GMRP Supplemental and Appendices

8/8/2019 GMRP Supplemental and Appendices

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GULF OF MEXICO RESEARCH PLANComprehensive Supporting Documents

SEPTEMBER 2009



MASGP-09-024

Tis project was partially unded by the National Sea Grant College Programo the U.S. Department o Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration under NOAA Grant NA06OAR4170078 and the FloridaSea Grant College Program, Louisiana Sea Grant College Program,

Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, and exas Sea Grant College Program. Te views expressed herein do not necessarily refect the views o those organizations.

Texas • Louisiana • Florida

Mississippi-Alabama

Suggested citation: Sempier, S.H., K. Havens, R. Stickney, C. Wilson, and D.L. Swann. 2009. Gul o MexicoResearch Plan. MASGP-09-024.

Document design adapted rom a template provided by Patricia Andersson, Oregon Sea GrantDocument designed by Melissa Schneider, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant ConsortiumMap graphic on cover designed by Tanya Baker, Texas Sea Grant College ProgramCover photos:

Top let: Melissa Schneider/Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant ConsortiumBottom let: Collier County Sheri ’s Ofce Aviation Bureau

Top right: Texas Sea GrantBottom right: Marisol Amador/University o Florida/Institute o Food and Agricultural Sciences



Supplemental Document: GMRP First and Second Tier Priorities 2

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




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)

Second Tier

Gulf

of

Mexico

Priorities

• 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.



Gulf of Mexico Research Plan 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

Wes Tunnell Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies/ Texas A&M University/

Southern Association of Marine Labs

Bill Walker

Mississippi

Department

of

Marine

Resources

Steven Wolfe Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Alejandro Yáñez‐

Arancibia Instituto de Ecología A.C. (INECOL)




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)

;

Theme Research Priority (RP)

Number of

mentions

Percent of

all mentions

in RP

Rank of RP

based on

mentions

Percent of

mentions

in theme

Improving

Ecosystem

Health

Understand and predict the impact of natural and

anthropogenic processes on the ecosystem316 20.8% 1

34.8%

Apply understanding of marine ecosystems to develop

appropriate indicators and metrics for sustainable use and

effective management

168 11.1% 3

Apply understanding of natural and anthropogenic pro-

cesses to develop socioeconomic assessments and models

to evaluate the impact of human uses on ecosystems

44 2.9% 11

Stewardship

of Natural

and Cultural

Resources

Understand interspecies and habitat/species relationships

to support forecasting resource stability and sustainability270 17.8% 2

32.9%

Understand status and trends of resource abundance and

distribution through assessments133 8.8% 4

Understand human-use patterns that influence

resource stability54 3.6% 9

Apply understanding and technology to enhance benefitsof various natural resources

42 2.8% 12

Increase

Resilience to

Natural

Hazards

Understand response of coastal and marine systems to

natural hazards and apply understanding to assessments

of future vulnerability to natural hazards

56 3.7% 7

8.7%Apply understanding to develop multi-hazard risk assess-

ments and support development of models, policies, and

strategies for hazard mitigation

55 3.6% 8

Understand how hazard events initiate, evolve, and apply

that understanding to improve forecasts of hazard events21 1.4% 18

Enhancing

Human Health

Understand sources and processes contributing to ocean-

related risks to human health84 5.5% 5

8.7%

Understand human health risks associated with the oceanand potential benefits of ocean resources to human health

26 1.7% 14

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

16 1.1% 19

Apply understanding of ocean ecosystems and biodiver-

sity to develop products and biological models to enhance

human well-being

6 0.4% 20

Enabling

Marine

Operations

Understand interactions between marine operations and

the environment83 5.5% 6

8.4%

Apply understanding of environmental factors affecting

marine operations to characterize and predict conditions

in the maritime domain

23 1.5% 16

Apply understanding of environmental impacts and

marine operations to enhance the marine transportation

system

22 1.4% 17

The Ocean’s

Role in

Climate

Understand the impact of climate variability and change

on the biogeochemistry of the ocean and implication for

its ecosystems

45 3.0% 10

6.6%Understand ocean-climate interactions within and

across regions30 2.0% 13

Apply understanding of the ocean to help project future

climate changes and their impacts25 1.6% 15

Totals 1,519 100% 100%

GMRP Appendix B 1



Description of columns

ThemeThe theme described in the Ocean Research Priorities Plan (ORPP).

According to the ORPP each theme has equal importance.

Research priority (RP)The research priority described in the ORPP that relates to the

given theme.

Number of mentions

Number of goals/priorities/focus areas described in Gulf of Mexico

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 RP based on mentionsRank of the total mentions between strategic plans and ORPP research

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-agencyeffort 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 [email protected].

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 reflec

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.







http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gmrp-supplemental-and-appendices 15/291Page 1

Gulf of Mexico Research and Information Needs SurveyGulf of Mexico Research and Information Needs SurveyGulf of Mexico Research and Information Needs SurveyGulf of Mexico Research and Information Needs Survey

Survey to Prioritize Gulf of Mexico Research and Information Needs

Introduction

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 emai ls 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




To sort responses into subregions we would like to collect some background information from you.

In w hat state do you primarily reside?

Residence

*Alabama

nmlk j

Florida

nmlk j

Louisiana

nmlk j

Mississippi

nmlk j

Texas

nmlk j

Campeche

nmlk j

Quintana Roo

nmlk j

Tabasco

nmlk j

Tamaulipas nmlk j

Veracruz

nmlk j

Yucatan

nmlk j

Other state (please specify)

nmlk j

GMRP Appendix C




In w hat Alabama county do you primarily reside?

Alabama Counties

Autauga

nmlk j

Baldwin

nmlk j

Barbour nmlk j

Bibb

nmlk j

Blount

nmlk j

Bullock

nmlk j

Butler

nmlk j

Calhoun

nmlk j

Chambers

nmlk j

Cherokee

nmlk j

Chilton

nmlk j

Choctaw

nmlk j

Clarke

nmlk j

Clay

nmlk j

Cleburne

nmlk j

Coffee

nmlk j

Colbert

nmlk j

Conecuh

nmlk j

Coosa

nmlk j

Covington

nmlk j

Crenshaw

nmlk j

Cullman

nmlk j

Dale

nmlk j

Dallas

nmlk j

De Kalb

nmlk j

Elmore nmlk j

Escambia

nmlk j

Etowah

nmlk j

Fayette

nmlk j

Franklin

nmlk j

Geneva

nmlk j

Greene

nmlk j

Hale

nmlk j

Henry

nmlk j

Houston

nmlk j

Jackson

nmlk j

Jefferson

nmlk j

Lamar

nmlk j

Lauderdale

nmlk j

Lawrence

nmlk j

Lee

nmlk j

Limestone

nmlk j

Lowndes

nmlk j

Macon

nmlk j

Madison

nmlk j

Marengo

nmlk j

Marion

nmlk j

Marshall

nmlk j

Mobile nmlk j

Monroe

nmlk j

Montgomery

nmlk j

Morgan

nmlk j

Perry

nmlk j

Pickens

nmlk j

Pike

nmlk j

Randolph

nmlk j

Russell

nmlk j

St. Clair

nmlk j

Shelby

nmlk j

Sumter

nmlk j

Talladega

nmlk j

Tallapoosa

nmlk j

Tuscaloosa

nmlk j

Walker

nmlk j

Washington

nmlk j

Wilcox

nmlk j

Winston

nmlk j

GMRP Appendix C




In what Florida county do you primarily reside?

Florida Counties

Alachua

nmlk j

Baker

nmlk j

Bay nmlk j

Bradford

nmlk j

Brevard

nmlk j

Broward

nmlk j

Calhoun

nmlk j

Charlotte

nmlk j

Citrus

nmlk j

Clay

nmlk j

Collier

nmlk j

Columbia

nmlk j

Dade

nmlk j

De Soto

nmlk j

Dixie

nmlk j

Duval

nmlk j

Escambia

nmlk j

Flagler

nmlk j

Franklin

nmlk j

Gadsden

nmlk j

Gilchrist

nmlk j

Glades

nmlk j

Gulf

nmlk j

Hamilton

nmlk j

Hardee

nmlk j

Hendry nmlk j

Hernando

nmlk j

Highlands

nmlk j

Hillsborough

nmlk j

Holmes

nmlk j

Indian River

nmlk j

Jackson

nmlk j

Jefferson

nmlk j

Lafayette

nmlk j

Lake

nmlk j

Lee

nmlk j

Leon

nmlk j

Levy

nmlk j

Liberty

nmlk j

Madison

nmlk j

Manatee

nmlk j

Marion

nmlk j

Martin

nmlk j

Monroe

nmlk j

Nassau

nmlk j

Okaloosa

nmlk j

Okeechobee

nmlk j

Orange

nmlk j

Osceola nmlk j

Palm Beach

nmlk j

Pasco

nmlk j

Pinellas

nmlk j

Polk

nmlk j

Putnam

nmlk j

St. Johns

nmlk j

St. Lucie

nmlk j

Santa Rosa

nmlk j

Sarasota

nmlk j

Seminole

nmlk j

Sumter

nmlk j

Suwannee

nmlk j

Taylor

nmlk j

Union

nmlk j

Volusia

nmlk j

Wakulla

nmlk j

Walton

nmlk j

Washington

nmlk j

GMRP Appendix C




In w hat Louisiana parish do you primarily reside?

