice Wolcott LA Sea Grant mwolcott@agctr.lsu.edu
Jun Xu LSU yjxu@lsu.edu


GMRP Appendix F

Workshop Report

Biloxi, Mississippi
on
January 17, 2008

63
Background

provides the results from the workshop at the Mississippi State University Coastal Research and Extension
Center.


areas.

areas.



GMRP Appendix F
Mississippi Workshop Report 64




GMRP Appendix F

Research Needs


Measure of valuation of depletable/renewable resources
8
(ecosystem services)
Impact of reduced freshwater/sediment discharge on
7
northern Gulf estuaries
Model impact of sea‐level rise on coastal habitat/fauna/flora
7
and humans
Threshold of quantity and quality of habitat for sustainable
7
populations
Comparative analysis of freshwater and marine influence
systems (abiotic and biotics) as they respond to natural 6
and anthropogenic effects
Examine tradeoff between cultural gains and losses vs.
6
economic/ecological gains
New dynamic modeling that addresses non‐equilibrium
6
ecosystems resiliency
Synergistic impact of multiple stressors on ecosystems
6
(Investigate natural + anthropogenic)
Interaction of habitat degradation modification upon
4
behavior and distribution of biota
Large scale ecosystem thresholds/regime change‐
4
replacement (ecosystem change)
Impact of invasive species and associated management
3
strategies on ecosystem services

GMRP Appendix F

Information Needs

 Better data on marine species migration patterns
 How to better utilize riverine discharge
 Approach all research with a long‐term appreciation
o What is the underlying natural foundation
 Research needs to account for major changes in the future rather than assume present


 Educate public on our own resources and their importance to the economy
 Need better coordination of management operations
 Conflict resolution between research vs. policy, i.e. MS River management
 Understand that coastal systems are dynamic
GMRP Appendix F

Research Needs


Develop model of what a successful resilient community is
‐Are there three or four elements in reconstruction plan
that are essential?
‐Transportation vs. schools
‐What needs to be in place before so that it comes back
quickly (design of community)
‐Hazards
‐Hurricanes—wind and surge
17
‐Drought
‐Flood
‐Sea‐level rise
‐Saltwater intrusion/canals
‐Fire
‐Urban/rural interface
‐Research into rebound from natural or man‐induced
hazards
Economic research into whether it costs more to harden
utilities (bury power lines) than to bring crews in after
the storm
‐How to make structures survive? 9
‐How much will it cost in 30 years if community is still
using existing infrastructure?
What are the cultural and demographic broad differences in
how people view place and resiliency?
‐How do these differences affect community resiliency?
‐Traditions? 9
‐How does age/gender/economic affect resiliency?
‐How much do these affect decisions to stay?
‐Why evacuate or donʹt?
Do formal or informal communications work better in certain
situations? 7
‐Church response vs. Red Cross
In communities which are more resilient
‐Is there a connection to education?
‐How much does community invest? 6
‐What subjects?
GMRP Appendix F

Insurance – makes it harder to come back
‐What are the business aspects
‐Commercial vs. government products 6
‐What is the water dependency of those?
Which is the best wetland habitat remediation strategy?
‐Buffers, reduction of existing problem 5
‐How successful projects will be
Have tidal datums reflected sea‐level rise? If so, what is the
cause? 4
‐Subsidence?
What are the regional differences in response, and why? 4
What could we replace abandoned areas with to make things
3
work better next time?
How demographics or religious or value systems of
2
community affect ability of community to respond?
How do community dynamics play into the response to
2
hazards?
If put more water into wetlands, will it cause more algal
blooms? 2
‐Can wetlands even absorb additional water?
What approach do we take—education, regulation,
2
incentives?
How do people learn about their homes and flood/hazard
1
risk?
How high comfort level affects response? 1
Hypoxia could affect how economically viable community is 1
Are communities at risk from earthquakes and tsunamis? 0
Are there differences in first responders? Do some things
work better? 0
‐E.g., Coast Guard vs. Red Cross
Determine develop evaluation technique for individual sites
0
to determine best strategy
Freshwater resources 0
How do you determine what is the best look
0
(historical/natural) for the location?
How do you get nutrients out of river? 0
How solid is the communications system? 0
How do fisheries systems rebound? 0
If we changed government policies, would more people stay?
0
Should they?

GMRP Appendix F

Other hazards
‐Drought
‐Hypoxia 0
‐Fisheries
Should first responders invest in connections to churches? 0
What impact will sea‐level rise have on local communities?
0
‐How do you communicate that?
What is in place that works well?
0
‐Combined with demographics
What procedures need to be in place? 0
What was the response of the bulkheads? 0
Why would Salvation Army or Red Cross have different
0
levels of success in different areas?

Information Needs

 Develop model of what a successful resilient community is
 Economic research into costs of hardening infrastructure versus continuing with existing and
rebuilding after
 Have tidal datums in Gulf detected a rise in sea levels? If so, why?
 How do demographics of a community affect how the community responds?
 How does the insurance situation (commercial vs. government policies) affect resilience of
community?
 Is there a link between investment in education and community resilience?
 Research into how formal and informal communication come into play and which works better and
when
 Which approach—education, regulation, incentives—is more effective in increasing resiliency?
 Which is the best habitat remediation technique to increase resiliency?


 Education
 Insurance
o Government policies
o Enabling risk
 Resiliency index
 State and local incentives to developers to build better mandates
 Tie tidal datums together across Gulf

GMRP Appendix F


Research Needs


Impact of next (e.g., super Panama) shallow draft vessels on
6
coastal land and waterborne environments and transport
Study impact of shallow water dredging for small marinas
on water quality, SED, transport, and circulation
6
Research on non‐dredging and sediment management in
ports and channels
Research on environmental/economic impacts of marine
4
aquaculture in Gulf of Mexico region
What are attributes of a resilient port? 4
Air/water quality advantages of marine transportation 3
Baseline study of aquatic species in major ports/waterways
‐Need to study and define boundaries between marine and
inland waters and the various environmental prediction
systems that apply to them
3
‐Regional impacts of land/water use on the marine
environment
‐Research needed in improved dredging and construction
(illegible) and management practices
Economic/cultural impacts of a working waterfront
3
community to regional economics
How much waterfront is required for necessary marine
operations (how much, what type, and where) and 3
impacts?
Assessment of unmanned vehicles (air/surface/underwater),
2
machine operations, and research on homeland security
Impact of shoreline changes on marine operations 2
Quantitative relationships of the biotic effects of sediments 2
Beneficial uses and other issues concerned with dredged
1
material management
Baseline acoustic survey of marine mammals in Gulf of
0
Mexico
Inventory economic/environmental impacts of all Gulf of
0
Mexico marine industries

GMRP Appendix F

Information Needs

 Inventory of marine establishments/services/operations in the Gulf of Mexico (GIS)
o Aquaculture/seafood/fisheries
o Transport/shipping
o Recreational
o Government operations
o Economic impact
o Water/non‐water dependent


 Need for marine information systems in inland waters (AIS)
 Regional (Gulf of Mexico) strategic maritime business plan
GMRP Appendix F

Research Needs


‐Changes in demographics building in coastal areas ‐ lack of
insurance, etc.
‐Affects of changing insurance rates on population
demographics ‐ upstate as well
‐Predict long‐term changes in commerce/industrial
centers/shipping changes due to SL change and
potential locations
‐Watershed development, coastal metabolism, acidification Did not
and climate, AL and barriers to marsh migration vote
‐Social economic impacts of climate change and sea‐level
change
‐Population dynamics
‐Infrastructure (large vs. individual home)
‐Demographic shifts
‐Coastal resilience
‐Commerce changes
‐Possible change in species distribution with climate change
in currents/temp change/freshwater influx
‐Effects on fisheries stocks/populations/habitats
‐Measures of actual sea‐level change air and water temps in
local areas over time and applications to better predict
‐Investigate pedagogical techniques to better educate public
Did not
and principal officials to be concerned with long‐term
vote
changes as opposed to anomalous events about climate
change and coastal ocean ecosystems
‐Rates of elevation changes in marshes & reasons for change
(subsidence, plate tectonics)
‐Basic background ‐ is climate change human induced?
‐Measure changes in ocean surface temps

GMRP Appendix F

Understanding processes and effect on coastal
marshes/upland areas over time ‐ trade‐offs
‐Response of marshes to SL change
‐With climate change
‐Barrier island
‐Elevations
‐SL change
‐Response of marshes to severe storms Did not
‐Barriers to marsh migration vote
‐Rates elevation change
‐Hydrology
‐Response of marshes CO2 uptake by marsh plants and
what means to ecosystems‐marsh elevation
‐Ability of marshes to migrate w/SL change
‐Loss of marsh and effect of ability to buffer &
filter pollutants
‐Carbon cycling effects/sources/sinks‐GOM
‐Phytoplankton & bacterial dynamics
‐Acidification (physical processes/biological effects) ocean
uptake of CO2
‐Impact of climate change on patterns that disperse larvae
‐Sea level change and working waterfronts Did not
‐Applications to better predict climate change in GOM vote
especially. using NASA data) MODUS and other satellite
info
‐Extrapolate long‐term impacts of SL change on
infrastructure of coastal communities ‐ increase structural
resiliency
‐Impact of watershed development & sea‐level changes on
coastal receiving waters & ability to deal with CO2 as
result of nutrient inputs & cascade impacts for tradeoffs Did not
for coastal climate vote
‐Impacts of more severe storms & SL change on shallow
aquifers (hydrology) in coastal area
GMRP Appendix F

Information Needs

 Habitat maps for the region‐terrestrial/aquatic/marine
 Hydrodynamic models ‐ sub‐regional levels
 Local subsidence rates across region
 Enhance information networks


 Education/outreach on sea level change
 Incorporate science/models into local building codes
 Communicate science as changes to changing municipal officials
 Incorporate Implement smart growth policies
GMRP Appendix F

Research Needs


Determining impacts of near coastal development 8
Eutrophication/nutrients/hypoxia 8
Habitat loss and effects on major fish species (coastal marsh
loss), changes in amount/quality of habitat—impacts 7
on fish, etc.
Better ecosystem‐scale models (habitat‐species connections
6
(e.g., seabirds and sea turtle nesting habitats)
Develop appropriate indicators of ecosystem health for
coastal/marine systems
‐Indicator species need to be ones that can be studied in 6
large numbers (rare/endangered not good candidates)
Human manipulation including changing timing of
6
freshwater inflows—impacts (e.g., oysters)
Marine debris 6
Research what variables need to be monitored and mapped
6
to support ecosystem/scale work
Invasive species—pathways, prevention, and control
‐Invasive jellyfish in Gulf
‐Lionfish may be headed here
‐Understanding changes in plant communities and how 5
Impacts ecosystem functions/services
‐Changing community structure of benthos too
‐Changes in particle size/inorganics
Impacts of commercial trawling and recreational fisheries on
‐The fisheries 4
‐The larger ecosystem (e.g., bottom)
Research on restoration techniques
‐What works for stability of projects?
‐What leads to greatest function? 4
‐Effective for mitigation
Harmful algal blooms—subsurface
‐Formation and inshore/offshore transport
‐Human health concerns
‐Shellfish 3
‐Sea grass
‐Marine mammal die‐offʹs
GMRP Appendix F

Human perceptions
3
‐Nutrients
Boating (commercial and recreational) increasing wave
energy/wakes, causing erosion/need for armoring
(understudied) 2
Impacts of boat traffic (e.g., on marine mammals, birds, sea
grass)
Economic valuation of habitats (e.g., marsh) and economic
2
impacts of habitat losses
Effects of armored shorelines vs. natural 2
Offshore mariculture—how impacts ecosystem 2
Research into why existing laws to protect marine/coastal
resources aren’t being effective (e.g., loopholes, lack of 2
enforcement)
Organismic health and disease (e.g., coral or sea urchin die‐
1
off’s—learn a lot from these processes)
Remote sensing research (understanding the signal) 1
Study bottlenose dolphins in Gulf bays, sounds, and
estuaries (unique groups with unique behaviors/cultures) 1
Connections between nearshore and offshore areas, and
0
between watersheds (need for interdisciplinary research)
Eutrophication/nutrient inputs—how effects ecosystem
0
health
How are human pathogens in seafood modified by
0
ecosystem conditions, habitat/species interactions, etc.
Research origin of marine debris 0
Role of seabirds and sea turtles in the ecosystem (e.g., habitat
0
needs, impacts on other species)
Coastal hypoxia—effects on biogeochemistry of estuaries 0
Effects of marine debris on ecosystems (habitats and species) 0
Essential fish habitat, connections to water quality 0
Freshwater inflow and timing 0
Human perceptions and understanding of ecosystem health
and change
‐Research into how to effectively change behavior 0
‐How to interest folks who don’t live on the coast
Human perceptions of and understanding of nutrient input
(why need to follow fertilizer instructions) 0
Research why messages about/enforcement of marine debris
0
laws haven’t been effective

GMRP Appendix F

Information Needs

 Begin with inventory of existing research (before can truly know what research priorities are)
 Monitoring of coastal hypoxia—need regional assessment to understand magnitude of problem
 Regional coordination of sea grass mapping/EFH mapping


 Cash reward for recycling (instead of throwing overboard)
 Hard to enforce marine litter/debris laws
 Include Cuba and Mexico in Gulf of Mexico ecosystem work
 Marine mammals a good way to involve and interest the public
 More conservation of natural systems vs. mitigation restoration
 Need education about ecosystem health and change and the role of people
 Teacher workshops for inland teachers to share coastal/marine info
 Trash in Gulf of Mexico indicates connection with inland

GMRP Appendix F

Research Needs


Vibrio – in seafood
‐Understand transport sources, process of contamination
‐Understand natural history, role, how humans facilitate
5
roles to risk
‐Is it emerging threat?
‐How do humans facilitate risk?
New products?
‐Drugs
‐Bio‐sensors/source tracking
‐Micro‐arrays
‐Bio‐remediation 4
‐Bio‐materials
‐Sustainable as products
‐Various molecular probes
‐Bio
What are the best/new methods to process public seafood to
4
decontaminate for consumption?
How to educate citizens as to good stewardship related to
3
water quality and potential human health risks?
Industrial discharge impacts on human health and
3
proliferation of harmful organisms
Understand biodiversity of the Gulf of Mexico to identify
2
new products
What are economic impacts to human health from pathogen
2
contamination?
What environmental conditions mediate biochemistry?
2
Production of natural products?
What is natural history of potentially harmful organisms
environmental attributes, risks, and impacts (Harmful
Algal Blooms (HAB’s), virus, bacteria)? 2
‐Modeling
‐Bloom dynamics
How do large‐scale climate change and hurricanes affect:
‐Genetics? 1
‐Epidemiology?
How do oil spills impact health of environment and humans? 1