Louisiana Parishes

Acadia

nmlk j

Allen

nmlk j

Ascension nmlk j

Assumption

nmlk j

Avoyelles

nmlk j

Beauregard

nmlk j

Bienville

nmlk j

Bossier

nmlk j

Caddo

nmlk j

Calcasieu

nmlk j

Caldwell

nmlk j

Cameron

nmlk j

Catahoula

nmlk j

Claiborne

nmlk j

Concordia

nmlk j

De Soto

nmlk j

East Baton Rouge

nmlk j

East Carroll

nmlk j

East Feliciana

nmlk j

Evangeline

nmlk j

Franklin

nmlk j

Grant

nmlk j

Iberia

nmlk j

Iberville

nmlk j

Jackson nmlk j

Jefferson

nmlk j

Jefferson Davis

nmlk j

Lafayette

nmlk j

Lafourche

nmlk j

La Salle

nmlk j

Lincoln

nmlk j

Livingston

nmlk j

Madison

nmlk j

Morehouse

nmlk j

Natchitoches

nmlk j

Orleans

nmlk j

Ouachita

nmlk j

Plaquemines

nmlk j

Pointe Coupee

nmlk j

Rapides

nmlk j

Red River

nmlk j

Richland

nmlk j

Sabine

nmlk j

St. Bernard

nmlk j

St. Charles

nmlk j

St. Helena

nmlk j

St. James nmlk j

St. John the Baptist

nmlk j

St. Landry

nmlk j

St. Martin

nmlk j

St. Mary

nmlk j

St. Tammany

nmlk j

Tangipahoa

nmlk j

Tensas

nmlk j

Terrebonne

nmlk j

Union

nmlk j

Vermilion

nmlk j

Vernon

nmlk j

Washington

nmlk j

Webster

nmlk j

West Baton Rouge

nmlk j

West Carroll

nmlk j

West Feliciana

nmlk j

Winn

nmlk j

GMRP Appendix C




In w hat Mississippi county do you primarily reside?

Mississippi Counties

Adams

nmlk j

Alcorn

nmlk j

Amite nmlk j

Attala

nmlk j

Benton

nmlk j

Bolivar

nmlk j

Calhoun

nmlk j

Carroll

nmlk j

Chickasaw

nmlk j

Choctaw

nmlk j

Claiborne

nmlk j

Clarke

nmlk j

Clay

nmlk j

Coahoma

nmlk j

Copiah

nmlk j

Covington

nmlk j

DeSoto

nmlk j

Forrest

nmlk j

Franklin

nmlk j

George

nmlk j

Greene

nmlk j

Grenada

nmlk j

Hancock

nmlk j

Harrison

nmlk j

Hinds

nmlk j

Holmes

nmlk j

Humphreys

nmlk j

Issaquena

nmlk j

Itawamba

nmlk j

Jackson

nmlk j

Jasper nmlk j

Jefferson

nmlk j

Jefferson Davis

nmlk j

Jones

nmlk j

Kemper

nmlk j

Lafayette

nmlk j

Lamar

nmlk j

Lauderdale

nmlk j

Lawrence

nmlk j

Leake

nmlk j

Lee

nmlk j

Leflore

nmlk j

Lincoln

nmlk j

Lowndes

nmlk j

Madison

nmlk j

Marion

nmlk j

Marshall

nmlk j

Monroe

nmlk j

Montgomery

nmlk j

Neshoba

nmlk j

Newton

nmlk j

Noxubee

nmlk j

Oktibbeha

nmlk j

Panola

nmlk j

Pearl River

nmlk j

Perry

nmlk j

Pike

nmlk j

Pontotoc

nmlk j

Prentiss nmlk j

Quitman

nmlk j

Rankin

nmlk j

Scott

nmlk j

Sharkey

nmlk j

Simpson

nmlk j

Smith

nmlk j

Stone

nmlk j

Sunflower

nmlk j

Tallahatchie

nmlk j

Tate

nmlk j

Tippah

nmlk j

Tishomingo

nmlk j

Tunica

nmlk j

Union

nmlk j

Walthall

nmlk j

Warren

nmlk j

Washington

nmlk j

Wayne

nmlk j

Webster

nmlk j

Wilkinson

nmlk j

Winston

nmlk j

Yalobusha

nmlk j

Yazoo

nmlk j

GMRP Appendix C




In w hat Texas county do you primarily reside?

Texas Counties

Anderson

nmlk j

Andrews

nmlk j

Angelina nmlk j

Aransas

nmlk j

Archer

nmlk j

Armstrong

nmlk j

Atascosa

nmlk j

Austin

nmlk j

Bailey

nmlk j

Bandera

nmlk j

Bastrop

nmlk j

Baylor

nmlk j

Bee

nmlk j

Bell

nmlk j

Bexar

nmlk j

Blanco

nmlk j

Borden

nmlk j

Bosque

nmlk j

Bowie

nmlk j

Brazoria

nmlk j

Brazos

nmlk j

Brewster

nmlk j

Briscoe

nmlk j

Brooks

nmlk j

Brown

nmlk j

Burleson

nmlk j

Burnet

nmlk j

Caldwell

nmlk j

Calhoun

nmlk j

Gillespie

nmlk j

Glasscock

nmlk j

Goliad nmlk j

Gonzales

nmlk j

Gray

nmlk j

Grayson

nmlk j

Gregg

nmlk j

Grimes

nmlk j

Guadalupe

nmlk j

Hale

nmlk j

Hall

nmlk j

Hamilton

nmlk j

Hansford

nmlk j

Hardeman

nmlk j

Hardin

nmlk j

Harris

nmlk j

Harrison

nmlk j

Hartley

nmlk j

Haskell

nmlk j

Hays

nmlk j

Hemphill

nmlk j

Henderson

nmlk j

Hidalgo

nmlk j

Hill

nmlk j

Hockley

nmlk j

Hood

nmlk j

Hopkins

nmlk j

Houston

nmlk j

Howard

nmlk j

Moore

nmlk j

Morris

nmlk j

Motley nmlk j

Nacogdoches

nmlk j

Navarro

nmlk j

Newton

nmlk j

Nolan

nmlk j

Nueces

nmlk j

Ochiltree

nmlk j

Oldham

nmlk j

Orange

nmlk j

Palo Pinto

nmlk j

Panola

nmlk j

Parker

nmlk j

Parmer

nmlk j

Pecos

nmlk j

Polk

nmlk j

Potter

nmlk j

Presidio

nmlk j

Rains

nmlk j

Randall

nmlk j

Reagan

nmlk j

Real

nmlk j

Red River

nmlk j

Reeves

nmlk j

Refugio

nmlk j

Roberts

nmlk j

Robertson

nmlk j

Rockwall

nmlk j

GMRP Appendix C




Callahan

nmlk j

Cameron

nmlk j

Camp

nmlk j

Carson

nmlk j

Cass

nmlk j

Castro

nmlk j

Chambers

nmlk j

Cherokee

nmlk j

Childress

nmlk j

Clay

nmlk j

Cochran

nmlk j

Coke

nmlk j

Coleman

nmlk j

Collin

nmlk j

Collingsworth

nmlk j

Colorado

nmlk j

Comal

nmlk j

Comanche

nmlk j

Concho

nmlk j

Cooke

nmlk j

Coryell

nmlk j

Cottle

nmlk j

Crane

nmlk j

Crockett

nmlk j

Crosby

nmlk j

Culberson

nmlk j

Dallam

nmlk j

Dallas

nmlk j

Dawson

nmlk j

Deaf Smith

nmlk j

Delta

nmlk j

Hudspeth

nmlk j

Hunt

nmlk j

Hutchinson

nmlk j

Irion

nmlk j

Jack

nmlk j

Jackson

nmlk j

Jasper

nmlk j

Jeff Davis

nmlk j

Jefferson

nmlk j

Jim Hogg

nmlk j

Jim Wells

nmlk j

Johnson

nmlk j

Jones

nmlk j

Karnes

nmlk j

Kaufman

nmlk j

Kendall

nmlk j

Kenedy

nmlk j

Kent

nmlk j

Kerr

nmlk j

Kimble

nmlk j

King

nmlk j

Kinney

nmlk j

Kleberg

nmlk j

Knox

nmlk j

Lamar

nmlk j

Lamb

nmlk j

Lampasas

nmlk j

La Salle

nmlk j

Lavaca

nmlk j

Lee

nmlk j

Leon

nmlk j

Runnels

nmlk j

Rusk

nmlk j

Sabine

nmlk j

San Augustine

nmlk j

San Jacinto

nmlk j

San Patricio

nmlk j

San Saba

nmlk j

Schleicher

nmlk j

Scurry

nmlk j

Shackelford

nmlk j

Shelby

nmlk j

Sherman

nmlk j

Smith

nmlk j

Somervell

nmlk j

Starr

nmlk j

Stephens

nmlk j

Sterling

nmlk j

Stonewall

nmlk j

Sutton

nmlk j

Swisher

nmlk j

Tarrant

nmlk j

Taylor

nmlk j

Terrell

nmlk j

Terry

nmlk j

Throckmorton

nmlk j

Titus

nmlk j

Tom Green

nmlk j

Travis

nmlk j

Trinity

nmlk j

Tyler

nmlk j

Upshur

nmlk j

GMRP Appendix C




Denton

nmlk j

De Witt

nmlk j

Dickens

nmlk j

Dimmit

nmlk j

Donley

nmlk j

Duval

nmlk j

Eastland

nmlk j

Ector

nmlk j

Edwards

nmlk j

Ellis

nmlk j

El Paso

nmlk j

Erath

nmlk j

Falls

nmlk j

Fannin

nmlk j

Fayette

nmlk j

Fisher

nmlk j

Floyd

nmlk j

Foard

nmlk j

Fort Bend

nmlk j

Franklin

nmlk j

Freestone

nmlk j

Frio

nmlk j

Gaines

nmlk j

Galveston

nmlk j

Garza

nmlk j

Liberty

nmlk j

Limestone

nmlk j

Lipscomb

nmlk j

Live Oak

nmlk j

Llano

nmlk j

Loving

nmlk j

Lubbock

nmlk j

Lynn

nmlk j

McCulloch

nmlk j

McLennan

nmlk j

McMullen

nmlk j

Madison

nmlk j

Marion

nmlk j

Martin

nmlk j

Mason

nmlk j

Matagorda

nmlk j

Maverick

nmlk j

Medina

nmlk j

Menard

nmlk j

Midland

nmlk j

Milam

nmlk j

Mills

nmlk j

Mitchell

nmlk j

Montague

nmlk j

Montgomery

nmlk j

Upton

nmlk j

Uvalde

nmlk j

Val Verde

nmlk j

Van Zandt

nmlk j

Victoria

nmlk j

Walker

nmlk j

Waller

nmlk j

Ward

nmlk j

Washington

nmlk j

Webb

nmlk j

Wharton

nmlk j

Wheeler

nmlk j

Wichita

nmlk j

Wilbarger

nmlk j

Willacy

nmlk j

Williamson

nmlk j

Wilson

nmlk j

Winkler

nmlk j

Wise

nmlk j

Wood

nmlk j

Yoakum

nmlk j

Young

nmlk j

Zapata

nmlk j

Zavala

nmlk j

GMRP Appendix C




What is the total number of years you have lived in a state bordering the Gulf of

Mexico?