GMRP Appendix F

Bird migration path and risk from avian flu, what diseases
are transported by migratory birds and how climate 0
change and human development impacts routes
Develop micro array for detection of beneficial and harmful
0
organisms
Drugs from sea, biosensors 0
Effluent release practices affect pathogen concentration and
0
spatial distribution
Epidemiological studies on impacts of bloom, virus
0
pathogens, quantify risk
Gain a better understanding of genetic controls and
0
gene expression
How do different levels of wastewater treatment affect
0
pathogen concentrations?
How do large‐scale events, such as climate change and
hurricanes affect human exposure to pathogens?
‐Pathogen concentrations/prevalence
‐Bloom dynamics 0
‐Bird migration (avian flu)
‐Tropical disease
How to educate/awareness of risks of eating contaminated
seafood 0
‐Public and health care providers
Increase seafood consumption education 0
Model harmful algal blooms and Vibrio ‐ creation of bloom
0
dynamics
Quantify/investigate risk of tropical disease migrating due to
0
climate change
Understand environmental factors that cause harmful algal
0
blooms and Vibrio virulence
What are new sources of bio‐remediation bacteria material? 0
What are best/alternate indicators for virus pathogens and
0
how can pathogens be linked to sources?
What are human health impacts from hurricanes ‐ large‐scale
0
events?
What are the roles of different sources? 0

GMRP Appendix F

Information Needs

 Deep sea harvesting technology
 Generate baseline for many microorganisms
 Identify contaminant sources associated with large‐scale events
 Need observing systems ‐ presence, abundance, location & environmental conditions, and
baseline oceanographic info
 Vibrio baseline data


 Encourage application of source tracking technology in Gulf of Mexico
 Encourage multi‐disciplinary research & approaches
 Need a better‐informed public related to pathogens
GMRP Appendix F


research topic.



Socioeconomic impacts of climate change and sea level change on:
‐Population dynamics
‐Infrastructure (large scale versus individual homes)
32 Climate
‐Demographic shifts
‐Coastal resilience
‐Commerce/shipping centers and needs‐changes
Changes in habitat quantity and quality‐‐impacts on fish species,
28 Ecosystem
etc. (all marine organisms)
Understand processes, effects, and trade‐offs of climate change on
coastal and upland areas over time, including
‐Barrier islands
‐Elevations
28 Climate
‐Sea level change
‐Barriers to marsh migration
‐Rates of elevation change
‐Hydrology
Develop model of what a successful resilient community is 27 Resilience
Eutrophication/Nutrients
‐Impacts on ecosystem health 22 Ecosystem
‐Coastal hypoxia and its impacts
Research into shallow‐water dredging and non‐dredging sediment
management and impacts on water quality, sediment transport, 21 Operations
and circulation
Economic/cultural/intrinsic impacts of working waterfront
20 Operations
communities (value‐added perspective)
GMRP Appendix F
areas.
Human manipulation of freshwater inflows (amount and timing)
19 Ecosystem
impacts on resources (e.g. oysters)
Measure of valuation of depleted/renewable resources
19 Stewardship
(ecosystem services)
Research on environmental/economic impacts of marine
19 Operations
aquaculture in Gulf of Mexico
Better ecosystem‐scale models showing habitat‐species connections
17 Ecosystem
(e.g. sea birds’ and sea turtles’ nesting habitat)
Examine tradeoff between cultural gains and losses versus
17 Stewardship
economic/ecological gains and losses
Impacts of next‐generation, shallow‐draft PANAMAX (post) super‐
containers on land/water transport and environments 17 Operations
(inland too)
Impact of reduced freshwater/sediment discharge on northern Gulf
16 Stewardship
estuaries
What new products can be discovered/developed to serve as:
drugs, bio‐sensors/source tracking, micro‐arrays, bio 16 Human
remediation, bio‐materials, molecular probes?
How do large scale events, such as climate change and hurricanes
affect exposure to pathogens, pathogen concentrations
14 Human
(prevalence, bloom dynamics, bird migration (avian flu), and
tropical disease?
What are the affects of industrial discharge on human health and
14 Human
proliferation of harmful organisms?
Economic research into cost of hardening infrastructure versus
12 Resilience
maintaining existing and rebuilding after
Study thresholds of quantity and quality of habitats for sustainable
12 Stewardship
populations
Baseline study of aquatic invasive species (AIS) in major
11 Operations
ports/waterways
Marine Debris
‐Research on origins
‐Research on why education and enforcement of laws haven’t 11 Ecosystem
been effective
‐Effects on ecosystems (habitats, species)
New dynamic models that address non‐equilibrium systems
11 Stewardship
(models that don’t assume some “natural”/steady state)
GMRP Appendix F
areas.
Changes in species distribution with climate change, changes in
currents, temperature change, and freshwater influx, and their 10 Climate
effects on fisheries stocks, populations, and habitats
How do demographics of community affect how the community
10 Resilience
responds?
Potentially harmful organisms‐What is natural history,
environmental attributes, risks, impacts, bloom dynamics, 10 Human
genetics, epidemiology, modeling
Develop appropriate indicators of ecosystem health for
9 Ecosystem
coastal/marine systems
Research which variables need to be monitored and mapped to
8 Ecosystem
support ecosystem‐scale work
Study synergistic impact of multiple stressors on ecosystems 8 Stewardship
Determining impacts of near coastal development 7 Ecosystem
Invasive species (e.g. jellyfish in Gulf, lionfish may enter Gulf)
‐Research pathways, prevention and control techniques
7 Ecosystem
‐Research changes in communities (plant communities, benthos)
and how these changes impact the ecosystem
What attributes comprise a resilient port? Green port? 7 Operations
Comparative analysis of freshwater and marine influenced systems
(abiotic and biotic) as they respond to natural and 6 Stewardship
anthropogenic effects
Investigate techniques to better educate the public and municipal
6 Climate
officials about climate change and coastal ocean ecosystems
Which approach—education, regulation, incentives—is more
6 Resilience
effective in increasing resiliency?
What are anthropogenic forcing on pathogen concentrations,
5 Human
bloom dynamics and factors that affect them?
How does the insurance make‐up of community (self‐insured,
4 Resilience
commercial, fed.) affect resiliency?
How much/where/what type of ‘water front’ is necessary/required
4 Operations
for marine operations? (10, 25, 50, 100 years)
Impacts of marine energy development (air, nuclear) on marine
4 Operations
environment
Measures of actual sea level change and changes in air and water
surface temperatures in local areas over time. Determine 4 Climate
applications to better predict these factors
Model impacts of sea‐level rise on coastal habitat, flora/fauna,
4 Stewardship
and humans
GMRP Appendix F
areas.
Conduct research into formal and informal communications
network to determine which works better and in what 3 Resilience
situations
Is there a link between education and resiliency? 3 Resilience
What are best/new methods to ensure seafood safety? 3 Human
Air/water quality advantage of marine transportation (e.g. short‐
2 Operations
sea shipping, or container on‐barge)
How do we educate stakeholders regarding health risks from
2 Human
contaminated seafood and water quality; good stewardship?
Watershed development, coastal metabolism/acidification,
2 Climate
and climate
Have tidal datums in Gulf detected rise in sea level? If so, what is
1 Resilience
the reason?
What is the biodiversity and environmental conditions of the Gulf
1 Human
that relate to production of natural products?
What are the economic impacts to human health from pathogen
0 Human
contamination?
What is the best habitat remediation strategy to increase resiliency? 0 Resilience

GMRP Appendix F

Acknowledgements

of the following:

Host:
Mississippi State University Coastal Research and Extension Center (Mary Dikes and Dave Burrage)

Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant Consortium (LaDon Swann, Kay Bruening, John Grigsby, Melissa Schneider,
and Loretta Leist)

Gulf Coast Services Center (Heidi Recksiek and Tina Sanchez)
Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant Consortium (Lou D’Abramo, Stephanie Showalter, and Jody Thompson)
Northern Gulf Institute (Michael Carron)

See appendix C.

GMRP Appendix F
Appendix A:

Mississippi State University Coastal Research and Extension Center
Biloxi, Mississippi
January 17, 2008
10:00 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Workshop Agenda




11:00‐Noon Identify Research Topics within Themes (breakout group)

Noon‐12:15 Break and Pick‐up Lunches

12:15‐1:30 Refine and Prioritize Research Topics—working lunch (breakout group)




GMRP Appendix F
Appendix B:

GMRP Appendix F
Appendix C:

First Last E‐mail
Affiliation
Name Name Address
Becky Allee NOAA Gulf Coast Services Center becky.allee@noaa.gov
Ron Becker Louisiana Sea Grant rbecker@lsu.edu
Gary Beeler NOAA/NWS gary.beeler@noaa.gov
Patrick Biber University of Southern Mississippi patrick.biber@usm.edu
John F. Bowie EPA Gulf of Mexico bowie.john@epa.gov
Cecil Burge The University of Southern Mississippi cecil.burge@usm.edu
Ruth Carmichael Dauphin Island Sea Lab rcarmichael@disl.org
Michael Carron* Northern Gulf Institute MCarron@NGI.MSState.edu
Just Cebrian Dauphin Island Sea Lab jcebrian@disl.org
Julia Cherry University of Alabama julia.cherry@ua.edu
Sandy Chesnut MS Department of Marine Resources sandy.chesnut@dmr.ms.gov
Hyun
Cho Jackson State University hyun.j.cho@jsums.edu
Jung
Lou DʹAbramo* Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant Consortium LDAbramo@CFR.MsState.Edu
Dale Diaz Mississippi Dept. of Marine Resources dale.diaz@dmr.ms.gov
Kevin Dillon USM‐GCRL kevin.dillon@usm.edu
Justin Farrell Louisiana Sea Grant jfarrell@lsu.edu
Rose Fletcher Science Systems and Applications, Inc Rose.M.Fletcher@nasa.gov
Lynn Francis University of Mississippi lfrancis@olemiss.edu
Richard Fulford University of Southern Mississippi Richard.Fulford@usm.edu
Marco Giardino NASA marco.j.giardino@nasa.gov
Callie Hall NASA callie.m.hall@nasa.gov
William Hawkins University Southern Mississippi william.hawkins@usm.edu
Read Hendon USM Gulf Coast Research Laboratory read.hendon@usm.edu
Sharon Hodge Northern Gulf Institute – MSU shodge@ngi.msstate.edu
Eric Hoffmayer GCRL‐University of Southern Mississippi eric.hoffmayer@usm.edu
Joe Jewell MS Dept. of Marine Resources joe.jewell@dmr.ms.gov
Stephen Jordan USEPA Gulf Ecology Division jordan.steve@epa.gov
Tae‐goun Kim Mississippi State University tk136@msstate.edu
Debora Ladner Jackson State University dcbladner@yahoo.com
Grant Larsen MS Dept of Marine Resources grant.larsen@dmr.ms.gov
Loretta Leist Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant Consortium loretta.leist@usm.edu
Ted Mason NASA SSC ted.j.mason@nasa.gov
Chris May MDMR – Grand Bay NERR chris.may@dmr.ms.gov
Bill McAnally Mississippi State University mcanally@cee.msstate.edu
Tom McIlwain USM/GCRL tom.mcilwain@usm.edu
Tim McLean University of Southern Mississippi timothy.mclean@usm.edu
David McShane NOAA’s National Weather Service david.mcshane@noaa.gov
Tina Miller‐Way Dauphin Island Sea Lab tmiller‐way@disl.org
Jack Moody Mississippi Development Authority jmoody@mississippi.org
GMRP Appendix F
(continued)
Last E‐mail
Name Address
Keith Mullin NOAA NMFS Keith.D.Mullin@noaa.gov
Dave Nieland Louisiana Sea Grant dniela@lsu.edu
Corky Perret Mississippi Dept. of Marine Resources corky.perret@dmr.ms.gov
Craig Peterson NASA SSC Craig.A.Peterson@NASA.GOV
Daniel Petrolia Mississippi State University petrolia@agecon.msstate.edu
Ben Posadas MSU‐CREC benp@ext.msstate.edu
Drew Puffer EPA/Gulf of Mexico Program puffer.drew@epa.gov
Heidi Recksiek* NOAA Gulf Coast Services Center Heidi.Recksiek@noaa.gov
Jay Ritchie Northern Gulf Institute jritchie@ngi.msstate.edu
Joseph Runnels MS DMR joseph.runnels@dmr.ms.gov
David Ruple Grand bay National Estuarine Research Reserve david.ruple@dmr.ms.gov
Tina Sanchez* NOAA Gulf Coast Services Center Tina.Sanchez@noaa.gov
Steve Sempier* Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant Consortium Stephen.sempier@usm.edu
Stephanie Showalter* Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant Legal Program sshowalt@olemiss.edu
Tina Shumate MS DMR tina.shumate@dmr.ms.gov
Marc Slattery University of Mississippi/NIUST OBCR slattery@olemiss.edu
LaDon Swann* Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant Consortium swanndl@auburn.edu
Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant Extension
Jody Thompson* thomp13@auburn.edu
Program
Mark Woodrey Mississippi State University msw103@ra.msstate.edu
Joint Airborne Lidar Bathymetry Technical Jennifer.M.Wozencraft@usace.a
Jennifer Wozencraft
Center of Expertise rmy.mil
Lee Yokel GOMA‐DISL Lyokel@disl.org


GMRP Appendix F

Workshop Report

Spanish Fort, Alabama
on
January 15, 2008

91
Background

provides the results from the workshop at the 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center in Spanish Fort, Alabama.


areas.

areas.



GMRP Appendix F
Alabama Workshop Report 92




GMRP Appendix F

Research Needs


Understanding of interspecies relationships 8
‐Accurate assessment of biodiversity (ADCNE is doing?)
Economic evaluation of (hunting and fishing) outdoor
activities
6
‐(Gulf of Mexico/Coastal) Comprehensive economic
analysis of maritime related activities
Research of delivery methods and messages to get people
to change behavior related to stewardship ‐ evaluation of 6
existing programs
Assessment of which biological/environmental factors
impact status and trends
‐Pristine environment
‐Fisheries 5
‐Water quality
‐Tourism
‐Land use/development impacts
How do current cultural practices impact the
environment?
5
‐Identification of cultural practices that exist now that are
sustainable
Identification of changing land use patterns and creating
4
models to predict areas most heavily impacted
Status and trends of biological species 4
Analysis of changing patterns of resource use (fishing,
2
hunting, commercial)
Valuation of natural resources (biological, social,
2
economic, ecosystem)
Identification of tourist expectations, knowledge of
1
environment (human dimension surveys)
Analysis of human use patterns related to the resources
0
and development
Confirmative evaluation of outreach activities/programs
‐Effectiveness
0
‐Research of how to conduct effective outreach/
education programsʺ

GMRP Appendix F

Information Needs

 Inventory of natural resources
 Website portal for available technology
 Information directory


 Communicating results of research
 Branding of stewardship message
 How to address loss of revenue related to outdoor license activities
 Development of a natualist program
 Education of scientists about available technology
 Develop awareness about technology available‐‐specific interface to direct

GMRP Appendix F

Research Needs


Identify offshore sand resources for use in beach
7
nourishment/delineation
Ecosystem, living and habitat, beaches rate/ability to recover
from natural and man‐made hazards (comprehensive 6
profile and vegetative)
Rates of shoreline change due to human impact (combined
with ʺDo long‐term shoreline change rates vary between
6
natural and engineered beachesʺ for large group ranking
session)
Explore geology/topography of shoreline vulnerability/
5
potential to breach
Update surge modeling and products 5
Assess economic and social vulnerability of coastal
4
community
Improve capability and coordinate evacuation procedures for
4
emergencies
Quantify impacts of winter storm events on coastal regions 4
Develop understanding of wetland process and change along
2
Mississippi Sound
Catalog resilience best practices, evaluate what factors make
1
a city/town resilient
Determine best method (including natural alternatives) of
1
shoreline stabilization
Hurricane probability, frequency, and growth modeling,
1
looking at future development
Collect shallow water bathy data and lidar to assess
0
dunes/beaches
Detect long‐term shoreline/beach morphodynamics 0
Develop sand prioritization 0
Do long‐term shoreline change rates vary between natural
0
and engineered beaches
Investigate historical topography bathy vulnerability to
0
shoreline breach
Societal perception of hurricane impacts – people
understanding Saffir‐Simpson scale, surge predictions, 0
and perception of uniform damage
What are subsidence rates 0

GMRP Appendix F

Information Needs

 See Steve Junes for bathy data
 Accurate near‐shore wave data
 Expand bi‐annual shoreline data orthophotography collection to include Mississippi Sound and
wetlands shoreline
 High accuracy reference network
 Centralized shoreline/topography data location to facilitate research


 Improve land use planning, floodplain management, development of high risk areas
 Have sand resources pre‐identified
 Investigate access to Florida sand
 Educating citizens on reducing vulnerability/understanding of barrier island
 Evaluate evacuation policies and emergency operating plans
 Educate media on responsible storm/hazard reporting

GMRP Appendix F


Research Needs


Define establish value of working waterfront businesses
competing waterfront development on a
regional/national scale (e.g., three boat repair facilities 9
nationally for Coast Guard) to assist waterfront
development decision‐making
Economic, social, environmental/cost‐benefit analysis of
working waterfront versus residential/tourism other
6
types of development ‐ how much waterfront needed
to sustain?
Understand systems involved and develop better
management practices in maintaining navigation 6
channels
Develop data to assist waterfront business decisions
5
(locations, business expansion, etc.)
Open ocean aquaculture impacts 5
Water quality impacts on Gulf of Mexico systems,
5
including estuaries
Economic and environmental impacts of short‐water
commodity trips vs. land‐based transport (i.e., from 4
state docks to Hyundai plant)
Evaluate economic impact of dredging on
ʺnontraditionalʺ (smaller) channel and of innovative 4
methods of dredging
Impact of human development on water quality ‐
understanding water quality change based on land
4
use/land cover ‐ utilize observation systems to
determine preventative strategies
Impacts and better prediction of global warming/sea‐level
rise change on commerce and inland businesses and 4
coastal communities
Impacts of super Panamex vessels on ports,
4
transportation, and environmental quality
Develop detection methods for new non‐native species 3
Predictions on hurricanes, strength, location of strike,
3
storm surge ‐ accuracy and lead time
White paper definitions of ʺworking waterfrontsʺ across
3
US
Understanding of capacity of Gulf to meet commercial
2
and recreational fishing needs
GMRP Appendix F
Understanding of Gulf based on impacts of new
technologies related to fishing, homeland security, and 2
energy production (waves, nuclear)
Evaluate comparative impacts of shipbuilding and port
1
operations on water quality, especially stormwater
Research the translation of research data/technology to
1
applied uses (business/commerce community)
Air quality/air impact space impacts of maritime
0
operations
Analyze definition of safe harbor info, how many exist,
0
and how many are needed
Identify characteristics to determine where production
0
centers (fishing, boat‐building) should exist/expand
Identify emerging technologies for future
0
commerce/impacts
Impact of ocean/sea breezes on ozone levels over land 0
Incoming vessels and their impacts of on aquatic nuisance
0
non‐invasive species
Long term coastal change detection 0
Meteorological impact of ocean on near‐shore lands 0
Qualify study culturally diverse groups in Gulf of Mexico
0
area
Research techniques to decrease response time to
0
hazards/spills
Better prediction of sea level change and impacts on
0
coastal communities
Economic studies (ecotourism) 0
Environmental impacts of competing waterfront land uses 0
How to mitigate impacts of sand movement on shipping
0
channels ‐ better management
Impacts/benefits of energy production methods 0
Social impacts of competing waterfront land uses 0
Study less‐impact industry 0

GMRP Appendix F

Information Needs

 Modeling shipping channels
 Better tonnage reporting mechanism
 Map available safe harbors
 Low cost, real‐time observation systems
 Predictive models of hurricane strike & surge
 Model (not pure economic) to assist business decisions
 Identify safe harbors, how many exist, and how many are needed
 White paper definitions of ʺworking waterfrontsʺ across US
 Long term coastal change detection


 Regional dredging plan
 Utilize information in policy making
 Translate research into actions
GMRP Appendix F
Research Needs

How climate variability affects pollution sediment and
8
nutrient/organic composites delivery
Impacts of climate change/precipitation/salt wedge
6
hydrology on ocean/estuarine circulation
Historical reconstruction of ecosystem indicators 5
Impact of sea‐level rise on native coastal habitat 5
Impact of temperature/salinity on expanding species
5
range/invasive species/productivity (fisheries, etc.)
Research into generation of climate change scenarios 5
Has built environment effected rainfall and water
4
penetration/seawater penetration into aquifer
Impact of sea temperature/salinity on harmful algal blooms,
4
toxins, and pathogens
Impact of sea‐level rise on coastal development
3
(built environment)
Sea‐level rise and nutrient release from eroding marshes 3
Socio‐economic impact of climate change on coastal
3
communities (insurance, codes, etc.)
Impact of built environment on atmospheric circulation
2
(mesoclimate)
Positive impact of oceans on mitigating man‐made climate
2
changing factors
Predicted shifts in storm intensity/frequency and effects 2
How has/does development of coastal lands and associated
1
waterways (?) impact relative sea‐level rise, etc.
Impact of algal productivity or geochemistry on climate 1
Incorporate climate change into existing or new
1
hydrological models
Human perceptions of “status” of coastal environment,
0
land/sea interface, and change

Information Needs

 Historical baselines for comparison to climate change
o Identify, enhance, and support
o Current baseline data
o Gathering for comparisons
 Accurate topography
 Accurate subsidence

(none provided)
GMRP Appendix F

Research Needs


Hydrological issues (bullets from detailed items) 8
Identify appropriate variables needed to develop good
indicators of ecosystem health (variables for indices)
7
‐Canʹt measure everything, so what pick?
‐E.g., salinity? Indicator species?
Research most effective methods for encouraging public
participation in protecting fisheries and other natural
resources [water quality (ground and surface), habitat,
fisheries, oil, also natural resources and recreation
areas] (e.g. of methods = education, workshops, 7
volunteer opportunities, public outreach, political
lobbying, scholarships); also research types of
info/methods for communicating with decision‐
makers/officials
Nutrient loading/non‐point source 6
Better understand of success of different restoration
techniques (comparative analysis) (e.g., planting sea
oats)
5
‐How many variables play into success (which type
plants, type sediment, type slope)
‐Research technologies to improve function
Fisheries natural science (non‐economic) 5
Research into connectivity between different habitats
(e.g., upstream/downstream, wildlife corridors,
5
impacts of barriers, lateral connection between streams
and adjacent woodland habitat)
Influence of invasive species on ecosystem health 4
Stormwater management (GIS and methods) 4
Compare effectiveness of different types of artificial reef
material being deployed in the Gulf of Mexico (barges,
3
chicken transfer cages, concrete mixing drums,
concrete pyramids, bridge rubble)
Impact of human development on coastal systems,
3
specifically habitat change
Research on methods of changing human behavior; re.,
3
environment
Better predictive models to show impacts of continued
population growth on coastal ecosystems (where is the
2
tipping point for different
resources/systems/functions)
GMRP Appendix F
Research alternative institutional frameworks and
management actions (e.g., incentives/disincentives) for
2
influencing human behaviors that affect the
environment
Research mechanisms that aid in organizing, recording,
and analyzing measurements/field results – how 2
connect measurements from different states
Alternative to shoreline armoring
‐Research efficacy, economics, habitat impacts, sediment
‐Types: Bulk heading, breakwaters, living shorelines
1
alternatives
‐Use of living shoreline alternatives to armoring
(marsh, oyster)
Effects of human behavior on the coastal environment
1
(ecological impacts)
Identify metrics that can be used on a regional basis 1
Alternative costs of stormwater management—what are
right methods for doing county‐wide stormwater 0
management
Better understanding of mercury loading and
0
bioaccumulation
Determining the non‐use value of ecosystems (e.g.,
0
aesthetics) (wilderness value)
Develop models to predict impacts of nutrient non‐point
0
source pollution on coastal resources
Economic impacts resulting from changes in fish/shellfish
0
populations
Economic value of coastal habitat/delta, e.g., ecotour
0
value
Economic value of restored habitats 0
Ecosystem function of restored habitats, and research on
0
techniques to improve function
Effect of stormwater management on the coastal
0
environment
Efficacy of/cost‐benefit of different types of marine
0
protected areas
How does filling one wetland impact adjacent
0
ecosystems?
GMRP Appendix F
Impact of altered sediment circulation
‐Impacts of causeways/other structures on sediment
transport
0
‐How does restoration/engineering impact sediment
circulation
‐How does that impact oysters
Impacts of sea‐level rise on ecosystem health 0
Implications of sea‐level rise for restoration decisions 0
Lack of understanding of relationship between estuary
0
and bay
Cumulative impacts of human activities on fisheries
‐Investigating whether top‐down of bottom‐up has 0
greater impacts on fish populations
Develop predictive models of fish populations that
0
incorporate physical environment
Identify key ʺunderpinningʺ issues that are priorities for
communicating to public officials — e.g., survey 0
scientists to identify top issues
Impacts of drought on biota
0
‐Impacts reduced freshwater to estuaries
Reduced inflows due to upstream impoundments
(impacts)
0
‐Changes in amount and timing of flows
‐Changes in type of flow (surface vs. groundwater)
Role of causeways to ecological, hydrological 0
Saltwater intrusion effects on biota and resulting shift in
0
ecosystem
Understanding impacts nutrient loading on:
‐harmful algal blooms 0
‐loss of seagrass communities
What GIS information/layers do you need for stormwater
management ‐ is there an optimal way? Evaluate/study 0
different methods so can choose cost‐effective one

Information Needs

 Key underpinning issues that need to communicate to decision‐makers


 Awareness of how human waste management impacts the environment
 Government awareness/acknowledgement of importance of freshwater inflow (need for
freshwater inflow to coastal area) —issue even when isnʹt a drought

GMRP Appendix F

Research Needs


Nutrient criteria development; identify threshold levels
8
impact health
Rapid, field‐deployable standardized
tests/technology/hardware for detection of 7
contaminants/toxins and organisms
Cultivating/extract beneficial drug treatments from ocean
5
resources
Develop epidemiological tests screen pointing to trigger
5
public health response syndrome surveillance
Atmospheric deposits of contaminants like pathogens
4
‐Ballast water; people; recreational equipment
Contaminant (mercury, metals, organics/pathogens)
4
sources fate transport
Habitat alteration/nutrient transport and harmful algal
4
bloom impacts/occurrence at Gulf/estuary interface
Human‐made structures, contributions, and alterations 4
Identify sentinel species below human toxicity levels for
4
harmful agents
Impacts of iron fertilization of microalgae 4
Predictive modeling on of near‐shore waters on
4
movement of harmful algal blooms/pathogens
Surface water temperatures/salinity/pH on pathogenicity 4
Indicators for post‐harvest effects on seafood safety 2
Long‐term exposure studies on ion‐level biotoxins (below
2
management levels)
Growth conditions for maximum toxicity 0
Socioeconomic and cultural influences on risk
0
communication
Agricultural/human runoff impacts on human health 0
Develop field deployable tests for under‐processing of
0
cooked/prepared local/imported ocean products
Habitat alteration/nutrient transport at human‐made
0
structures: Canals, dead‐end canals, and reefs
GMRP Appendix F
Identify other contaminants natural/anthropological (non‐
mercury) 0
‐Identify likely sources
Identify potentially toxic microalgae and toxicity tests:
0
Field deployable
Identify rapid tests for contaminants/toxins 0
Mercury introduction/impacts
0
‐Pathogen microorganism mediated mercury processing
Mercury sources and transport 0
Stormwater management and alteration of fresh‐water
entry amount/frequency change on harmful algal 0
blooms/pathology/contaminants
Toxins/chemical/pathogen impacts inputs from
0
active/inactive oil/gas rigs

Information Needs
(none provided)


 Design educational materials programs for cross‐cultural groups
 Developing education for post‐marketing processors/shipper/retailers
 Incorporation of newly developed field deployable testing into management
 Standards and protocols for data management
 Identify manuals on toxic microalgae and digital library

GMRP Appendix F


research topic.