Please select one of the follow ing that best describes your affi l iation.

Background Information

Never lived in a state bordering the Gulf of Mexico

nmlk j

<1-10

nmlk j

11-20

nmlk j

21-30

nmlk j

31-40

nmlk j

41-50

nmlk j

51 or more

nmlk j

Business/Industry nmlk j

Education, K-12

nmlk j

Education, University/College

nmlk j

Government, City

nmlk j

Government, County/Parish

nmlk j

Government, State

nmlk j

Government, Federal

nmlk j

Non-Governmental Organization

nmlk j

Other (please specify)

nmlk j

GMRP Appendix C




This section of the survey provides insight about your personal perspectives of Gulf of Mexico research and how yo

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.

Indicate (in the boxes to the right) the number of years you have primarily:

Which best describes your primary relationship with Gulf of Mexico research?

Relationship to Gulf of Mexico Research

*

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)

*

Stewardship of Natural and Cultural Ocean Resources (e.g. examine resource dynamics, value resources, discover new uses

for coastal resources)

gfedc

Increasing Resilience to Natural Hazards (e.g. forecast hazard events, predict impact of hazards)

gfedc

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)

gfedc

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)

gfedc

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)

gfedc

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)

gfedc

None of the Above

gfedc

Conduct research in the Gulf of Mexico

nmlk j

Sponsor/Administer research in the Gulf of Mexico

nmlk j

Use Gulf of Mexico research findings as part of your profession

nmlk j

Use Gulf of Mexico research fi ndings for recreational purposes

nmlk j

Do not use Gulf of Mexico research findings nmlk j


nmlk j

GMRP Appendix C




Please select only one of the following disciplines that best describes your Gulf of

Mexico research?

Follow up Question for Researchers

Anthropology

nmlk j

Atmospheric sciences

nmlk j

Biological sciences

nmlk j

Chemical sciences

nmlk j

Computer and Information sciences

nmlk j

Economics

nmlk j

Education

nmlk j

Engineering

nmlk j

Geological sciences

nmlk j

Physical sciences

nmlk j

Political science/Law/Policy

nmlk j


nmlk j

GMRP Appendix C




Rate the follow ing in terms of their value in enhancing collaboration between Gulf of

Mexico research programs.

Follow up Question for Administrators

Very Low Low Medium High Very High No Opinion

Developing new

partnerships in existing

regional initiatives

nmlk j nmlk j nmlk j nmlk j nmlk j nmlk j

Increasing funding to

existing regional

initiatives


Developing new funding

initiatives that have multi-

state requirements


Developing new funding

initiatives that do not

have multi-state

requirements


Aligning state and

regional programs with

national plans such as the

Ocean Research Priorities

Plan and Implementation

Strategy


Addressing mandates for

regional coordination from

your agency/organization


Serving on regional work

groupsnmlk j nmlk j nmlk j nmlk j nmlk j nmlk j

Reviewing a synthesis of

regional research activitiesnmlk j nmlk j nmlk j nmlk j nmlk j nmlk j

Reading documents about

the results of other

research


GMRP Appendix C




Please rate the value of the follow ing as a user of Gulf of Mexico research results.

Follow up Question for Research Users


Direct one-on-one contact

with researchersnmlk j nmlk j nmlk j nmlk j nmlk j nmlk j

Raw research data

provided directly from a

researcher


Access to databases that

contain raw research datanmlk j nmlk j nmlk j nmlk j nmlk j nmlk j

Summarized data that

has been interpreted by

the researcher that

collected the data


Research results

interpreted by individuals

within your organization or

another third party


Inventory of current

research conducted

throughout the Gulf of

Mexico including the

names of the individuals

conducting the research

and project descriptions


Regional meetings where

researchers are

presenting results of their

work


National meetings where

researchers are

presenting results of their

work


Research results

published in peer

reviewed journals


GMRP Appendix C




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 transpor tation, recreation, and

tourism. The ocean preserves a record of the nation ’ s cultural past. The ocean remains a vast,

unexplored realm w ith 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 w ith invasive species.”

Prioritization of Research Areas (page 1 of 3)


Understand the status

and trends of resource

abundance and

distribution through more

accurate, timely and largescale assessments


Understand interspecies

and habitat/species

relationships to support

forecasting resource

stability and sustainability


Understand human-use

patterns considering

economic, sociological,

and cultural factors that

may influence resource

stability and sustainability


Apply advanced

understanding and

technologies to enhance

the benefits of various

natural resources from the

open ocean and coasts


GMRP Appendix C




2) In creasing Resilience to Natural Hazards

“Communiti es, 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 w ill

provide the know ledge 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 tofuture hazard events.”


Understand how hazard

events initiate and evolve

and apply that

understanding to improve

forecasts of future hazard

events


Understand the response

of coastal and marine

systems to natural

hazards and apply that

understanding toassessments of future

vulnerability to natural

hazards


Apply understanding to

develop multi-hazard risk

assessments and support

development of models,

policies, and strategies for

hazard mitigation


This question continues onto the next page.

GMRP Appendix C




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 char ting activities, gather tide and current information, and use U.S. ports, harbors,

estuaries, and the Great Lakes. Marine operations also deal w ith issues such as bridge clearance,

dredging, navigation aids, and ice coverage. Forward-thinking, innovative research, coupled w ith

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.”

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 w ill 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 the

interactions between

marine operations and

the environment


Apply understanding of

environmental factors

affecting marine

operations to characterize

and predict conditions in

the maritime domain



environmental impacts

and marine operations to

enhance the marine

transportation system



Understand ocean-climate

interactions within andacross regions


Understand the impact of

climate variability and

change on the

biogeochemistry of the

ocean and implications for

its ecosystems



the ocean to help project

future climate changes

and their impacts


GMRP Appendix C




This question concludes on the next page.

GMRP Appendix C




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, wel l-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

the impact of natural and

anthropogenic processes

on ecosystems



natural and human

caused processes to

develop socioeconomic

assessments and models

to evaluate the impact of

multiple human uses on

ecosystems



marine ecosystems to

develop appropriate

indicators and metrics for

sustainable use and

effective management


GMRP Appendix C




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 w ill 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 w ill focus on the cause, prevention, and treatment of

disease. The ocean also holds abundant resources that convey a variety of health benefits to humansExploration of new hab itats, combined w ith emerging biochemical and biotechnical techniques, w ill

promote discovery and development of bioproducts that promote human health.” Very Low Low Medium High Very High No Opinion

Understand sources and

processes contributing to

ocean-related risks to

human health


Understand human health

risks associated with the

ocean and the potential

benefits of ocean

resources to human

health


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



ocean ecosystems and

biodiversity to develop

products and biological

models to enhance

human well-being


GMRP Appendix C




List very high research priorities for the Gulf of Mexico over the n ext 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.

Open comments

First Name

Last Name

Organization or

Affil iation

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 GMR

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.

GMRP Appendix C




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

Oceanʹ

s

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



Theme(RP number identifies research priorities that are affiliated with each theme.)

Average

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

Research Priority

Average

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.

Gulf of Mexico Research Planning Survey Results

Average Rating of Ocean Research Priorities Plan Themes and Priorities

The following table describes each research priority from the Ocean Research Priorities Plan:

GMRP Appendix D



Survey Responses by State(Total Responses = 1,582)

Louisiana

30%

Florida

18%Texas

17%

Mississippi

15%

Alabama

11%

Other

6%

Mexico

3%

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.

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%

For more information about the survey results, contact Steve Sempier at [email protected]

or visit http://masgc.org/gmrp.

Years of Experience (N = 1,207)

Average

Years

Total

Years

Use research as part of profession 10.60 9,994Conduct research 8.55 5,591

Administrate research 4.48 2,991

Total years reported 20,576

Survey Respondent Affiliation

to Research(Total Responses = 1,380)

Use as Part

of Profession

39%

Conduct Research

28%

Use for

Recreational

Purposes

13%

Do Not Use

Research

8%

Administrate

Research7%

Other

5%

Survey Responses by Affiliation(Total Responses = 1,486)

Education,

Higher Ed

34%

Government

State/County

18%

Business

and Industry

17%

Other

13%

Government

Federal12%

NGO

6%

GMRP Appendix D



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



−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s

N

u m b e r o f R e s p o n s e s

1 0 1

‐ 1 2 0

8 1

‐ 1 0 0

4 1

‐ 8 0

2 1

‐ 4 0

1 1

‐ 2 0

3 ‐ 1 0

L e s s t h a n 3

G u l f o f M

e x i c o R e s e a r c h a n d I n f o r m a t i o n N

e e d s S u r v e y R e s

u l t s

N u m b e r o f

R e s p o n s e s b y C o

u n t y

GMRP Appendix D



−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s

R e

l a t i v e

R a n k

i n g o

f O R P P S o c i

e t a l T h e m e :

S t e w a r d s

h i p o

f N a t u

r a l a n

d C u

l t u r a l

O c e a n

R e s o u r c e s

* C o

u n t i e s w i t h < 3 s u r v e y r e s p o n s e s w

e r e n o t r e p o r t e d .