Nutrient Loading/Non‐Point Source Research
‐Effects of storm water & waste water management on
environment
‐Developing models to predict impacts non‐point source 23 Ecosystem
pollution on coastal resources
‐Understand nutrient loading impacts on harmful algal
blooms and on sea grass
Identify appropriate variables needed to develop good
22 Ecosystem
indicators of ecosystem health (variables for indices)
Impact of human development on water quality,
understanding water quality change based on land‐
22 Operations
use/land cover – utilize observation systems to determine
preventative strategies
Predictive modeling of near‐shore waters for transport of
22 Human
harmful algal blooms/pathogens
Assessment of which biological and environmental factors
impact status and trends of resources
21 Stewardship
‐Fisheries, water quality, tourism, development/land use
impacts
Develop rapid field‐based standardized tests for detection of
19 Human
contaminants, toxin, and organisms
GMRP Appendix F
areas.
Hydrological Issues
‐Reduced inflows due to upstream impoundments
‐Drought impacts
‐Impacts & changes in timing, amount, and type of water
18 Ecosystem
(ground water vs. surface)
‐Salt‐water intrusion effects on biota & resulting shifts in
ecosystems
‐Role of causeways in changing hydrology
Accurate assessment of biodiversity
17 Stewardship
‐Population, genetics, molecular ecology
Rates of shoreline change from human and natural impacts 16 Resilience
Impacts of temperature/salinity on expanding species
15 Climate
range/invasive species/productivity (fisheries)
Update storm surge modeling and products 15 Resilience
Impact of sea‐level rise on native coastal habitat 14 Climate
Ecosystem resiliency to natural and man‐made hazards 13 Resilience
Research of delivery methods and messages that promote
stewardship behavior change 13 Stewardship
‐Evaluation of existing programs
Cultivating/extracting beneficial drugs/treatments from ocean
11 Human
resources
Historical reconstruction of ecosystem health indicators 11 Climate
Impact of sea temperature/salinity on harmful algal blooms,
11 Climate
toxins, and pathogens
Research connectivity between different habitats (e.g.
upstream and downstream; wildlife corridors; impacts of 11 Ecosystem
barriers, streams, and adjacent habitat)
Economic, social, and environmental/cost benefit analysis of
working waterfronts vs. other types of development (how 10 Operations
much waterfront needed to sustain business)
Fisheries Research
‐Cumulative impacts of human activities on fisheries
‐Develop predictive models of fish populations that 10 Ecosystem
incorporate physical environment information (i.e., not just
information on fishing effort, population data and harvest)
Research into (generation of) climate change scenarios 10 Climate
Research most effective methods for encouraging public
participation in protecting fisheries and other natural
resources – informing decision‐makers/officials (e.g., 10 Ecosystem
education, outreach workshops, volunteer opportunities,
scholarships, lobbying)
Impacts of climate change on precipitation and
9 Climate
ocean/estuarine circulation
GMRP Appendix F
areas.
Quantify impacts of winter storm events on coastal regions 9 Resilience
Understand capacity of Gulf to meet commercial (including
open ocean aquaculture) and recreational fishing needs and 9 Operations
requirements
Establish value of competing waterfront development on a
regional/national scale to assist waterfront development 8 Operations
decision‐making
Identify characteristics and develop data to assist waterfront
business decisions, including determination of production 8 Operations
centers and needs to expand
Influence of invasive species on ecosystem health 8 Ecosystem
Contaminant sources, fate, and transport 7 Human
Storm water management – investigate different methods for
county‐wide storm water management, and identify GIS
7 Ecosystem
information/layers needed to support storm water
management
Economic evaluation of maritime and recreational activities 6 Stewardship
Evaluate economic impact of dredging on “non‐traditional”
6 Operations
(smaller) channels and innovative methods of dredging
How does climate variability affect pollution, sediments,
6 Climate
organic compounds, and nutrient delivery
How has built environment affected rainfall, water
6 Climate
penetration, and seawater penetration into aquifer
Deposition from atmospheric, ballast water, people and
5 Human
equipment
Identification of changing land‐use patterns and creating
5 Stewardship
predictive models
Identification of how current cultural practices impact the
environment 5 Stewardship
‐Sustainability of existing cultural practices
Impacts of super panamex vessels on ports, transport, and
5 Operations
environmental quality
Syndromic surveillance to trigger public health response 5 Human
Economic and environmental impacts of short‐water
commodity trips vs. land‐based transport (i.e. state 4 Operations
docks Hyundai)
Impacts of human‐made structures (on harmful algae blooms,
4 Human
pathogens, and other human health concerns)
Improve capability and coordination of emergency evacuation
4 Resilience
procedures for emergency management
GMRP Appendix F
areas.
Better Understanding of Different Restoration Techniques
(Comparative Analysis)
‐Investigate variables that impact success (sediment type, 3 Ecosystem
plant type, slope, etc.)
‐Research techniques to improve function
Identify nutrient threshold levels that impact health 3 Human
Identify offshore sand resources for use in beach nourishment 3 Resilience
Status and trends of biological species 3 Stewardship
Water quality and quantity impacts on Gulf of Mexico systems
3 Operations
(including estuaries)
Assess economic and social vulnerabilities of coastal
2 Resilience
communities
Impact of sea‐level rise on coastal development
2 Climate
(built environment)
Impacts and better prediction of sea level change on commerce
2 Operations
and inland businesses and coastal communities
Understand systems involved and develop best management
2 Operations
practices in maintaining navigational channels
Identify sentinel species for harmful agents 1 Human
Investigate historical, topographical, and bathymetric
1 Resilience
vulnerability to shoreline breach
Socioeconomic impacts of climate change on
1 Climate
coastal communities
Understanding ecosystem coupling of inland and coastal/
1 Stewardship
near‐shore environments
Effects of water temperature, salinity and pH on
0 Human
pathogenicity/virulence

GMRP Appendix F

Acknowledgements

of the following:

Host:
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Philip Hinesley, Shonda Borden, Hank Burch,
and Carl Ferraro)


Gulf Coast Services Center (Heidi Recksiek and Tina Sanchez)
Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant Consortium (Jody Thompson and Rick Wallace)
Mobile Bay National Estuary Program (Roberta Swann)
Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (Michael Shelton)

See appendix C.

GMRP Appendix F
Appendix A:

5 Rivers—Alabama’s Delta Resource Center
Spanish Fort, Alabama
January 15, 2008
10:00 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Workshop Agenda




11:00‐Noon Identify Research Topics within Themes (breakout group)

Noon‐12:15 Break and Pick‐up Lunches

12:15‐1:30 Refine and Prioritize Research Topics—working lunch (breakout group)




GMRP Appendix F
Appendix B:

GMRP Appendix F
Appendix C:

Last E‐mail
Name Address
Becky Allee NOAA Gulf Coast Services Center becky.allee@noaa.gov
Yolanda Brady Auburn University bradyyj@auburn.edu
Kelly Brinkman ALDCNR State Lands, Coastal Section kelly.brinkman@dcnr.alabama.gov
David Brommer University of Alabama dmbrommer@ua.edu
Michael Carron Northern Gulf Institute MCarron@NGI.MSState.edu
Jennifer Denson Partners for Environmental Progress jdenson@pepmobile.org
Dennis DeVries Auburn University devridr@auburn.edu
University of Florida IFAS Extension ‐
Andrew Diller apdiller@ufl.edu
Escambia County
Carol Dorsey AL Dept of Public Health caroldorsey@adph.state.al.us
Brett Dungan Alabama Working Waterfront Coalition B.Dungan@MasterMarineInc.com
Jean Ellis NASA Stennis Space Center jean.t.ellis@nasa.gov
Carl Ferraro ADCNR‐SLD‐Coastal Section carl.ferraro@dcnr.alabama.gov
Douglas Fruge US Fish & Wildlife Service doug_fruge@fws.gov
Joseph Grant NASA Stennis Space Center joseph.grant@nasa.gov
Ken Halanych Auburn University ken@auburn.edu
Candy Hansard Emerald Coast Reef Association candy@valp.net
Danny Hardin The University of Alabama‐Huntsville dhardin@itsc.uah.edu
Ronald Heveran Fairhope Environmental Board rheveran@bellsouth.net
Baldwin County Economic
Bob Higgins bhiggins@baldwineda.com
Development Alliance
Phillip Hinesley Alabama State Lands Phillip.Hinesley@dcnr.alabama.gov
Alabama Dept. of Environmental
Joie Horn MJHorn@adem.state.al.us
Management
Harvey Joanning Smart Coast; U of South Alabama joanning@iastate.edu
Stephen Jones Geological Survey of Alabama sjones@gsa.state.al.us
Bethany Kraft Alabama Coastal Foundation bkraft@joinacf.org
Russell Ladd Mobile Bay NEP deltarliii@aol.com
Hugh MacIntyre Dauphin Island Sea Lab hmacintyre@disl.org
Herb Malone AL Gulf Coast CVB hmalone@gulfshores.com
Joanne McDonough jmcdonough@gulfshores.com
Extension
Behzad Mortazavi Dauphin Island Sea Lab bmortazavi@ua.edu
Jim Nienow Valdosta State University jnienow@valdosta.edu
Kenneth Odom USGS krodom@usgs.gov
Julie Olson University of Alabama jolson@bama.ua.edu
Steve Perry The FORUM sperry@hdaissues.com
Craig Peterson NASA Stennis Space Center Craig.A.Peterson@NASA.GOV
Scott Phipps Weeks Bay NERR scott.phipps@dcnr.alabama.gov
Hal Pierce NEP CAPTHAL1@aol.com
Akshinthala Prasad Florida State University Prasad@bio.fsu.edu
GMRP Appendix F
(continued)
Last E‐mail
Name Address
Heidi Recksiek* NOAA Gulf Coast Services Center Heidi.Recksiek@noaa.gov
Tina Sanchez* NOAA Gulf Coast Services Center Tina.Sanchez@noaa.gov
Elizabeth Sanders Downtown Mobile Alliance esanders@downtownmobile.org
Neil Sass Alabama Dept of Public Health nsass@adph.state.al.us
Steve Sempier* Stephen.sempier@usm.edu
Consortium
Jason Senkbeil University of Alabama jcsenkbeil@bama.ua.edu
Michael Shelton* Weeks Bay NERR/ADCNR/SLD michael.shelton@dcnr.alabama.gov
Homer Singleton Wolf Bay Watershed Watch
Roberta Swann* Mobile Bay National Estuary Program rswann@mobilebaynep.com
LaDon Swann* swanndl@auburn.edu
Consortium
Jody Thompson* thomp13@auburn.edu
Extension Program
John Valentine Dauphin Island Sea Lab jvalentine@disl.org
Mark Van Hoose ADCNR/MRD mark.vanhoose@dcnr.alabama.gov
Chris Verlinde FL Sea Grant Extension chrismv@ufl.edu
Rick Wallace* wallark@auburn.edu
Extension Program
PJ Waters waterph@acesag.auburn.edu
Extension Program
GMRP Appendix F

Workshop Report

St. Petersburg, Florida
on
February 19, 2008

116
Background

provides the results from the workshop at the USGS Florida Integrated Science Center, St. Petersburg,
Florida.


areas.

areas.



GMRP Appendix F
Florida Workshop Report 117




GMRP Appendix F

Research Needs


Effectiveness of education about these resources and examine
9
our methodology
Understand connectivity of related fisheries species from
8
coastal habitats across shelf to shelf edge habitat
Economic value / costs of restoration, habitat, ecological
6
benefits
Understand habitat change over time ‐ what is and isnʹt
6
sustainable
Understand resource / fisheries abundance ‐ historic
sustainability and current abundance ‐ what is 6
sustainable?
What are the options from (snapper / grouper) labor
dynamics and alternatives for fishing communities, 6
socioeconomic impact of managing fisheries?
Connectivity of offshore hard bottom areas throughout the
Gulf of Mexico “Islands in the Stream” concept (species 5
specific)
Determine nourishment effects/timing and recovery on
effective affected habitats/benthic and physical ocean 5
acoustic
Look at historical, current, and future impacts of oil and gas
industry on biodiversity; effect of oil and gas pipeline 5
structure, both active and not
Understand habitat connectivity to help manage fisheries;
5
how fisheries use connecting habitats
Physical and ecological comparisons of shoreline
4
stabilization > natural versus hard armor
Devise efficient and effective methods to map oyster reefs;
3
intertidal and subtidal, preferably in 3‐D
Understand fisheries potential, sustainability, and potential
impacts on deep water reefs and shelf edge reefs
3
‐What are the impacts of fishing it/harvesting?
‐What is there, what is the fishing potential?
GMRP Appendix F
Resources” breakout group and voting results from the breakout group voting session.
Biotic and abiotic effects of fire suppression of coastal scrub
2
(bird nesting > invertebrates) versus watershed
Ecosystem services and value to guide management;
evaluate habitat restoration benefit over time given sea‐ 2
level rise
Marine debris eradication and what is safe to leave or not 2
Study of sound in water and impacts to species (human
2
sounds)
Understand and assess status of deepwater and mesopelagic
2
zones and shelf beds/reefs
Biochemical impacts on species (i.e., toxicology) 1
Impact of fisheries on communities (reduce gear impacts) 1
Impacts to species biodiversity from anthropological and
1
natural impacts ‐ shifting baselines
Methods to fill assess the status of data limited fisheries 1
Near shore current patterns as conduits for connectivity 1
Retreat patterns of inter and subtidal habitats with SLR and
1
how people are using coastal resources
Cost of switching gear versus value to ecosystem 0
Determine vulnerable species to manage ecosystem 0
How effective are gear modifications? 0
Look at values of socio‐economic classes positions and look
0
how that translates to action
Relationship between location, abundance, and human use of
0
the resource
Water column on west Florida shelf interaction between
0
surface, pelagic, and benthic/trophic zones
Cedar Key interaction between near shore, open ocean, and
0
watershed
Effect of leaving platforms as artificial reefs ‐ habitats,
function, biodiversity, etc. (before and after it has been 0
abandoned)
Historic habitat and determine what is sustainable > do we
determine sustainability based on now or then shifting 0
baselines
Interactions between trophic zones 0

GMRP Appendix F

Information Needs

 Big Bend of Florida ‐ need to know more
 Cost versus benefit of fishing gear modifications
 Economic information about ecosystem services
 Economic value / cost
 Effectiveness of education and outreach
 Impact of managing fisheries
 Map oyster reefs throughout Gulf of Mexico
 Values of socio‐economic positions
 Depth/water column
 From watershed across shelf to edge habitat & species ‐ snapper/grouper
 Long shore around Gulf of Mexico


 Educate human reference points
 Large scale mapping efforts
GMRP Appendix F

Research Needs


Several topics combined for voting:
‐Economic study of tourism on community resiliency
relative vulnerability of various classes of tourism‐‐
interdependency
‐Economic study of coastal development. True cost versus
benefits. Who pays? Cross‐subsidies, health costs, social
costs. 9
‐Economic study of fisheries and recreational/commercial
fisheries‐‐an economic model of recovery/resiliency of
fisheries‐‐health/marine debris
‐Improve storm surge modeling‐‐finer scale topo / bathy
‐The impacts of sea‐level rise on surge modeling and
decisions based on modeling
Storm surge and wind force/speed
‐Energy dissipation associated with various tree types
‐Ecosystems, built environment, land use (how the loss of
5
these systems impact) and its mitigation benefits
‐Study the true value of ecosystems on storm mitigation‐‐
the economics of ecosystem services
Critical Infrastructure
‐Bridge design‐‐Performance in hydrodynamic conditions.
(e.g. Ivan‐damage. How transportation system would
4
perform)
‐Port facilities‐‐Engineering design research. Ports as critical
facilities. (e.g. Tampa petroleum services)
Behavioral science hurricane evacuation. Why people behave
3
given various risks confronting them.
Marine debris modeling
‐Where, what will end up offshore and how that may
3
impact pick‐up and damage to fisheries sand other
services
Coupled surge flood models
2
‐River floods/surge‐‐understand the combined impacts
Phosphate mining standards
‐Effluent in surface waters
2
‐Economic impacts of spills
‐Modeling of potential for spills
Research on the resiliency of data collection. Wind/water‐‐
design standards. These data collection systems must 2
perform in storms to be of full value
GMRP Appendix F

Modeling droughts, climate change, and how lack of water
1
impacts ecosystem resiliency
Potable surface water supply
‐Study land use effluents‐runoff categories as to how they
1
would recover after storms (e.g. HAB’s )
‐Modeling to predict how the reservoirs would be impacted
HAB’s
‐Events‐predict the impacts allow communities to adapt 0
‐Community pilots to I.D. HAB’s risk and adaptation
Studies of communities that have been impacted by storms
0
versus those that have not‐‐behavior related to experience

Information Needs

 FL Bathy
 FL‐ DEM‐ Redelineate SLOSH


 Education of the public‐‐understanding difference between flooding (flood insurance)/storm
surge (evacuation)
 Mandates for following the plans that exist. Requirements for following the plan
 Phosphate mining policy/standards potential for cathosplumes
 Ports facilities‐‐standards for design

GMRP Appendix F


Research Needs


Develop GIS databases (layers) that characterize the marine
& coastal environment as well as human uses
‐Need to develop missing layers and/or extension of
10
onshore databases
‐Automate mechanism to incorporate existing and new
data (real time) (clearing house)
Impact of larger ports for larger vessels, and conflict of
7
multiple uses
Creating new predictive tools (models) to test the impact of
specific activities (remodeling of coastal power plants) 6
beach renourishment
Establish baseline conditions to better understand the impact
6
of maritime operations on human and environmental health
Run sensors using GIS to prioritize water way maintenance
5
and navigation. Linked to value
What is the value ($) (up and down sides) of maritime
activities (looking at economic or environmental impacts of 5
different alternatives)
Impact of short sea shipping 2
Need to identify invasive species that are transported in
ballast discharged fluids/other mechanical methods
2
(trailers)
‐Look at controlling
New navigational aids to better inform and direct traffic to
2
enhance habitat protection and human safety

GMRP Appendix F

Information Needs

 Environmental inventory (species & habitat)
 GIS navigational layer identifying navigational rules, distribution and changes (10 speed zone)
 Human uses (maritime environmental)
 Mapping & benthic habitat needed
 Need comprehensive (adaptable/consistent/comparable) study plans to respond to a variety of
commercial activities in various environments
 Results of predictive models and level of success
 Standardization of economic value of a specific object or animal (value of barrier island or
manatee)


 Are marine discharge policies being enforced and are they helping or improving environmental
conditions?
 Maps & education for tourists and out‐of‐area visitors
 Need to get the US Coast Guard engaged with research and navigation and water safety
information
 Partnerships with policy makers to provide information, communication to user groups
(funding to develop products)
 Preservation of working waterfronts and commercial and recreational destination
GMRP Appendix F

Research Needs


Model/temperature effects on hydrology and temperature in
the Gulf of Mexico; better regional land view
Research and modeling how pollution (i.e., Mississippi
River) and flow water influxes will respond to circulation 15
changes resulting from climate change
‐Groundwater
‐Nutrients
Where are the best locations for sensors
‐Gap analysis
‐Redundancy
14
‐Money
Consider wind, climatological hotspots, atmospheric, ocean
circulation, Gulf of Mexico circulation
Physical, chemical, and environmental tolerances for (larvae)
all species within Gulf of Mexico
‐Temperature/salinity
‐Light
‐Winds
‐CO2 13
Effects of climate change on population dynamics and
community dynamics
‐Pathogens/disease
‐Distribution and range
‐Fisheries and invasive species
Examine important components of carbon sink/source for
baseline Gulf of Mexico
Address impacts of CO2/acidification
11
‐Calcification rates
‐Trace metal chemistry
‐Biological systems/corals
Need to develop coastal algorithms for satellite data analysis
(dissolved organic matter, gas exchange, transmittance; how 11
these factors change with climate change)
Extreme weather events on Gulf of Mexico scale
Generation of…
‐Impacts ‐ environmental/economic 10
‐Frequency
‐Intensity
GMRP Appendix F
Development of models to predict sea‐level rise throughout
5
Gulf of Mexico (new or tweak existing models)
Social science/human dimension relative to decision makers
(how they process, understand, and apply climate change 1
science ‐ assessment/metrics)
Look at terrestrial/ocean/atmospheric (climate) variability on
a more refined scale 0
‐Historical ‐ to improve forecasting/mitigation

Information Needs

 Grad student mandate ‐ social sciences
 Support:
o Radar, bathymetry ‐ fill gaps
Increase range ‐ landward; develop means to measure seaward
Satellites going offline ‐ more gaps in ability to monitor on large scale (e.g.,
location of loop current)
o More refined scale ‐ spatial and temporal to make cross‐connections
DM (Database management) protocol/central distribution DMAC (Database
Management Analysis Center)


 Analysis of:
o Users/stakeholders / MPA public forums
o ID data sources ‐ archived, real‐time, and other
o ID research funding sources
o Forecasts required ‐ drives, instrument demands
 Briefing materials for communicators & environmental journalists
 Develop educational materials/workshops for formal and informal educators
 Policy scenarios for decision‐makers and coastal stake‐holders
GMRP Appendix F

Research Needs


Freshwater inputs ‐‐ effects on ecosystem. Need to examine
what really happens in the field under current
permitting/development practices. Also need research
linkages between reductions in freshwater inputs and 14
benthic communities, tropic interactions, fisheries, shifts
in emergent coastal habitats, and sediment
transport/erosion.
New models for ecosystem‐based management
‐Need models for fisheries, and other key components to
model include habitat, threatened/endangered/protected
species, cumulative impacts, and systematic ecosystem
overview 14
‐Need to define ecosystem based management components
in order to allow comparisons across the GOM. (NOAA
Regional Coordination Team is discussing an integrated
ecosystem assessment in the Gulf)
Research on how to present information most effectively, in a
user‐friendly way. How to disseminate and present to 13
public.
Need socioeconomic research
‐Research on the social aspects / anthropologic
characteristics of coastal communities
‐Need to look at impacts of environmental changes on social
communities
‐Also need to determine the social and economic drivers in
communities that do or do not lead to caring about the
12
resource / conservation action. For example, could do an
analysis of how different GOM communities have
decided to develop and explore why different
‐Socioeconomic research should be used to help figure out
how to optimize future coastal development to minimize
environmental impacts, maximize quality of life, and
maintain public access
Marine Protected Areas (MPAʹs) research
‐Role of MPA’s in ecosystem management, how to measure
effectiveness
‐More research to support the ʺIslands in the Streamʺ 7
concept (system of MPA’s around the GOM) ‐‐ specifically
looking at larval transport, how different proposed sites
are connected
GMRP Appendix F
Need greater understanding of factors that affect
productivity based on the habitat needs of species.
Including the benthic link to fisheries
‐When benthic habitats are destroyed what are the impacts? 7
‐Need to examine the cumulative impacts of habitat loss
‐Also need to look at connections between wetland
characteristics and productivity (e.g. edge.)
How can genuine change in ecosystem structure and
function be discerned with greater certainty?
‐Lots of talk about there being more HAB’s, more variability
in system, but hard to be certain – difficult to know for
sure when it isn’t just natural variability. (e.g. on HAB’s
don’t have the data resolution to know whether natural
6
variability)
‐Other example issues are coral bleaching, rising sea
temperatures.
‐How do we know when ecosystem changes from one state
(dynamic equilibrium) to another? And can we attribute
the change to natural or anthropogenic sources?
How are anthropogenic stressors to Gulf ecosystems like
natural stressors and how do they differ? (perturbation
theory) For example, wetland loss in Louisiana is due to 5
both natural and anthropogenic causes – how are
responses similar and how are they different?
Do some open ocean aquaculture to understand the impacts,
both positive and negative. Should do carefully, take an 3
adaptive management approach.
Impacts of oil and gas drilling on plankton 2
Quantify differential effects of different fisheries
management techniques (artificial reefs, marine managed
2
areas, effort limitations, total allowable catch (TAC), stock
enhancement)
Research impacts on benthic infauna from beach
renourishment. Need to know whether we should worry 2
about it.
Research iron “seeding” concept (adding iron to stimulate
2
phytoplankton growth to suck up carbon)
GMRP Appendix F
Economic value of natural resources (e.g. value of keeping
1
some lands)
Exploring the efficacy of mitigation of coastal habitats.
Looking at both the efficacy of different methods, and also 1
among/between different habitats
Liquid natural gas (LNG) facilities
‐Impacts of cycling water through
‐Need baseline information on the presence/abundance/life 1
history characteristics of icthyoplankton so can then
measure impacts
Cumulative impacts (on fisheries) of icthyoplankton losses
0
due to different causes.
Efficacy of carbon offsets 0
Impacts of wind farms on migratory birds
0
‐Impacts of all types of alternative energy (e.g. tide energy)
Research impacts of hypoxia, GOM dead zone
‐How does the dead zone impact other areas via the loop
0
current?
‐Other hypoxia areas emerging
Synthesize water quality monitoring information in order to
0
understand impacts on biodiversity

GMRP Appendix F


Information Needs

 Basic information on Florida west shelf benthic communities, whatʹs out there ‐‐ natural ledge
communities
 Better coordination across all things going on in the GOM; coordination of research and
management efforts
 Biodiversity of phytoplankton / microalgae (too much emphasis on harmful algal blooms ‐‐ need to
look at all.) Need repository collections
 Estuary, coast, offshore linkages; modeling the linkages
 Gather and synthesize existing data from state/federal/university sources
o Lots of existing research
o Need clearinghouse (GOMA Habitat Identification team is working on this for habitat)
 High resolution maps of shelf and slope exist for TX and LA, and these need to be extended around
the Gulf. Requires multibeam. Good educational tools as well
 Information needs re: open ocean aquaculture
 Synthesize and translate information for use by management community
 Water quality and nutrient run‐off ‐‐ need synthesis of monitoring information


 Incentives for leaving open land
 Need to provide context for why people need to care about the ecosystem (this is an a priori need to
get the political will.) Need education about how impacts people directly
 Open ocean aquaculture ‐‐ need policies (GOM Fisheries Management Council working on an
amendment about this currently; National policy is currently stalled.)
 Smart growth
GMRP Appendix F

Research Needs


Integrated study to determine the effects of wastewater to
water quality / human health (source of contaminant, 8
especially as it relates to sewage treatment)
Research new and better technologies for addressing sewage
6
treatment / pharmaceuticals and costs
Evaluate the long‐ and short‐term human exposure risk to
5
marine aerosolized Brevetoxins and other HABʹs
Better / improved method to eliminate pathogens /
pharmaceuticals during harvesting and processing of 4
seafood
Research link between climate change / sea‐level change and
4
how that will affect human health
Evaluate the geographic extent of contaminants in
3
commercially harvested fish and shellfish
Research rapid assessment for mitigating human health
3
impact from coastal hazards
Research the effect of pharmaceuticals on ecosystems and
human health including best disposal methods for 3
pharmaceuticals
Research to predict conditions favorable to HABʹs and
3
forecast health risk
Continue to do research in marine biotechnology to develop
2
pharmaceuticals and products that enhance human health
Evaluate impact of cruise ship or other large vessel waste
2
disposal
What are the cumulative impacts associated with increased
2
human activities to human health along the coast?
What is the ecosystem impacts of the harvest of marine life
0
that have human health benefits?
Evaluate localized disposal of treated waste water versus
0
off‐shore disposal

GMRP Appendix F

Information Needs

 Are there bioproducts to enhance human health that are being lost due to ecosystem
degradation?
 Develop list of pharmaceuticals that have been identified in fish / others
 Develop list of seafood processing methods and imports
 Evaluate what are the best, most‐current technologies for addressing sewage treatment and costs
 ID source of human health contaminants
 Identify different types / species of airborne health risks
 Develop comprehensive database in real time (IOOS) and integrate existing HAB information
 What is current situation? What would change with sea‐level change and higher temperatures?