R e

l a t i v e

R a n

k

N o t r e p o r t e

d *

1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ( L o w

)

GMRP Appendix D



−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s

R e

l a t i v e

R a n k

i n g o

f O R P P S o c i

e t a l T h e m e :

I n c r e a s

i n g

R e

s i l i e n c e t o N a t u r

a l H a z a r d s

* C o



R e

l a t i v e

R a n

k

N o t r e p o r t e

d *

1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ( L o w

)

GMRP Appendix D



−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s

R e l a t i v e R a n k i n g o f O R P P S o c i

e t a l T h e m e :

E n a b l i n

g M a r i n e O p e r a t i o n s

* C o



R e

l a t i v e

R a n

k

N o

t r e p o r t e

d *

1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ( L o w

)

GMRP Appendix D



−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s

R e

l a t i v e

R a n k

i n g o

f O R P P S o c i

e t a l T h e m e :

T h e

O c e a n

ʹ

s R o

l e i n C l i m a t e

* C o



R e

l a t i v e

R a n

k

N o t r e p o r t e

d *

1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ( L o w

)

GMRP Appendix D



−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s

R e

l a t i v e

R a n k

i n g o

f O R P P S o c i

e t a l T h e m e :

I m p r o v

i n g

E c o s y s t e m

H e a

l t h

* C o



R e

l a t i v e

R a n

k

N o t r e p o r t e

d *

1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ( L o w

)

GMRP Appendix D



−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s

R e

l a t i v e

R a n k

i n g o

f O R P P S o c i

e t a l T h e m e :

E n

h a n

c i n g

H u m a n

H e a

l t h

* C o



R e

l a t i v e

R a n

k

N o t r e p o r t e

d *

1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ( L o w

)

GMRP Appendix D



−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s

T o p R a n k e d O R

P P S o c i e t a l T h e m

e b y C o u n t y

* I

n s o m e c a s e s a n i n v i d i d u a l c o u n t y

h a d m u l t i p l e t h e m e s t h a t w e r e t h e

t o p r a n k e d t h e m e d u e t o t i e s i n r a

n k i n g .

T h i s m a y h a v e i n c l u d e d

ʺ E c o s y s t e m

H e a l t h

ʺ ,

ʺ S t e w a r d s h i p o f R e s o u r c e

s ʺ , a n d / o r

ʺ O c e a n

ʹ s R o l e i n C l i m a t e

. ʺ

* *

C o u n t i e s w i t h < 3 s u r v e y r e s p o n s e s

w e r e n o t r e p o r t e d .

T o p R a n k e d T h e m e

E c o s y s t e m

H e a l t h

O c e a n

ʹ

s R o l e i n C l i m a t e

S t e w a r d s h i p o f R e s o u r c e s

O t h e r o r S e v e r a l T h e m e ( s ) *

N o t r e p o r t e d * *

GMRP Appendix D



−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s

R e

l a t i v e

R a n

k i n

g o

f O R P P R e s e a r c

h P r i o r i t y

1 :

* C o



R e

l a t i v e R a n

k

N o t r e p o r t e

d *

1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ‐

1 0

1 1

‐ 1 5

1 6

‐ 2 0 ( L o w

)

U n

d e r s t a n

d t h e s

t a t u s a n d

t r e n

d s o

f r e s o u r c e a

b u n

d a n c e a n

d

d i s t r i b u

t i o n

t h r o u g

h m o r e a c c

u r a

t e ,

t i m e

l y a n d

s y n o p

t i c a s s e s s m

e n

t s

GMRP Appendix D



−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s

R e

l a t i v e

R a n

k i n

g o

f O R P P R e s

e a r c

h P

r i o r i t y

2 :

* C o



R

e l a t i v e

R a n

k

N o t r e p

o r t e

d *

1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ‐

1 0

1 1

‐ 1 5

1 6

‐ 2 0 ( L o w

)

U n

d e r s

t a n

d i n t e r s p

e c i e s

a n

d h a

b i t a t / s p e c

i e s r e

l a t i o n s

h i p

s

t o s

u p

p o r t

f o r e c

a s

t i n g r e s

o u r c

e s

t a b i l i t y

a n

d s

u s

t a i n a

b i l i

t y

GMRP Appendix D





−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s

R e l a t i v e R a n k i n g o f O R P P R e s e a r c h P r i o r i t y 4 :

* C o

u n

t i e s w

i t h < 3 s u r v e y r e s p o n s e s w

e r e n o

t r e p o r t e

d .

R e l a t i v e R a n k

N o t r e p o r t e d *

1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ‐

1 0

1 1

‐ 1 5

1 6

‐ 2 0 ( L o w )

A

p p l y a d v a n c e d u n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d t e c h n o l o g i e s

t o e n h a n c e t h e b e n e

f i t s o f v a r i o u s n a

t u r a l r e s o u r c e s

f r o m

t h e

o p e n o c e a n a n d c

o a s t s

GMRP Appendix D



−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s


* C o

u n

t i e s w


e r e n o

t r e p o r t e

d .



1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ‐

1 0

1 1

‐ 1 5

1 6

‐ 2 0 ( L o w )

U n

d e r s t a n d h o w h a

z a r d e v e n t s i n i t i

a t e a n d e v o l v e ,

a n d a p p l y t h a t

u n d e r s t a n d i n g t o i m p r o v e

f o r e c a s t s o f h a z a r d e v e n t s

GMRP Appendix D



−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s


* C o

u n

t i e s w


e r e n o

t r e p o r t e

d .



1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ‐

1 0

1 1

‐ 1 5

1 6

‐ 2 0 ( L o w )

U n d e r s t a n d t h e r e s p o n

s e o f c o a s t a l a n d

m a r i n e s y s t e m s t o

n

a t u r a l h a z a r d s a n

d a p p l y t h a t u n d

e r s t a n d i n g t o

a s s e

s s m e n t s o f f u t u r

e v u l n e r a b i l i t y t o

n a t u r a l h a z a r d s

GMRP Appendix D



−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s


* C o

u n

t i e s w


e r e n o

t r e p o r t e

d .



1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ‐

1 0

1 1

‐ 1 5

1 6

‐ 2 0 ( L o w )

A p

p l y u n d e r s t a n d i n g t o d e v e l o p m u

l t i ‐ h a z a r d r i s k

a s s e s s m e n t s a n d s u

p p o r t d e v e l o p m e n t o f m o d e l s ,

p o l i c i e s , a n d s t r

a t e g i e s f o r h a z a r d m i t i g a t i o n

GMRP Appendix D



−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s


* C o

u n

t i e s w


e r e n o

t r e p o r t e

d .



1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ‐

1 0

1 1

‐ 1 5

1 6

‐ 2 0 ( L o w )

U n d e r s t a n d t h e

i n t e r a c t i o n s b e t w

e e n m a r i n e

o p e r a t i o n

s a n d t h e e n v i r o n

m e n t

GMRP Appendix D





−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s

R e l a t i v e R a n k i n g

o f O R P P R e s e a r

c h P r i o r i t y 1 0 :

* C o

u n

t i e s w


e r e n o

t r e p o r t e

d .



1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ‐

1 0

1 1

‐ 1 5

1 6

‐ 2 0 ( L o w )

A p p l y

u n d e r s t a n d i n g o

f e n v i r o n m e n t a l i m p a c t s a n d m a r i n e

o p e r

a t i o n s t o e n h a n c e t h e m a r i n e t r a n s p o r t a t i o n s y s t e m

GMRP Appendix D



−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s




* C o

u n

t i e s w


e r e n o

t r e p o r t e

d .



1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ‐

1 0

1 1

‐ 1 5

1 6

‐ 2 0 ( L o w )

U n d e r s t a n d o

c e a n

‐ c l i m a t e i n t e r a c t i o n s

w i t h i n

a n d a c r o s s r e g i o

n s

GMRP Appendix D



−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s




* C o

u n

t i e s w


e r e n o

t r e p o r t e

d .



1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ‐

1 0

1 1

‐ 1 5

1 6

‐ 2 0 ( L o w )

U n d e r s t a n d t h e

i m p a c t o f c l i m a t e v a r i a b i l i t y

a n d c h a n g e o

n t h e b i o g e o c h e m

i s t r y o f

t h e o c e a n a n d i m

p l i c a t i o n s f o r i t s e c o s y s t e m s

GMRP Appendix D



−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s




* C o

u n

t i e s w


e r e n o

t r e p o r t e

d .



1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ‐

1 0

1 1

‐ 1 5

1 6

‐ 2 0 ( L o w )

A

p p l y u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e o c e a n t o h e l p p r o j e c t

f u t u r e c l i m a t e

c h a n g e s a n d t h e

i r i m p a c t s

GMRP Appendix D



−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s




* C o

u n

t i e s w


e r e n o

t r e p o r t e

d .



1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ‐

1 0

1 1

‐ 1 5

1 6

‐ 2 0 ( L o w )

U n d e r s t a n d a n d p r e d i c t t h e i m p a c t

o f n a t u r a l a n d

a n t h r o p o g e n i c p r o c e s s e s o n e c

o s y s t e m s

GMRP Appendix D



−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s




* C o

u n

t i e s w


e r e n o

t r e p o r t e

d .



1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ‐

1 0

1 1

‐ 1 5

1 6

‐ 2 0 ( L o w )

A p p l y u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f

n a t u r a l a n d a n t h

r o p o g e n i c p r o c e s s e s

t o d

e v e l o p s o c i o e c o n

o m i c a s s e s s m e n t s a n d m o d e l s t o

e v a l u a

t e t h e i m p a c t o f m u l t i p l e h u m a n u s e s o n e c o s y s t e m

s

GMRP Appendix D





−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s




* C o

u n

t i e s w


e r e n o

t r e p o r t e

d .