 BMP’s for cruise ships or other large vessels for the disposal of waste
 Consistent management of septic systems
 Increase in education regarding human health implications related to disposal of
pharmaceuticals
 Policy on imported seafood quality
 What is the acceptable balance between harvest of marine life for human health and protection
of the resource?
 What regulation changes will have to be made as coastal communities shift to seawater for
drinking water?
GMRP Appendix F


research topic.



Understand connectivity among populations and habitats
‐Watershed to shelf edge
30 Stewardship
‐Fisheries management
‐Shelf edge deep water hard bottom habitat
Fresh‐water inputs ‐ effects on ecosystem
‐Examine what really happens in the field under current
building and permitting practices (i.e. current impacts)
28 Ecosystem
‐Examine/project impacts of reductions on benthic
communities, trophic interactions, fisheries, emergent
coastal habitats, sediment transport / erosion
Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s) research
‐How to measure effectiveness
‐Role in ecosystem management
27 Ecosystem
‐Research to support the ʺIslands in the Streamʺ proposal in
the GOMEX (e.g. larval transport, connectivity between
sites)
Develop GIS databases (layers) that characterize the marine
and coastal environment
‐Develop additional layers or create extensions of onshore
data layers 25 Operations
‐Develop automated mechanism to incorporate existing and
new data (real time)
‐Identify a clearing house for data and layers
Economics research of coastal development. True costs, true
benefits, including economic modeling of damage to
25 Resilience
fisheries production, various classes of recreation, and many
other aspects of community resiliency
GMRP Appendix F
areas.
What are the effects of climate change on population and
community dynamics?
‐Emergence / prevalence of pathogens
‐Distribution and range changes 22 Climate
‐Effects on biology of invasive species
‐Response of organisms to changing levels of: temperature,
salinity, light, winds, CO2, etc.
Understand habitat change over time ‐ what is / is not
20 Stewardship
sustainable?
Integrated study to determine effects of wastewater to water
quality / human health (source of contaminant ‐ especially as 19 Human
it relates to sewage treatment)
Where are the best locations for sensors? (data collection)
‐Wind
‐Climatological hot spots
‐Gulf of Mexico
19 Climate
‐Atmospheric / ocean circulation
‐GAP analysis
‐Redundancy
‐$
Need new models for ecosystem‐based management
‐Considering fisheries, habitat, threatened / endangered
species, ecosystem processes 18 Ecosystem
‐Need to define ecosystem based management components
to allow comparisons across different areas in the Gulf
Socio‐economic research; social aspects of coastal communities
and impacts of environmental change on communities
‐Includes looking at social and economic drivers that
influence whether communities do / donʹt care about
resources; look at why communities make different 18 Ecosystem
conservation decisions
‐Research how to optimize future coastal development to
minimize environmental impacts, maximize quality of life,
and maintain public access
Understand the effectiveness of education about resources and
18 Stewardship
examine our methodology
How can genuine change in ecosystem structure and function
be discerned with more certainty
‐Hard to know when itʹs more than natural variability
16 Ecosystem
‐e.g. changes in HAB’s, coral bleaching
‐How to know when real change from one system state to
another?
GMRP Appendix F
areas.
How will climate change affect hydrology on land, in coastal
regions and open oceans ‐ with a focus on interactive
16 Climate
processes (pollution, freshwater influx, nutrients,
groundwater)
Understand resource / fisheries abundance ‐ historic
12 Stewardship
sustainability and current abundance: what is sustainable?
Evaluate long and short term human exposure risk to marine
10 Human
aerosolized Brevetoxins and other HAB’s
Research on how to present information most effectively, and
in a user‐friendly way (how to disseminate and present to
public)
10 Ecosystem
‐e.g. GIS layers, web‐based products (efficacy of different
delivery mechanisms)
‐e.g. use of the media
What are the important components for a baseline carbon sink
/ source for GOM and what are the impacts of changing CO2
10 Climate
on ocean acidification and biogeochemistry and the
subsequent biological consequences
The resiliency of data collection platforms ‐ engineering
9 Resilience
designs of data collection systems in severe events
Storm surge modeling
‐Improvements in DEMs (topo / bathy) and how it influences
8 Resilience
results
‐Sea‐level rise component of surge modeling
Wind speed / storm surge energy dissipation as it interfaces
with wetlands and uplands vegetation. Understanding the
8 Resilience
mitigation benefits of vegetation and the economic value of
these buffers.
Research to predict conditions favorable to HAB’s and forecast
7 Human
health risk
What is the value ($) (up and down sides) of maritime
activities (looking at economic or environmental impacts of 7 Operations
different alternatives)
Determine re‐nourishment effects / timing and recovery on
6 Stewardship
affected habitats / physical oceanography
Marine debris ‐ modeling, predicting‐‐type, location, impacts /
6 Resilience
economics of withdrawal
Need greater understanding or factors that affect productivity
based on habitat needs of species. Includes research on
6 Ecosystem
benthic link to fisheries, understanding cumulative impacts
of habitat losses
Research link between climate change / sea level change and
6 Human
how that will affect human health
GMRP Appendix F
areas.
Research the effects of pharmaceuticals on ecosystem and
human health including best disposal methods for 6 Human
pharmaceuticals
What is the impact of larger ports (to accommodate larger deep
draft vessels) and conflicts with multiple use areas 6 Operations
(recreational fishing, environmentally sensitive areas)
Development of models to predict sea‐level rise throughout
5 Climate
the GOM (new or enhance existing models)
Economic / engineering studies of phosphate mining and its
5 Resilience
risk to coastal resources
Study extreme weather events in the GOM including
‐Generation of events
5 Climate
‐Impacts ‐ environmental and economic
‐Frequency and intensity
Coupled modeling for storm surge / river flooding 4 Resilience
Creating new predictive tools (models) to test the impact of
specific activities (remodeling of coastal power plants) beach 4 Operations
renourishment
Economic value / costs on restoration, habitat, ecological
4 Stewardship
benefits
Establish baseline conditions to better understanding of the
impact of maritime operations on human and environmental 4 Operations
health
Evaluate the human dimension ‐ e.g. relative to decision
makers. Develop metrics to assess how they process, 4 Climate
understand and apply climate change science
Look at historical, current, and future impacts of oil and gas
4 Stewardship
industry on biodiversity
Research on protection of critical infrastructure
‐Engineering design research. Bridges (e.g. Ivan and Katrina
examples) 4 Resilience
‐Port facilities: dependant functionality; e.g., gasoline in
Tampa Bay
Run scenarios using GIS to prioritize water way maintenance
4 Operations
and navigation (linked to value)
Better / improved method to eliminate pathogens /
pharmaceuticals during harvesting and processing of 2 Human
seafood
Research new and better technologies for addressing sewage
2 Human
treatment and costs
Water column on west Florida shelf: interaction between
2 Stewardship
surface, pelagic, and benthic / trophic zones
GMRP Appendix F
areas.
Develop algorithms for coastal satellite data (dissolved organic
materials, gas exchange, etc. ‐ how these change with climate 1 Climate
change)
Evaluate geographic extent of contaminants in commercially
1 Human
harvested fish and shellfish
What are the options for labor dynamics and alternatives for
1 Stewardship
fishing communities / socio‐economic impact
Behavioral science; e.g. hurricane evacuation ‐ why people
0 Resilience
make risk based decisions or not
Evaluate localized disposal of treated wastewater versus
0 Human
offshore disposal

GMRP Appendix F

Acknowledgements

of the following:

Host:
USGS Florida Integrated Science Center (Jack Kindinger and Sandy Coffman)

Florida Sea Grant (Karl Havens and Chris Simoniello)

Gulf Coast Services Center (Heidi Recksiek, Todd Davison, and Ann Weaver)
Florida Sea Grant (Chris Simoniello and Betty Staugler)
USGS (Jack Kindinger)

See appendix C.


GMRP Appendix F
Appendix A:

U.S. Geological Survey Florida Integrated Science Center
St. Petersburg, Florida
February 19, 2008
10:00 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Workshop Agenda










2:45‐ Optional tour of USGS facilities

GMRP Appendix F
Appendix B:

GMRP Appendix F
Appendix C:

Last E‐mail
Name Address
Lori Adornato SRI International lori.adornato@sri.com
Bill Arnold Florida FWCC/FWRI bill.arnold@myfwc.com
Michael Bailey NOAA michael.bailey@noaa.gov
Kyle Baker National Marine Fisheries Service kyle.baker@noaa.gov
Don Behringer University of Florida behringer@ufl.edu
Apalachicola National Estuarine
Seth Blitch seth.blitch@dep.state.fl.us
Research Reserve
Robert Bourke Tanks‐A‐Lot Dive Charters scuba@tanksalotdivecharter.com
FL Institute of Oceanography/FL Fish
Cristina Carollo Cristina.Carollo@MyFWC.com
and Wildlife Research Institute
Leslie Craig NOAA Restoration Center Leslie.Craig@noaa.gov
Southwest Florida Water Management
Veronica Craw veronica.craw@swfwmd.state.fl.us
District
Miles Croom NMFS miles.croom@noaa.gov
Todd Davison* NOAA Gulf Coast Services Center todd.davison@noaa.gov
University of South Florida College of
Jennifer Dupont jdupont@marine.usf.edu
Marine Science
Apalachicola National Estuarine
Lee Edmiston lee.edmiston@dep.state.fl.us
Research Reserve
Ernie Estevez Mote Marine Lab & FOCC estevez@mote.org
Eric Fehrmann Pinellas County Dept. of Env. Mgmt. efehrman@pinellascounty.org
New College of Florida, Pritzker
Sandra Gilchrist gilchrist@ncf.edu
Marine Lab
Joseph Grant NASA/SSC joseph.grant@nasa.gov
Christina Gwaltney Rookery Bay NERR christina.gwaltney@dep.state.fl.us
Karl Havens Florida Sea Grant College Program khavens@ufl.edu
James Hendee NOAA/AOML (Miami) jim.hendee@noaa.gov
Steve Kearl Florida Sea Grant skearl@ufl.edu
NOAA Office of National Marine
Brian Keller brian.keller@noaa.gov
Sanctuaries
Jack Kindinger* USGS jkindinger@usgs.gov
NOAA Office of Response &
Kevin Kirsch kevin.kirsch@noaa.gov
Restoration
FL Fish & Wildlife Conservation
Ron Mezich ron.mezich@myfwc.com
Commission
Joe Murphy Gulf Restoration Network joe@healthygulf.org
Julie Neer SAFMC julie.neer@safmc.net
Charles Paxton National Weather Service charlie.paxton@noaa.gov
Akshinthala Prasad Florida State University Prasad@bio.fsu.edu
GMRP Appendix F
(continued)
Last E‐mail
Name Address
John Reed HBOI jreed12@hboi.fau.edu
Florida Institute of Oceanography /
Dave Reed Dave.Reed@MyFWC.com
FWC ‐ FWRI
Lisa Robbins USGS lrobbins@usgs.gov
FDEP/CAMA/Florida Oceans and
Nicole Robinson nicole.robinson@dep.state.fl.us
Coastal Council
Steve Sempier* MASGC stephen.sempier@usm.edu
Jamie Serino Shaw Group jserino111@bellsouth.net
Charles Sidman Florida Sea Grant csidman@ufl.edu
Chris Simoniello* Florida Sea Grant simo@marine.usf.edu
Kent Smith Florida Wildlife Commission kent.smith@myfwc.com
Mike Spranger Florida Sea Grant spranger@ufl.edu
Betty Staugler* Florida Sea Grant staugler@ifas.ufl.edu
Bob Stickney Texas Sea Grant stickney@tamu.edu
Beau Suthard Coastal Planning & Engineering bsuthard@coastalplanning.net
Frederick
Sutter NOAA Fisheries buck.sutter@noaa.gov
ʺBuckʺ
LaDon Swann* MASGC swanndl@auburn.edu
Don Sweat FL Sea Grant dsweat@marine.usf.edu
Laura Thorne EPC Hillsborough County Thornel@epchc.org
Bob Trumble MRAG Americas bob.trumble@mragamericas.com
Wes Tunnell TAMU‐CC, Harte Research Institute wes.tunnell@tamucc.edu
Elke Ursin FL Dept of Health elke_ursin@doh.state.fl.us
FL Coos Cons‐FL Institute of
Yyotika Virmani jyotika@marine.usf.edu
Oceanography
Robert Wakeford MRAG Americas, Inc. robert.wakeford@mragamericas.com
Allan Willis PBS&J adwillis@pbsj.com


GMRP Appendix F

Appendix G:
Synthesis of Non‐Research Topics
Discussed at Regional Workshops

This document contains raw data from workshop participants. They remain in this raw form
so that meanings are not unintentionally changed. Please keep this in mind when reading
this document.

Table of Contents

Background ................................................................................................................................... 1

Summary Tables........................................................................................................................... 2

Education and Communication Needs..................................................................................... 4

Information Needs ....................................................................................................................... 7

Coordination, Policy, and Management Needs..................................................................... 13

Socioeconomic Needs ................................................................................................................ 16

Other Needs ................................................................................................................................ 17

Background

provides a synthesis of the non‐research topics that were discussed at the five workshops in January and
February 2008. Workshops were held in:
 Galveston, Texas;
 Baton Rouge, Louisiana;
 Biloxi, Mississippi;
 Spanish Fort, Alabama; and
 St. Petersburg, Florida.

The workshops were designed to primarily identify high‐priority research topics related to the six societal
themes described in the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology’s 2007 document “Charting
the Course for Ocean Science in the United States for the Next Decade—An Ocean Research Priorities Plan
and Implementation Strategy.” The themes included:

Participants were divided into breakout groups by theme area to discuss specific research topics,
information needs, and other topics that related to their theme area. This report presents the 251
non‐research topics that were identified in the breakout sessions held at the five workshop locations. Topics
could be organized into numerous categories. This report presents one option. Summary information and
the categorized comments are presented in this report.



GMRP Appendix G 1
Summary Tables

Although the primary focus of the GMRP workshops was to identify and prioritize research needs numerous
non‐research topics were also discussed. The tables below present the number of non‐research topics that
were identify by workshop, breakout group, and category. Topics discussed in each breakout session were
placed into one of three categories. The categories were “research needs,” “information needs,” or “policy /
management / education needs.” This report provides the topics that fell within the latter two categories.

Table 1. Number of non‐research topics mentioned at each state workshop.