1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ‐

1 0

1 1

‐ 1 5

1 6

‐ 2 0 ( L o w )

U

n d e r s t a n d s o u r c

e s a n d p r o c e s s e s

c o n t r i b u t i n g

t o o c e a n

‐ r e l a

t e d r i s k s t o h u m a n h e a l t h

GMRP Appendix D



−

0

1 0 0

2 0 0

3 0 0

4 0 0

5 0

M i l e s




* C o

u n

t i e s w


e r e n o

t r e p o r t e

d .



1 ( H i g h )

2 3 4 5 6 ‐

1 0

1 1

‐ 1 5

1 6

‐ 2 0 ( L o w )

U

n d e r s t a n d h u m a

n h e a l t h r i s k s a s

s o c i a t e d w i t h

t h e o c e a n a n d t h e p o t e n t i a l b e

n e f i t s o f

o c e a n r e s o

u r c e s t o h u m a n h e a l t h

GMRP Appendix D









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 ʺspinʺwritten

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





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



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


separate naturally occurring variability from anthropogenic influences

GMRP Appendix D



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



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



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



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 ʺspinʺwritten 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 concernsʺwhich

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



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



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



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

Bottom sediment mapping and coastal wetland accretion/erosion trends

Remediation of coastal erosion by means other than bulkheads or seawalls

GMRP Appendix D



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


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


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



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

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


GMRP Appendix D



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



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



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

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


variability, extreme events and climatic changes and support long term observational monitoring networks for model validation

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



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

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



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


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



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



Coastal development and human population growth in coastal areas

How has increased human population density and habitat modification in the coastal zone


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

How

has

increased

human

population

density

and

habitat

modification

in

the

coastal

zone


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



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



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

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


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



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 zoneʹmight 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



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

continue to address the cause and elimination of dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico

Elimination of dead zone(s)

GMRP Appendix D



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 Drainsʺwith

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




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

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





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


separate naturally occurring variability from anthropogenic influences

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 Orientalʺmountain 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



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



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 Orientalʺmountain 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

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


GMRP Appendix D



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



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

Development of nutrient criteria in the Gulf of Mexico and the inclusion of Mexico in these

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



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









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











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

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

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



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





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



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



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



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



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



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






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










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

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






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





GMRP Appendix F

Texas Workshop Report

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 ta ble.

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.

3



GMRP Appendix F


Stewardship of Natural and Cultural Ocean Resources

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)

‐What is socio‐economic impact of increase/decrease on

users?

15

Research on targeted trophic relationships to support

ecosystem based approach (ex: fisheries (menhaden

snapper), endangered spp., non‐indigenous spp.)

15

Bottom up. Impact of freshwater inflow on lower trophic

levels of food chain and the water quality / nutrients / sediment

11

Connectivity of populations species and habitats 11

ID changes in diversity and abundance over time and habitat

to ID causes (anthro/climate) time series over w/years 10

Develop new maps physical and biological habitats to

determine what resources exist 9

Socio‐economic value of restoration and conservation

programs and variable scales and examine if the is habitat

functioning as expected (or as replacement)

9

Analyze and predict ecosystem health through visualization

of anthropogenic stressors for GOM

6

Continuous non‐indigenous fowling community monitoring

in GOM waters 6

Research into communication and behavior change related to

conservation projects 5

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

capitalize on othersʹ collections (i.e. I can use their bycatch) 2

4







GMRP Appendix F


Increasing Resilience to Natural Hazards

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

Policy, Management or Education Topics

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

7



GMRP Appendix F


Enabling Marine Operations

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

‐Habitat identification

Sea‐level rise and its impact on industrial operations

‐Assessment

‐How

do

we

cope

7

Enhance ports

‐Develop, validate, and assimilate data models and

numerical forecast models

‐Observing system experiments (OSEs) modeling allows

you to determine optimal observations

‐Validation (comparing and improving models)

6

Enhancing coastal and real‐time systems

‐Developing and validating numerical forecast models 5

Ship traffic and port facilities marine operations Shipping,

dredging, and port facilities impacts on ecosystems, such as:

‐Air

pollution

‐Human/animal health

‐Sediment

‐Water quality

‐Dredging expansions

5

Developing better models for valuation of habitats to allow

for policy‐makers to make more informed decisions about

placement of development, etc. (cost benefit analysis)

4

Improve forecasts of hurricane intensity 4

Research and development techniques for rapid assessment

of bathymetry of ports and harbors following (i.e.,

autonomous

underwater

vehicles,

SS

sonar)

4

Determine what the mean shoreline is and making common

references (datum) for sea level measurements 2

Understanding impacts of offloading open loop LNG

terminals to ecosystems 2

Understanding loop current ring shedding, how they work

so we can increase our ability to predict 1

8



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

models (e.g., of circulation) 0

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)

9



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

‐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

15

Precipitation

‐Change in patterns and quantity (gradient shift)

‐Freshwater influx/inflow

‐Inflow of freshwater, nutrients, sediments and effect it has

on biological, biogeochemical, and physical coastal

processes

‐Frequency and intensity of droughts

13

Loop current

‐Relationship with storm frequency and intensity

‐Change in current regime

‐Temperature

‐Links to global scale climate patterns

12

Relationship of climate change to fisheries

‐Recruitment

‐Distribution

‐Link between fish ecology and climate change

12

Change climate related to temperature

‐Distribution of species

‐Invasive species change susceptibility

‐Stratification of water column

‐Link between fish ecology and climate change

9

Research best locations and types of in situ sensors needed

and temperature and spatial distribution of measurements 6

Change in CO2 levels on aquatic biology (ocean acidification) 4

10





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

12



GMRP Appendix F


Improving Ecosystem Health

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)

‐Need data to back up connectivity claims (we think

connections are there)

8

Impacts of multiple anthropogenic stressors on estuarine

populations (water quality degradation, fresh water inflow,

alternates, loss of habitat)

7

Freshwater inflow

‐Effects of changing habitat characteristics on user species

and production characteristics of the system

‐Researching putting processed water in confined areas

‐Use oysters as indicator species (health/disease and

abundance)

‐Hydrodynamics‐‐impacts to aquifers/understanding

underground water movement

6

Development of ecosystem model; (Ecopath—parks and

wildlife (TPWD) working on University of Houston)

‐Lay out relationships in food web

‐Lay out connections to abiotic factors

5

Impacts of fisheries on the bottom habitat in the Gulf of

Mexico, commercial and recreational

‐On bottom habitat

‐Impacts of structures

‐Removal of top predators (impacts of)

‐Impacts on habitat

‐Economic impacts of regulation and marine reserves

‐Impacts on Gulf and estuarine populations

5

Invasive marine and estuarine species

‐Survey whatʹs in there

‐Investigation

impacts,

interactions

‐Research socioeconomic impacts

5

13



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

‐Changing makeup of communities (transitioning from

resource‐dependent, rural)

4

Impacts of tourism and urban development, specifically on

water quality

‐Impacts of dune loss

‐Relationship to harmful algal blooms

‐Relationship to mangroves and submerged aquatic

vegetation (increased vulnerability to sea‐level rise and

humans)

4

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

‐Phytoplankton species

‐Changes in harmful algal blooms

3

Understanding larval movement and the importance of

specific areas

‐Relative importance different sites

‐Would inform fisheries management

‐Would inform marine reserve placement

‐Would inform industrial activities (e.g. LNG)

‐Aquacultural siting

3

Climate induced changes in ecosystems, coupled with

anthropogenic impacts

‐Movement of organisms; changes in where recruitment

occurs; changes in species composition

2

Global economy’s impacts on Gulf of Mexico tourism >

impacts development in at risk areas, changes in

demographics; impacts who’s fishing

2

Global economy’s impacts of Gulf of Mexico fisheries;

understand changes, impacts to economics of local fisheries 1

Impacts of artificial reefs/role of artificial reefs in distribution

of marine benthic species and other fish species

‐Impacts on fishing in surrounding areas

‐Role in spread of invasives?

1

Monitor seasonal abundances of different kinds of larvae—to

inform oyster restoration work

‐Use genetic bar‐coding to identify larvae

‐Eventually want to use genetic markers to quantify how

much of each kind

1

14



GMRP Appendix F




Impacts (biotic and abiotic) of offshore oil and gas (liquid

natural gas and seismic activity) on benthic populations,

water quality, and socioeconomic impacts that then result

(e.g., impacts of mercury)

0

Impacts of low dissolved oxygen, trend of declining

dissolved oxygen 0

Impacts of nutrients from offshore aquaculture sites

‐Impacts of nutrients

‐Impacts on fisheries/human use

‐Information placement

‐Research different species

0

More bathymetry (e.g., multi‐ beam) applied to identify

habitats and associated communities 0

Need more information about how to restore mangroves,

how can help natural regeneration after storms 0

Research efficacy of restoration sites over time

‐Site of sites

‐Function, condition/quality

0

Socioeconomic impacts of development in storm/flood‐prone

areas 0

Economic impacts of exotic species and social impacts

(quality of life impacts) 0

Economic impacts of fisheries regulations going on now;

economic impacts of marine reserves 0

Impacts of commercial and recreational fishing on Gulf

populations 0

Impacts of liquid natural gas impacts of seismic activity—

impacts on biotic and abiotic 0

Monitoring over oyster diseases and predator, re.: freshwater

inflows (can inform restoration efforts) 0

Re: freshwater inflow—research delivery of used (processed)

water to confined areas to increase freshwater flow

‐Sammy has work underway—Swan Lake

0

Research how vulnerability to sea‐level rise and hurricanes

changes when lose dunes to development 0

15



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

16



GMRP Appendix F


Enhancing Human Health

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

‐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

16

Seafood safety

‐Change in water temperature, runoff, marshes

‐Mercury

‐Affects of water quality inflows on seafood

‐Bioaccumulation


infectious agents

‐Impacts on temperature change and vibrio, etc.