Number of
State Non‐Research
Topics
Florida 64
Louisiana 57
Texas 44
Mississippi 43
Alabama 43
Total 251

Table 2. Number of non‐research topics mentioned by themed breakout group.

Number of
Theme Area Non‐Research
Topics
Stewardship of Natural and Cultural Ocean Resources 53
Improving Ecosystem Health 48
Increasing Resilience to Natural Hazards 41
Enabling Marine Operations 38
Enhancing Human Health 36
The Ocean’s Role in Climate 35
Total 251

Table 3. Number of non‐research topics mentioned by category.

Number of
Category Non‐Research
Topics
Information Needs 133
Policy / Education / Management Needs 118
Total 251

GMRP Appendix G 2

Non‐Research Topics by Specific Category

The tables below identify the topics that were discussed (topic) and themed breakout group (theme) and
state workshop (state) from which the topics originated. The wording of topics was mostly unedited and was
copied from the workshop records. The following codes identify the theme from which the topic originated:
stewardship of natural and cultural ocean resources (Stewardship), increasing resilience to natural hazards
(Resilience), improving ecosystem health (Ecosystem), enabling marine operations (Operations), enhancing
human health (Human), and the ocean’s role in climate (Climate).

The table headings were developed after all non‐research topics were collected at the workshops. These
headings were used to organize the topics into more specific categories. Tables are organized with similar
comments grouped together within the table.

GMRP Appendix G 3
Education and Communication Needs

Education and Communication Issues

Topic Theme State
Awareness of how human waste management impacts the
Ecosystem Alabama
environment
Need to provide context for why people need to care about the
ecosystem (this is an a priori need to get the political will) Ecosystem Florida
‐Need education about how impacts people directly
Need education about ecosystem health and change and the role
Ecosystem Mississippi
of people
Improve education regarding individual responsibility for water
Human Louisiana
quality
Awareness
Re: ʺcarbon footprintʺ or transport miles of environmental Operations Louisiana
benefit of shipping (decrease carbon costs)
Education/outreach on sea‐level change
‐Incorporate science / models into local building codes
‐Communicate science as changes to changing municipal Climate Mississippi
officials
‐Implement smart growth policies
Increase in education regarding human health implications related
Human Florida
to disposal of pharmaceuticals
Need a better‐informed public related to pathogens Human Mississippi
Effective education on HABʹs Human Louisiana
Human health education on seafood safety Human Texas
Public understands how these changes to fisheries and habitats
Stewardship Louisiana
impact / benefit
Increase outreach into incorporating existing communication of
Operations Louisiana
fishermen into aquaculture
Increase education and outreach for the general public
Re: aquaculture (offshore)
Process of educating public on recreational and commercial use of
the port / waterways for successful / non‐successful use of ports Operations Texas
(How do varying uses affect various user groups?)
Educating citizens on reducing vulnerability / understanding of
Resilience Alabama
barrier island
Educate media on responsible storm / hazard reporting Resilience Alabama
Education of the public‐‐understanding difference between
Resilience Florida
flooding (flood insurance) / storm surge (evacuation)

GMRP Appendix G 4
Education and Communication Issues (continued)

Topic Theme State
Public needs to understand ramifications to land use violations for
rebuilding
Protection of shipwrecks and relic sites that are not protected
‐Educate that these are non‐renewable
Educate public on our own resources and their importance to the
Stewardship Mississippi
economy
Educate public on value of data collection and uses Climate Texas
Educate public on value of monitoring programs Human Texas

Education and Communication Target Groups

Topic Theme State
Education of scientists about technology available Stewardship Alabama
Partnerships with policy makers to provide information,
Operations Florida
communication to user groups (funding to develop products)
Key underpinning issues that need to communicate to decision‐
Ecosystem Alabama
makers
Government awareness/acknowledgement of importance of
freshwater inflow (need for freshwater inflow to coastal area) Ecosystem Alabama
‐Issue even when isnʹt a drought
Teacher workshops for inland teachers to share coastal/marine
information
Develop educational materials/workshops for formal and informal
Climate Florida
educators
Briefing materials for communicators & environmental journalists Climate Florida
Design educational materials programs for cross‐cultural groups Human Alabama
Developing education for post‐marketing processors / shipper /
Human Alabama
retailers
Development of a naturalist program Stewardship Alabama
Develop awareness about technology available
Stewardship Alabama
‐Specific interface to direct
University presidentʹs forums (land use and zoning) Stewardship Louisiana
Maps & education for tourists and out‐of‐area visitors Operations Florida
Educating inland resident about health hazard at coast Human Louisiana

GMRP Appendix G 5
Additional Education and Communication Topics and Educational Research

Topic Theme State
Science interpretation to close gap between education and science Stewardship Texas
Communicating results of research Stewardship Alabama
Branding of ʺStewardshipʺ message Stewardship Alabama
Marine mammals are a good way to involve and interest the
public
Avoid consumer misconception‐conception Human Louisiana
Is there a link between investment in education and community
Resilience Mississippi
resilience?
Research into how formal and informal communication come into
play and which works better and when
Effectiveness of education and outreach Stewardship Florida
Educate human reference points Stewardship Florida
Education Resilience Mississippi
Education (re: Gulf of Mexico as large system, connections) Ecosystem Texas

GMRP Appendix G 6
Information Needs

Data Topics

Topic Theme State
Temporal/spatial gaps in data > hard to fill in gaps—need to
coordinate monitoring and data management across diverse
Ecosystem Texas
topics to get ecosystem approach (e.g., expand SEAMAP
surveys)
Identify data sources ‐ archived, real‐time, and other Climate Florida
Need a better understanding of data (available / accessible) and
Resilience Texas
how to get it
Expand collection baseline data ‐ OOS Ecosystem Louisiana
Pool evaluation data Climate Louisiana
Access to existing data ‐‐ ex: fisheries, all sorts of data Stewardship Texas
Data mining from individual researchers Stewardship Texas
Continuous data Climate Louisiana
Centralized database for existing data & models
‐Inventory of existing data (e.g. fishing licenses, alligator catch Ecosystem Louisiana
data, to bldg permits)
Gather and synthesize existing data from state / federal /
university sources
‐Lots of existing research Ecosystem Florida
‐Need clearinghouse (GOMA Habitat Identification team is
working on this for habitat)
Centralized shoreline / topography data location to facilitate
Resilience Alabama
research
Website portal for available technology Stewardship Alabama
Need standards, metadata process to help organize & manage
data (e.g. NASA working on ʺCOASTʺ (coastal online
assessment & synthesis tool) intended to facilitate Ecosystem Louisiana
harmonization of data, synthesis)
Standardize data measurements (establish standards) Climate Texas
Standards and protocols for data management Human Alabama
Data consistencies from ocean to land Climate Louisiana
Develop comprehensive database in real time (IOOS) and
Human Florida
integrate existing HAB information
Vibrio baseline data Human Mississippi
Database of technical and human resources available to support
Stewardship Texas
field research

GMRP Appendix G 7
Data Topics (continued)

Topic Theme State
Get post Katrina baseline data then follow with regular data
Resilience Louisiana
collection
Tie tidal datums together across Gulf Resilience Mississippi
Need more coastal and subsurface geological data Climate Louisiana
Historical baselines for comparison to climate change
‐Identify, enhance, and support
‐Current baseline data Climate Alabama
‐Gathering for comparisons

GMRP Appendix G 8
Monitoring Topics

Topic Theme State
Need monitoring information so that we can educate
communities on the effect of management changes
Experiments set up but we are not monitoring ‐ right people and
right parameters
On the ground data collection / monitoring needs to be increased;
Ecosystem Texas
also need to coordinate
Increased instrumentation and coordination of oceanographic
Stewardship Texas
data and real time access
Low cost, real‐time observation systems Operations Alabama
Monitoring data ‐ Gulf wide database Ecosystem Louisiana
More sensors in Gulf of Mexico Climate Louisiana
High accuracy reference network Resilience Alabama
Accurate near‐shore wave data Resilience Alabama
Need observing systems ‐ presence, abundance, location &
Human Mississippi
environmental conditions, and baseline oceanographic info
Need for marine information systems in inland waters (AIS) Operations Mississippi
Add gauging stations in tidal plains to monitor water quality and
Resilience Texas
quantity
Water quality and nutrient run‐off
Ecosystem Florida
‐Need synthesis of monitoring information
Encourage application of source tracking technology in Gulf of
Human Mississippi
Mexico
Monitoring of coastal hypoxia—need regional assessment to
understand magnitude of problem
Need to monitor parameters (i.e. oyster monitoring only 2
parameters)
More monitoring programs
‐Health issues Human Texas
‐Elevation
Increase monitoring and data collection (sea‐level rise, surface
Climate Texas
elevation tables) long term monitoring
Long term coastal change detection Operations Alabama
Have tidal datums in Gulf detected a rise in sea levels? If so,
why?

GMRP Appendix G 9
Mapping Topics

Topic Theme State
Large scale mapping efforts Stewardship Florida
Accurate topography Climate Alabama
Expand elevation data knowledge ‐ more frequent surveys and
Climate Louisiana
more density
Florida‐ DEM‐ Redelineate SLOSH Resilience Florida
More LIDAR, more often Resilience Texas
Higher and higher resolution bathymetry / LIDAR (better data) Climate Louisiana
Support:
1) Radar, bathymetry ‐ fill gaps
‐Increase range ‐ landward; develop means to measure
seaward
‐Satellites going offline ‐ more gaps in ability to monitor
Climate Florida
on large scale (e.g., location of loop current)
2) More refined scale ‐ spatial and temporal to make cross‐
connections
‐DM (Database management) protocol/central distribution
DMAC (Database Management Analysis Center)
High‐resolution comprehensive geophysical, habitat, bathy
Resilience Texas
mapping continental shelf
Better bathymetric data for region Ecosystem Louisiana
See Steve Junes for bathy data Resilience Alabama
Florida Bathy Resilience Florida
High resolution maps of shelf and slope exist for TX and LA, and
these need to be extended around the Gulf. Requires Ecosystem Florida
multibeam. Good educational tools as well.
Expand bi‐annual shoreline data orthophotography collection to
Resilience Alabama
include Mississippi Sound and wetlands shoreline
Info GIS‐based geodatabase of various discipline data Resilience Texas
GIS navigational layer identifying navigational rules, distribution
Operations Florida
and changes (10 speed zone)
Inventory of marine establishments/services/operations in the
Gulf of Mexico (GIS)
‐Aquaculture/seafood/fisheries
‐Transport/shipping
Operations Mississippi
‐Recreational
‐Government operations
‐Economic impact
‐Water/non‐water dependent
Inventory of coastal infrastructure Stewardship Louisiana
Map available safe harbors Operations Alabama
Identify safe harbors, how many exist, and how many are needed Operations Alabama

GMRP Appendix G 10
Mapping Topics (continued)

Topic Theme State
Mapping of physical and biological habitats with 21st century
Stewardship Texas
technology
Inventory of natural resources Stewardship Alabama
Environmental inventory (species & habitat) Operations Florida
Habitat maps for the region‐terrestrial / aquatic / marine
‐Hydrodynamic models ‐ sub‐regional levels
‐Local subsidence rates across region Climate Mississippi
‐Enhance information networks
Mapping & benthic habitat needed Operations Florida
Map oyster reefs throughout Gulf of Mexico Stewardship Florida
Regional coordination of sea grass mapping / EFH mapping Ecosystem Mississippi
Basic information on Florida west shelf benthic communities,
Ecosystem Florida
whatʹs out there ‐‐ natural ledge communities
Information on availability of sediments ‐ where & when Ecosystem Louisiana
Have sand resources pre‐identified Resilience Alabama

GMRP Appendix G 11
Modeling Topics

Topic Theme State
Forecasts required ‐ drives, instrument demands Climate Florida
Results of predictive models and level of success Operations Florida
Long‐term data modeling Resilience Texas
Modeling the environment Stewardship Louisiana
Need 3‐D patterns of currents in GOM Climate Texas
Estuary, coast, offshore linkages; modeling the linkages Ecosystem Florida
Accurate subsidence Climate Alabama
Effects of climate change on coastal restoration and coastal
Climate Louisiana
development
What is current situation?
‐What would change with sea‐level change and higher Human Florida
temperatures?
Measure interaction between sea surface temperature (SST) and
Resilience Texas
ecology
Predictive models of hurricane strike & surge Operations Alabama
Develop model of what a successful resilient community is Resilience Mississippi
Risk assessment Climate Texas
Hypoxia prediction Climate Louisiana
Models to look at human‐use trends and effects on ecosystems
Stewardship Texas
data gap analysis to couple existing models
Forecast and develop solutions to environmental impacts of
Stewardship Texas
increasing human population density along the Gulf Coast
Model (not pure economic) to assist business decisions Operations Alabama
Modeling shipping channels Operations Alabama

GMRP Appendix G 12
Coordination, Policy, Regulation, and Management Needs

Coordination and Cooperation Topics

Topic Theme State
Identify research funding sources Climate Florida
Begin with inventory of existing research (before can truly know
what research priorities are)
Better coordination across all things going on in the GOM;
Ecosystem Florida
coordination of research and management efforts
Encourage multi‐disciplinary research & approaches Human Mississippi
Engage other agencies Climate Louisiana
Heavy participation by Army Corps of Engineers Climate Louisiana
Need to get the US Coast Guard engaged with research and
Operations Florida
navigation and water safety information
Engagement of local, state, regional governance (on climate
change (multi‐disciplinary) Climate Louisiana
‐How to use this information to mitigate?
Increase interaction among governments at all levels and include
landowners
Need better coordination of management operations Stewardship Mississippi
Include Cuba and Mexico in Gulf of Mexico ecosystem work Ecosystem Mississippi
Lots of basic information needs in Mexico (e.g., oceanographer,
fish assessment, habitats) Ecosystem Texas
‐Apply new technologies (i.e. sidescan sonar)
Regional (Gulf of Mexico) strategic maritime business plan Operations Mississippi
Information directory Stewardship Alabama