15

Disruption of fisheries

‐Endocrine disruptors (pharmaceuticals)

‐Mercury


infectious agents

13

Insect borne diseases

‐Betters ways to control mosquitoes without environmental

blowback

‐What is relationship between mosquitoes, wetlands and

malaria?

‐Impacts of spraying

‐Change insect‐ borne diseases?


infectious agents

‐Change in temperature and effects on human water‐ borne

diseases

11

17









GMRP Appendix F


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

areas.

Change in climate related to temperature:

‐Distribution of species

‐Invasive species – how they are changing

‐Stratification of water column

‐Link between fish ecology & climate change

13 Climate

Identify changes in diversity & abundance over time (time

series over & within years) to identify causes

(anthropogenic / climate)

13 Stewardship

Understanding the impact of the Gulf of Mexico Loop

current on

1) Tropical systems

2) Ecosystem resiliency

13 Resilience

Characterize & model community resilience and

sustainability against natural hazards

‐Ecological footprint ‐Built environment

12 Resilience

Develop new physical & biological habitat maps to

determine what resources exist 12 Stewardship

Impacts of tourism & urban development

‐Impacts on water quality

‐Relationship to harmful algal blooms

‐Impacts to mangroves and submerged aquatic vegetation

‐Impacts of dune loss on vulnerability to sea‐level rise &

hurricanes

11 Ecosystem

Interactions between coastal / nearshore morphology &

vegetation and

hurricane

impacts

11 Resilience

Understand larval movement & the importance of specific

areas:

‐Relative importance, different sites

‐Inform fisheries management, marine reserve placement,

industrial activity siting (LNG, aquaculture)

11 Ecosystem

Assess the vulnerability of natural & human communities to

global & local sea‐level rise & the underlying source of

vulnerability

10 Resilience

Pollutants:

‐Pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, metals, etc.; effect

on

fisheries

‐Change in water quality & inflows on pollutants & result

on seafood

10

Human

21





GMRP Appendix F



areas.

Research & develop techniques for rapid assessment of

bathymetry of ports & harbors (i.e. AUV, side‐scan sonar,

satellite)

6 Operations

What are long‐term changes to coastal sediment budgets? 6 Resilience How will humans respond?

‐Impact of communities

‐Impact of industry

‐Infrastructure breakdown

‐Change in energy usage

5 Climate

Impact of freshwater inflow on lower trophic levels of food

chain & the water quality (nutrients / sediments) 5 Stewardship

Improve forecasts of hurricane intensity 4 Operations

Pharming the sea

‐Pharming the ocean for pharmaceuticals

‐How water quality changes & inflows affect the “pharm”

4 Human

Determine the mean shoreline and common references

(datums) for various sea level measurements 3 Operations

Effects of morphological changes on society relative to:

‐Sea‐level rise

‐Coastline / shoreline changes

‐Development

‐Habitat identification

3 Operations

How often do tsunamis impact the Gulf of Mexico –

magnitude & frequency 3 Resilience

Understand impacts of open loop LNG terminals to

ecosystems 3 Operations

Quantifying climate change – determine / research best

locations & types of in situ sensors needed and temporal

and spatial distributions of measurements

2 Climate

Species composition primary producers & how changing

over time:

‐Phytoplankton species

‐Changes in HAB’s – try to identify triggers / causes

‐Impacts on consumers (e.g. oysters)

2 Ecosystem

Understand / quantify impacts of winter / spring storms 2 Resilience

23





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)

25



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)

26



GMRP Appendix F


Appendix B:

Process diagram to identify and prioritize research topics at the GMRP workshop

27



GMRP Appendix F


Appendix C:

Workshop Participants and Facilitators

First Name

Last

Name

Affiliation

E‐mail

Address

Jaime

Alvarado

Bremer Texas A&M at Galveston [email protected]

Kristopher Benson NOAA Restoration Center [email protected]

Douglas Biggs Texas A&M University main campus [email protected]

Alan Bunn NOAA/NOS [email protected]

Edward Buskey University of Texas [email protected]

Piers Chapman Texas A&M University [email protected]

Jennifer DeBose NOAA/FGBNMS [email protected]

Winston Denton TPWD [email protected]

Rohini Drake Texas A&M University Galveston

Jean Ellis NASA Stennis Space Center [email protected]

Jorge I.

Euan

‐Avila

CINVESTAV

‐IPN

[email protected]

Kola Garber* NOAA Sea Grant [email protected]

Gregg Gitschlag NMFS Galveston [email protected]

Lisa Gonzalez Houston Advanced Research Center

(HARC) [email protected]

Gary Graham Texas Sea Grant [email protected]

Joseph Grant NASA Stennis Space Center [email protected]

Norman Guinasso Texas A&M University [email protected]

Rebecca Hensley Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept [email protected]

Emma Hickerson NOAA/FGBNMS [email protected]

John Jacob* Texas Sea Grant [email protected]

Steven Johnston Galveston Bay Estuary Program [email protected] Robert L. Joseph U.S. Geological Survey [email protected]

Bill Kiene NOAA National Marine Sanctuary

Program [email protected]

Kelly Knowlton Science Systems and Applications, Inc. Kelly.Knowlton‐[email protected]

Jae‐Young Ko Texas A&M at Galveston [email protected]

Montra Lockwood National Weather Service [email protected]

Heather Miller Texas A&M University [email protected]

Thomas Minello NOAA Fisheries SEFSC [email protected]

Worth Nowlin GCOOS [email protected]

Craig Peterson NASA SSC Craig .A. [email protected]

Antonietta Quigg Texas A&M University at Galveston [email protected]

Sammy Ray Texas A&M University‐Galveston [email protected]

Heidi Recksiek* NOAA Gulf Coast Services Center [email protected]

Logan Respess* Texas Sea Grant l‐[email protected]

Lance Robinson Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. Coastal

Fisheries Division [email protected]

28



GMRP Appendix F



(continued)

First Name

Last

Name

Affiliation

E‐mail

Address

William Sager Texas A&M University [email protected]

Tina Sanchez* NOAA Gulf Coast Services Center [email protected]

Anja Schulze TAMUG [email protected]

Elizabeth Scott‐Denton NOAA Fisheries elizabeth.scott‐[email protected]

Steve Sempier* MASGC [email protected]

Safwat Shakir TX GC Env Data Center (TEXGED),

Prairie View A&M University [email protected]

Elizabeth Shelton Galveston Bay Information Center [email protected]

Douglas Sherman TAMU Geography [email protected]

James Simons TPWD [email protected]

Sharron Stewart Galveston Bay Foundation [email protected]

Bob

Stickney*

Texas Sea

Grant

[email protected]

LaDon Swann* MASGC [email protected]

James Tolan Texas Parks and Wildlife Department [email protected]

Michael Turco U S Geological Survey [email protected]

W.M. von Zharen Texas A&M University [email protected]

Ann Weaver* NOAA Gulf Coast Services Center [email protected]

John Wormuth Texas A&M University [email protected]

Roger Zimmerman NOAA Fisheries Service [email protected]

*Workshop facilitator or floater.

29





GMRP Appendix F

Louisiana Workshop Report

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 Louisiana State University Energy, Coast and Environment

Building, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

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 [email protected].

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

31



GMRP Appendix F













32



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

different perspectives 12

Valuation of key aquatic indicator species and non‐market

resources in coastal areas. Economic incentives for

landowners and public

10

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

to cultural/coastal community

8

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

‐Fisheries

‐Sediment processes

6

Placement of fine sediment ‐Water quality

‐Marshes

‐Processes/habitat utilization

6

Understand adaptation to habitat loss and archiving and

understanding lost cultural resources (socio/cultural) 6

Research historic and prehistoric past human densities in

coastal zones 6

Local social understanding of benefits/burdens of restoration

efforts 6

Human use patterns

Relationship of

oyster

reef

structure,

biomass,

and

health

to

water quality as it relates to oyster fisheries industry

throughout Gulf (at a regional scale)

5

Impacts of hypoxia to fisheries and non‐consumptive species 5

How large structures (leaky levees) affect coastal processes in

restoration 5

Re‐assess mass‐wasting of sediments‐fluidized mud 5

Response of Lake Pontchartrain and Mississippi Sound to

closure of MRGO (Mississippi River Gulf Outlet) 4

33



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

‐How do we allocate: cultural, social, or economic 3

Corrosion/leaking rate and effect of depth of ships sunk

during World War II 3

Determine legacy of organic loading in hypoxia 3

Long and short term responses of coastal processes to large

storms 3

Update understanding of land/water linkages in Mississippi

Basin and Gulf—local policies to reflect this 3

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)

(strategic reserve) 1

Natural history of Gulf of Mexico benthic habitats (are they

still viable) 0

Identify the genomes within a species that are salt tolerant as

we move inland 0

Results of human use of resources extraction or change and

the influence on future job markets 0

Downline affects of restoration efforts, etc. 0

Quantify/qualify migratory bird habitat in relation to

recovery efforts 0

Best avenues for determining behavioral and economic

impacts of environmental practices 0

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

habitats with movement of sediment 0

What happens to the borrow areas extraction/dump sites to

water quality 0

Effect of cave (salt brine water) clearing on Pascagoula and

Gulf of Mexico salinity 0

How to model (help manage) “living” ecology and the

resulting economics 0

Models that predict what animals need and the resulting

restoration economics 0

34



GMRP Appendix F



Resources” breakout groups and voting results from the breakout group voting session.

System changes due to finer particulate movement by

dredging and placement 0

How does the extraction site fill up and how does it move

(quality of the material) 0

What is the impact of pulling water from Gulf to cool natural

gas plans and LNG 0

Response of community freshwater resources to coastal

changes 0

Impacts to water quality and fisheries of deep borrow areas

produced by sediment mining 0

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

35





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.