GMRP Appendix G 13
Policy, Regulation and Legislation Topics

Topic Theme State
Utilize information in policy making Operations Alabama
Policy scenarios for decision‐makers and coastal stake‐holders Climate Florida
National policies on flood insurance
‐Should we rebuild here? Climate Louisiana
‐Draft policy on climate change & how to mitigate
Federal flood insurance policies need updated Climate Texas
Insurance ‐government policies
‐Enabling risk
Sound policy of local community with climate change Climate Texas
Identify and define legal pathways for reliable emergency
marine services center use
Evaluate evacuation policies and emergency operating plans Resilience Alabama
Improve land use planning, floodplain management,
Resilience Alabama
development of high risk areas
Mandates for following the plans that exist
Resilience Florida
‐Requirements for following the plan
Which approach—education, regulation, incentives—is more
effective in increasing resiliency?
Smart growth Ecosystem Florida
State and local incentives to developers to build better mandates Resilience Mississippi
Incentives for leaving open land Ecosystem Florida
What to do with private property? Climate Louisiana
Better beach and dune protection policies Resilience Texas
Open ocean aquaculture ‐‐ need policies (GOM Fisheries
Management Council working on an amendment about this Ecosystem Florida
currently; National policy is currently stalled.)
Need better ʺregimeʺ on ocean ʺuseʺ
Re: aquaculture, shellfish
Policy
Re: permitting for offshore aquaculture
‐need a way to permit this…
‐ʺoffbottomʺ aquaculture too
Ports Facilities‐‐standards for design Resilience Florida
Create more marine reserves and long‐term research sites Stewardship Louisiana
Impact of managing fisheries Stewardship Florida
Policy on imported seafood quality Human Florida

GMRP Appendix G 14
Regulation, Policy, and Legislation Topics (continued)

Topic Theme State
Conflict resolution between research vs. policy, i.e. MS River
management
Phosphate mining policy / standards potential for cathosplumes Resilience Florida
Investigate access to Florida sand Resilience Alabama
Legal protection for cultural sites beyond state waters Stewardship Louisiana
What regulation changes will have to be made as coastal
Human Florida
communities shift to seawater for drinking water?
Improve federal matching funding for rural and urban sewage
Human Louisiana
treatment and non‐point source pollution
Consistent management of septic systems Human Florida
Are marine discharge policies being enforced and are they
Operations Florida
helping or improving environmental conditions?
Cash reward for recycling (instead of throwing overboard) Ecosystem Mississippi
Hard to enforce marine litter/debris laws Ecosystem Mississippi

Management Topics

Topic Theme State
Synthesize and translate information for use by management
Ecosystem Florida
community
Translate research into actions Operations Alabama
Management needs biological, oceanographic, and
socioeconomic assessment of Gulf of Mexico as system applied Ecosystem Texas
to improve management/address management issues
Need comprehensive (adaptable / consistent / comparable) study
plans to respond to a variety of commercial activities in various Operations Florida
environments
Regional dredging plan Operations Alabama
Incorporation of newly developed field deployable testing into
Human Alabama
management

GMRP Appendix G 15
Socioeconomic Needs

Socioeconomic Topics

Please see additional GMRP reports that highlight research topics identified at the five workshops since
there were many socioeconomic topics presented as research topics. Only the topics that were classified as
“non‐research” by the breakout groups are presented below.

Topic Theme State
Grad student mandate ‐ social sciences Climate Florida
Analysis of:
Climate Florida
‐Users / stakeholders / MPA public forums
Need a better understanding about stakeholders in marine
operations (IOOS: GCOOS; etc.)
Large group behaviors/interactions‐‐social trap of large groups in
response to various issues
Human uses (maritime environmental) Operations Florida
Preservation of working waterfronts and commercial and
Operations Florida
recreational destination
How do demographics of community affect how the community
responds?
Assess populations to assess sustainability Stewardship Louisiana
Additional survey/testing of cultural resources Stewardship Louisiana
Economic research into costs of hardening infrastructure versus
continuing with existing and rebuilding after
How does the insurance situation (commercial vs. government
policies) affect resilience of community?
Resiliency index Resilience Mississippi
Description of the linkage between the value of functional
Stewardship Texas
ecosystems and human‐use value
Standardization of economic value of a specific object or animal
Operations Florida
(value of barrier island or manatee)
Economic information about ecosystem services Stewardship Florida
How to address loss of revenue related to outdoor license
Stewardship Alabama
activities?
Economic value cost Stewardship Florida
Values of socioeconomic positions Stewardship Florida
Gulf of Mexico (GMFMC) does not have good info on
socioeconomic (fishing community)
Cost versus benefit of fishing gear modifications Stewardship Florida

GMRP Appendix G 16
Other Needs

The topics presented below did not easily fit into the previously identify categories and therefore are linked
by specific topic area.

Habitat and Restoration Topics

Topic Theme State
Which is the best habitat remediation technique to increase
resiliency?
More conservation of natural systems vs. mitigation restoration Ecosystem Mississippi
Protect and maintain extant habitats Stewardship Louisiana
Preserve / conserve priority areas (based on analysis of historical
Ecosystem Texas
data or impacts and mitigation restoration)
Compiling historic information on areas impacted by
development and areas where did mitigation / restoration
(identify before lose institutional knowledge) Ecosystem Texas
‐Determine if really no net loss
‐Also will help identify priority areas to preserve / conserve
Habitat characterization Ecosystem Texas
Role of oyster/shell reefs on water quality & how affects whole
Ecosystem Louisiana
system
Forested wetlands Ecosystem Louisiana

Pollution and Contamination Topics

Topic Theme State
Evaluate what are the best, most‐current technologies for
Human Florida
addressing sewage treatment and costs
BMPʹs for cruise ships or other large vessels for the disposal of
Human Florida
waste
Identify contaminant sources associated with large‐scale events Human Mississippi
Identify source of human health contaminants Human Florida
Identify different types / species of airborne health risks Human Florida
Risk assessment for oyster safety, etc. Human Texas
Trash in Gulf of Mexico indicates connection with inland Ecosystem Mississippi

GMRP Appendix G 17
Ecological and Biological Topics

Topic Theme State
Biodiversity of phytoplankton / microalgae (too much emphasis
on harmful algal blooms ‐‐ need to look at all species) Ecosystem Florida
Need repository collections
Identify manuals on toxic microalgae and digital library Human Alabama
Generate baseline for many microorganisms Human Mississippi
Animal movement patterns Ecosystem Texas
Better data on marine species migration patterns
‐How to better utilize riverine discharge
‐Approach all research with a long‐term appreciation
‐ what is the underlying natural foundation
‐Research needs to account for major changes in the future
rather than assume present
Where are we catching fish
‐How are they moving to respond to hypoxia
Information on species diversity to inform an ecosystem
approach especially the non‐charismatic species (phytoplankton Ecosystem Texas
worms)
Ecosystem based management of endangered species Stewardship Texas
Re‐introduce lost species: bear, wolves, manatees, birds Stewardship Louisiana
Prevention of invasives and remediation Ecosystem Texas
Are there bioproducts to enhance human health that are being
Human Florida
lost due to ecosystem degradation?
Develop list of pharmaceuticals that have been identified in fish /
Human Florida
others

GMRP Appendix G 18
Other Topics

Topic Theme State
Establish offshore aquaculture where it will have least impact Ecosystem Texas
Information needs re: open ocean aquaculture Ecosystem Florida
Select species for offshore aquaculture that will minimize impacts Ecosystem Texas
Lack of species selection info for land‐based and offshore
aquaculture
What is the acceptable balance between harvest of marine life for
Human Florida
human health and protection of the resource?
Develop list of seafood processing methods and imports Human Florida
Deep sea harvesting technology Human Mississippi
Better tonnage reporting mechanism Operations Alabama
White paper definitions of ʺworking waterfrontsʺ across US Operations Alabama
Quality of ʺsafe harborsʺ (harbors of refuge) for foul weather
protection
Compile recovery knowledge ‐ lessons learned Resilience Louisiana
Understand that coastal systems are dynamic Stewardship Mississippi
How do freshwater inflows meet needs of users and ecosystems Stewardship Texas
Big Bend of Florida ‐ need to know more Stewardship Florida
GMRP Appendix G 19

Appendix H:
Constituent Comments Submitted via E‐Mail


There were several cases where individuals expressed interest in participating in one of the Gulf of
Mexico Research Planning workshops but were unable to attend. Some of these individuals provided
their research priorities via email. Their input is presented below however information that revealed
their identity was removed. This document contains the raw comments from Gulf of Mexico
constituents. They remain in this raw form so that meanings are not unintentionally changed. Please
keep this in mind when reading this document.

Commenter 1:
Hi Steve:

I do not believe I will be able to attend the Sea Grant Gulf of Mexico Regional Research Plan workshop;
however, I would like suggest that funding opportunities be made available for targeted research on the
prevention of marine and marine estuary macrofouling utilizing strategies aimed at minimizing
environmental impact. Macrofouling is not only an issue affecting marine riggings, platforms and vessel
hulls, but also impacts the condition of oyster crops as some species of mussels, for example, also foul
oyster beds. Current effective strategies utilizing organometallics, such as tributyl tin, will be banned in
the USA in 2008, because they are toxic to both target and non‐target organisms and they bioaccumulate.
Similar issues are being raised with copper and other heavy metals and few stand alone alternatives are in
the pipeline. Thus, there is a timely and important need for research opportunities to develop cleaner
technology antifouling strategies. Thank you for your consideration.

Commenter 2:
Thank you Steve:
I really appreciate your information and encouragement. This is something we need to work together
on. I am particularly interested in the applications aspects (e.g. RP4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 20) and could add
some specifics in several of these areas.

Coastal engineering, in particular, applying engineering principles to enhance availability of natural
resources, reduce the effects of major storms or other environmental changes; minimize the impact of
industrial/shipping activities; and enhance or restore/rehabilitate native ecosystems would be major
focus areas. We are currently involved in a $2M CWWPRA demonstration project, slated to begin in the
spring, deploying novel artificial reefs primarily for oyster and related species in S. Louisiana, but
applicable across much of the gulf coast.

I am also currently on sabbatical in Mexico and am investigating the role of mangroves in reducing or
mitigating storm effects, runoff impacts and other issues, and in particular contemplating the use of
mangroves as parts of near‐shore and coastal/barrier island/peninsular erosion reduction mechanisms.

A third area of interest is use of plants (coastal or interior) to minimize nitrogen impacts in coastal waters
(just finished an EPA 319 project on water quality runoff from sugarcane, and am interested in water
quality in interior waters that feed into coastal and estuarine areas).

Commenter 3:
Dear Steve‐
One area of research for coastal and marine environments of the Gulf that is imperative to include
would be an inventory and assessment of scenic/visual resources. At the present time, there are a
number of wind turbine farms being proposed for offshore Texas in addition to high probability of
future sites in the neighboring Gulf states. These projects would be expected to have a huge imprint on
the stellar scenic quality of the coast. Visual resource quality directly affects tourism demand and
economic development. We go to the coast because we want to see the ocean, as well as play in the
waters. It is essential for our psychological well being. Unfortunately, much coastal research avoids
policy issues or land planning aspects, and overly stresses biological, chemical environmental change, in
addition to economic issues such as sustainable fishing, oil drilling, etc. NOAA has had a long record of
including scenic resources during the Coastal Zone Management programs in the last thirty years, but
increasing there is a lack of concern at the state or regional level on the scenic continuum affecting
coastal development.
I would hope that the new research priorities again focus on these scenic resources of the Gulf Coast.
With the extensive new development on many previous open space areas of the barrier islands and
coastal mainland, the impact on scenic resources is dramatic. Unfortunately, most environmental
reviews address scenic issues indirectly with no empirical research. Haphazard coastal development
portends dire consequences for hurricane prone areas just as much as the future scenic quality, all of
which directly affects tourist demand and economic development. This is an issue of environmental
quality.

Commenter 4:
Interested in your invitation to provide input in the planning process and since I am unable to attend but
would like to provide it I am writing to you.

It is very interesting to me this meeting since I had contact with [name removed] from NOAA about the
unusual stranding on humpback whales in Veracruz, México in April, 2004. One year after these
strandings hurricanes came so strong such as Wilma and Katrina that hit Yucatán Península, New
Orleans, Florida and Cuba in 2005; and rivers flooding because strong winds from north with heavy
rains in recent years (2007) in Tabasco an Chiapas. But a constant denial in my research work at my
country and my state resting importance to these association of events and not allowing me to be in
government environmental bureaus or universities DO NOT ALLOW me to go, not even to have money
for the trip, food and exposure expenses. My only interest is to contact researchers that may have the
same hypothesis as I do.
Thanks

GMRP Supplemental and Appendices

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GULF OF MEXICO RESEARCH PLAN

Comprehensive Supporting Documents

Supplemental Document: GMRP First and Second Tier Priorities 4

Supplemental Document: GMRP First and Second Tier Priorities 5

Supplemental Document: GMRP First and Second Tier Priorities 6

Supplemental Document: GMRP First and Second Tier Priorities 7

Percent of Rank of RP Percent of

Survey to Prioritize Gulf of Mexico Research and Information Needs

Thank you for your help with this survey.

GMRP Appendix C Page 1

* In what state do you primarily reside?

GMRP Appendix C Page 2

In what Alabama county do you primarily reside?

GMRP Appendix C Page 3

In what Florida county do you primarily reside?

GMRP Appendix C Page 4

j East Baton Rouge

GMRP Appendix C Page 5

In what Mississippi county do you primarily reside?

GMRP Appendix C Page 6

In what Texas county do you primarily reside?

GMRP Appendix C Page 7

GMRP Appendix C Page 8

GMRP Appendix C Page 9

GMRP Appendix C Page 10

Sponsored/Administered Gulf of Mexico research

Used research findings as part of your profession

GMRP Appendix C Page 11

GMRP Appendix C Page 12

GMRP Appendix C Page 13

GMRP Appendix C Page 14

1) Stewardship of Natural and Cultural Ocean Resources

GMRP Appendix C Page 15

This question continues onto the next page.

GMRP Appendix C Page 16

3) Enabling Marine Operations

4) The Ocean’s Role in Climate

GMRP Appendix C Page 17

GMRP Appendix C Page 18

5) Improving Ecosystem Health

“Comprehensive, well-focused, interdisciplinary research can provide the information needed to

GMRP Appendix C Page 19

GMRP Appendix C Page 20

Please provide your contact information if you wish to be included in future

GMRP Appendix C Page 21

Years of Experience Average Total

Survey Responses by State Survey Respondent Affiliation Survey Responses by Affiliation

*Workshop facilitator or floater.

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