Real Time ‐ Predicting Systems

‐Predict response of built environment to hazards modeling

‐Improve boundary effects, forcing bottom vs. surface,

consider predicting surface waves, compare responses

from different topographic/ landscape vegetated features,

vegetated cover (modeling)

17

How do preservation, restoration actions impact

communities and economic activities?

What is 30 year impact of constructing a levee?

How do levees alter natural flow patters of storm surge? (modeling)

14

Measure peopleʹs (citizens and decision makers)

understanding of vulnerability & what they can do to

reduce impact

‐Explore behavioral science

‐Partnership to translate & communicate technical data

for improved risk based decisions

‐How to measure a communityʹs resiliency

11

Protection of critical infrastructure ‐ highways, bridges,

utilities, hospitals, shelters ‐ research on reducing

vulnerability

10

Understand, quantify, predict impacts to first line of natural

defense ‐ barrier island, shoreline 10

Effects of natural hazards on water quality & living resources

‐ Field work & remote sensing techniques & modeling 9

What makes habitat more resilient?

Are restored habitats more or less resilient? 8

What is relationship/impacts to community leaders careers

RE: land use decisions in hazard areas and to past case

study decisions where good decisions were made

5

Research toward ̋believableʺ scientific projections of future

coastal conditions

4

Predictive models for marine debris

‐Industrial

‐What goes where & what are best methods to secure ‐

(under development by NOAA)

‐Improved mapping of debris fields

1

What are best ways to mitigate damage to natural systems? 1

37



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)

‐What improved species can be used?

‐What are critical aspects of these habitats?

0

Development of coastal flooding or tidal real time predicting

system ‐ more meteorology data…not limited to surge or

seasons or extreme events (modeling)

0

How does altered hydrology affect future impacts of storms ‐

look at interaction of different development types 0

Social modeling of impacts 0

What is level of vulnerability of (built environment) critical

infrastructure? Assessment of baseline conditions compared

to different level events

0

Information Needs

Compile recovery knowledge ‐ lessons learned

Get post Katrina baseline data then follow with regular data collection


(none provided)

38



GMRP Appendix F



Research Needs




Research into alternative (to reefs) sustainable ʺuseʺ of de‐

commissioned platforms (alternate energy; aquaculture;

eco‐tourism; weather meteorological stations)

‐Assumes ʺleft in placeʺ

10

Documentation of significant verses perceived impacts of off‐

shore aquaculture (biological and ecological);

‐Structure type

‐Mariculture on Gulf of Mexico

‐Must precede permitting (e.g. permitting issues) onsite analyses; small demonstration

‐Learning curve here

9

Strategic planning on regional transport linkages

(port barge‐rail‐track)

‐ʺIntermodal̋

‐Maximum economic and environmental efficiencies

(transport mileage‐include metrics = carbon footprint)

8

Socio‐economic characterization of the coast fishing

communities

research and economic alternatives

(transitioning aquaculture)

7

Potential impacts of oil‐gas activities in deepwater (>1000

meter) habitats 7

Research into aquaculture ʺgrow‐outʺ technologies (net pens;

recirculation systems (land))

Goal: stock enhancement and food security

6

Identify ʺcandidateʺ species

‐Species selection for Gulf of Mexico aquaculture

(land‐ based or offshore)

‐Economic/marketing/production/genetics

5

39





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 footprint̋ 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

41



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

‐Change in coastal flooding: improve elevation

‐Infrastructure

‐Tax base

‐Agriculture

‐Human health

‐Changing wetland composition

9

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 ‐‐‐

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?

8

Improve understanding

of

carbon

flux

and

implications;

properties of Gulf of Mexico change and impact

methane/carbon dioxide

7

Interaction of loop current with weather: how does it change

with changes in the ocean (salinity, upwellings, coastal

interactions, ocean temperatures)?

How is the loop current affected by ENSO: Northern

Atlantic Oscillation?

7

Hypoxia: Improve understanding of hypoxia: How will

climate change interact (more or less?) in conjunction with

temperature, nitrogen, phosphorus, endocrine disruptions,

algal blooms?

6

Improving knowledge of the effects of storms due to climate

change (i.e. number, frequency strength) path 6

42



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.

Economic impacts of climate change, i.e.:

‐Maritime commerce

‐Oil / gas activities

‐Fisheries ‐Levees / barrier islands

‐Infrastructure tax base

5

Improve understanding of how organisms and plants will

change with climate change (physical, geographic regions) 4

Quantify the rate of change or melt (glacier and snow)

and where (Antarctic and Arctic) 2

Climate, ocean, coastal interaction; coastal surface and water

interactions 0

Quantify the impacts of radiation effects on biota due to

global climate change 0

As a result in seal level rise need research on change: salt water intrusion, change in sediment deposition; coastal

flooding (temp; permanent)

0

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

play

0

Interaction of storm system with the coast

Effects of storms due to climate change (i.e. #, frequency,

strength)

0

Under ocean temperatures as relates to climate change

Improve understanding of ocean temperatures 0

43



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?

44



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

‐Indicators

of

ecosystem

health

‐Have many metrics, but not ecosystem functions

‐Further define metrics for evaluation ‐ broad ecosystems

(e.g. fish communities)

17

River diversions/ sediment management

‐Shoaling impacts

‐Sediment impacts on habitats & species

‐ID optimal use & allocation of sediment

‐Diversion effects on water quality, marshland populations

13

Ecosystem significance of shifts in habitat types (especially

vegetative changes) that are occurring in Louisiana

‐Define

factors

causing

these

shifts

11

Evaluate total potential of Mississippi River for restoration:

including management/inputs basin, especially sediment,

freshwater volume, nutrients ‐ Atchafalaya/Miss optimal

distribution

11

Understanding hydrologic requirements of healthy marsh

ecosystems

‐Freshwater influence flotant (floating marsh)

‐Hydrology other coastal wetlands

11

Non‐native species

‐Impacts on coastal systems

‐Modeling effects, potential pathways of introduction

‐Risk analysis & control potential

‐Inventory threats

‐ID sources/ vectors, pathways

10

Impacts of global climate change on local ecosystems

‐Range extensions of ecosystem

‐Develop flexible ecosystem models to predict local impacts 9

Research on forested wetlands/coastal forests to understand

ecosystem function & resilience ( e.g. to hurricanes) 8

45



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

‐Model economics of ecosystem shifts

‐Look at benefit, costs, distribution across interests

‐“Atlantis” model from Australia good (e.g. of one that

includes economics)

7

Understanding human/public attitudes and perceptions

‐Incorporate into models

‐Important for identifying trade‐offs

‐Research what incentives/motivations will work, e.g.:

‐Get landowners to participate in eco‐friendly

development)

‐Social

science

research

into

what

people

think

about

restoration, their understanding

7

Define outer boundaries anthropogenic input to Gulf &

assess cultural impacts for example as they relate to:

‐Oil platforms

‐Impacts of ecosystem health & production

‐Fishing

5

Hypoxia effects distribution, abundance, recruitment &

mortality in fish and invertebrates – North Gulf – especially

impacts in the Gulf east of Mississippi River

5

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

the Gulf

‐Efficacy of different run‐off management

strategies/structures

‐Effectiveness of Best Management Practices

5

Natural variability – still don’t know how much variability is

natural in a healthy system (e.g. brown marsh) 5

46



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)

‐Systems approach to 3 systems ‐Look at riverine as well

4

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

‐“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)

4

Offshore aquaculture

‐Impacts of releases, nutrients, metals from structures,

other toxics

‐Look at new user conflicts

4

Research potential beneficial use of discharge (e.g.

wastewater to wetlands work and New Orleans sewage

board)

‐

Look

at

ecological,

economic,

technological

(e.g.

active

project in Hammond)

4

Characterize structure & function of offshore (deepwater)

biology

‐Define “health”

‐Status

‐Regional baseline

‐Soft sediment

‐Hard sediment

‐Water column

‐Estimate indicators

3

47



GMRP Appendix F




Barrier Islands

‐Separating natural dynamics from anthropogenic

influences to better manage anthropogenic inputs

‐Analysis of previous & current restoration

2

Develop methods to address disturbances to bottom

community structure from fisheries activities

‐Mitigate active fishing gear impacts

2

Develop real‐time 3‐D model of Gulf circulation 2

Flows between systems

‐Offshore to freshwater (across coastal system)

‐Movement of species, carbon flows (e.g. Atchafalaya good

place to do this study)

2

New measures of coastal wetland productivity

‐Especially anthropogenic effects 2

Impacts of wind power (e.g. on flyways) ‐Wind patterns

‐Feasibility (should we pursue)

‐Look at new user conflicts (trade‐offs, socioeconomic

issues)

0

Integration of coastal observing systems & technologies to

facilitate ecosystem approach ‐ there is some going on, but

need more information

0

Need to define historical baselines for ecosystems

‐Use historical information to define targets

‐Identify trade‐offs in management alternatives (affect

different users

in

different

ways)

0

Role of Mississippi River flow in isolating populations 0

Understand function of habitats

‐Highlighting production, fish condition

‐Impacts of habitat loss plus impacts of restoration (e.g.

marshland , oyster, natural ridges)

0

48



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)

49



GMRP Appendix F



Research Needs




Discovery of drugs and natural products from marine and

coastal environments

‐Can you synthesize these compounds?

‐Phytoplankton waste processing turn into value added

products

11

Warming Changing temperature, effect on seafood/ marine

resources and content, seafood distribution (microbial,

safety)

8

Consumption of fish and shellfish

‐Chronic health/hazard or benefits ‐ Is it creating

inclusion of known at risk groups?

5

Determining Enhancing, incorporating the health impacts of

omega‐3 fatty acid in seafood that is normally low 5

Research to devise antibody based assay for biotoxins for

fish/shellfish

‐ Cheap, quick for restaurants

5

Stimulate coastal development to maximize “health /

lifestyleʺ benefits and minimize risk/hazard (e.g. bike path,

vegetable path)

‐Resilience (designing infrastructure to withstand hazards)

‐ʺHealthy

sustainable

coastal

growth

ʺ

5

Determine amount of mercury pollutants (biological /

chemical) contaminant of seafood

‐Is it a problem in the Gulf of Mexico?

4

Determining / quantify human benefits of coastal living

‐Mental health benefits of recreational activities: sailing,

swimming

‐ When does overuse become detrimental?

4

Identify alternative resources for energy (e.g. wind, wave,

current).

‐Identify potential impacts

‐Green

versus

oil

industry

and

human

impacts?

4

Improve our understanding of the spatial aspects of health

resource locations and delivery in coastal areas (hospitals,

clinics, community‐ based schools, etc.)

during post storm conditions

4

Verification of vibrio risk assessment

(risk assessment has not been completed yet) 4

Educating inland residents about coastal health hazards 3

Health services infrastructure during storms 3

50



GMRP Appendix F


Table 6 (continued). Research topics identified by the “Enhancing Human Health” breakout group and


Impact of coastal development on coastal heritage /

communities / culture 2

Understand and identify problems

‐Coastal process, wetland processes (and how Louisiana is

loosing theirs), land loss and how it impacts human

health

2

Understand consumer demand analysis changes for ocean

products in the face of adverse events 2

Clearer understanding of blue‐green algae (versus HAB)

other diatoms 1

Does length of tenure living in coast impact your

stewardship? 0

How do we prioritize what we look for regarding

pharmaceutical products? 0

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

51



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

Sea‐level rise & storm surge interactions

Areas of concern:

‐Salt water intrusion

‐Cultural change

‐Change in ecosystems

‐Change in coastal flooding; improve elevation

‐Agriculture

‐Human health

‐Wetland composition

40 Climate

Benefits & costs of restoration (including modeling) 36 Stewardship

River diversion / sediment management

‐Shoaling impacts

‐Sediment impacts on habitats & species

‐Identify optimal use & allocation of sediment

‐Diversion effects on water quality & marshland populations

36 Ecosystem

Discovery of pharmaceuticals & natural (bio) products from

marine and coastal environments 31 Human

Evaluate total potential of Mississippi River for restoration:

management & inputs from Mississippi basin

‐Sediment, freshwater volume, nutrients

‐Optimal

distribution

of

Atchafalaya

/ Mississippi

rivers

31 Ecosystem

Understanding hydrologic requirements of healthy marsh

ecosystems

‐Freshwater influence on flow time

‐Hydrology of other coastal wetlands

29 Ecosystem

52



GMRP Appendix F



areas.

Research into alternative (to reefs) sustainable ʺuseʺ of

de‐commissioned platforms

‐e.g. Alternative energy

‐Aquaculture

‐Eco‐tourism

‐Weather stations

28

Operations

Development of real time predictive model that includes

meteorological data, appropriate land use / land cover and

improved boundary data (not just hurricanes)

26 Resilience

Ecosystem health indicators

‐Need to figure out how to measure

‐More indicators needed

‐Better define metrics for ecosystem evaluations

26 Ecosystem

Placement of fine sediment

‐Water quality ‐Marshes

‐Habitat utilization

‐Processes

22 Stewardship

Research into aquaculture ʺgrow‐outʺ technologies… net pens,

re‐circulation systems, etc.

‐Goal = stock enhancement, food security

22 Operations

Borrow areas effect on

‐Water quality

‐Fisheries

‐Sediment processes

21 Stewardship

Measure citizens

ʹand

decision

makers

ʹunderstanding

of

vulnerability and how to translate / communicate technical

data to improve decisions

21 Resilience

Economic impacts of climate change

i.e. maritime / commerce

‐Oil / gas activities

‐Fisheries

‐Levees / barrier islands

‐Infrastructure

‐Tax base

20 Climate

Research historic sites & prehistoric human densities in

coastal

zones

19 Stewardship

Socio‐economic characterization of Gulf coast fishing

communities

‐Research into economic alternatives, e.g. transitioning or

aquaculture

19 Operations

53



GMRP Appendix F



areas.

Non‐native species

‐Impacts on coastal systems

‐Modeling pathways of introduction

‐Risk analysis & control potential ‐Inventory & prioritize threats

‐Identify source, vectors

18

Ecosystem

Long term restoration & ecosystem trajectories from different

perspectives 17 Stewardship

Documentation of biological/ecological impacts of offshore

aquaculture on Gulf of Mexico

‐Significant / perceived

‐Precedes individual permitting issues

‐Small demonstration project (on‐site analyses)

16 Operations

Assess level of vulnerability of built environment, baseline

condition, and research how to reduce losses 15 Resilience

Impacts of global climate change on local ecosystems

‐Range extensions

‐Develop flexible ecosystem models to predict local impacts

15 Ecosystem

Ecosystem significance of shifts in habitat type (especially

vegetative) that are occurring in Louisiana

‐Define factors causing these shifts and impacts on

ecosystem function

14 Ecosystem

Strategic planning on regional transportation linkages

‐Port ‐ barge ‐ rail ‐ truck

‐Increase maximum economic & environmental efficiencies

‐Including

metrics

(e.g.

carbon

footprint)

14 Operations

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

‐Impacts / connections of freshwater discharge

‐Efficacy of BMPs / management techniques (including

controlling structures)

12 Ecosystem

Understand adaptation to habitat loss & archive lost cultural

resources (social & cultural) 12 Stewardship

Understand, quantify,

predict

impacts

to

first

line

of

natural

defense (e.g. islands) 12 Resilience

Valuation of key non‐market aquatic resources & indicator

species 12 Stewardship

Potential impact of oil & gas activities in deepwater habitats

(>1000 m) 11 Operations

54



GMRP Appendix F



areas.

Freshwater quantity & quality around Gulf of Mexico &

relationship to health of estuary & ripple to cultural &

coastal community

10 Stewardship

Identify species selection for Gulf of Mexico aquaculture

‐Land‐ based & offshore

‐Economics / production / genetics / etc.

10 Operations

As climate change is occurring (i.e. rainfall patterns,

distribution, frequency, river flows) improve understanding

of freshwater movement, distribution, & use ‐ past / present /

future

9 Climate

Hypoxia ‐ improve understanding

‐How will climate change interact in conjunction with

temperature, nitrogen, phosphate, & endocrine disruptors

8 Climate

Interaction of Loop Current with weather

‐How does it change with changes in the ocean (i.e. salinity, upwelling, coastal interaction, and ocean temperature)

8 Climate

Research looking at hypoxic effects on ecosystems 8 Stewardship

Improve knowledge of the effects of storms (i.e. number,

frequency, strength, path) due to climate change 7 Climate

Determine what makes different habitats more resilient 6 Resilience

Improve understanding of how organisms / plants will change

with climate change (physical & geographic regions);

including quantify impacts of radiation effects on biota

6 Climate

Increase consumption / utilization of alternative energy

resources that reduce environmental impact, thus increase

human health benefits

6 Human

Local social understanding of benefits / burdens on restoration 6 Stewardship

Study impacts of natural hazards on water quality and living

resources 6 Resilience

Develop a simple and rapid method to measure contaminants

in seafood 5 Human

Improve understanding of carbon flux & implications (i.e. CO2

and methane) 5 Climate

Effect of climate change on seafood quality and safety 4 Human

Determine amount of pollutants (biological & chemical) in

seafood within the Gulf of Mexico 3 Human

How do preservation, restoration actions impact (intended and

unintended) communities? 3 Resilience

How do previous land use decisions affect careers of

community leaders, e.g. lack of regulations enforcement or

positions re: limiting development

3 Resilience

55



GMRP Appendix F



areas.

Improve our understanding of the spatial aspects of our health

service resources locations / delivery in coastal areas 3 Human

Research on ̋believableʺ scientific projections of future coastal

conditions 3

Resilience

Stimulate coastal development to maximize health &

minimize risk 3 Human

Verification of FDA Vibrio risk assessments 2 Human

Determine potential chronic health hazards / benefits due to

the consumption of seafood, including known at‐risk groups1 Human

Quantify the rate of change of glacier & snow melt (i.e. Arctic

& Antarctic) & where 1 Climate

Enhance seafood quality with omega‐3 fatty acids 0 Human

56



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:

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.





Karl

Havens,

Florida

Sea

Grant

College

Program





57



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









2:00‐

2:30

Voting

Session

of

all

Research

Topics

(all

participants)


58



GMRP Appendix F


Appendix B:


59



GMRP Appendix F


Appendix C:


First

Name

Last

Name Affiliation

E‐mail

Address

Dave

Ball

Minerals Management

Service

[email protected]

Don Baltz LSU [email protected]

Ronald Becker LA Sea Grant [email protected]

Mark Benfield LSU Oceanography & Coastal Sciences [email protected]

Pam Blanchard LSU Educational Theory, Policy, and

Practice [email protected]

Harry Blanchet La. Dept. of Wildlife & Fisheries [email protected]

Kevin Boswell LSU‐ DOCS [email protected]

David Bourgeois LA Sea Grant Marine Extension Program [email protected]

Rex Caffey LSU Sea Grant [email protected]

Rafael Calderon The Nature Conservancy [email protected]

Q. Jim Chen LSU [email protected]

Jim Cowan LSU [email protected]

Doug Daigle CREST Program [email protected]

Todd Davison NOAA Gulf Coast Services Center [email protected]

Michele Deshotels Louisiana CPRA Implementation Team [email protected]

Douglas Drennan Aquaculture Systems Tech, LLC [email protected]

Eurico D’Sa Louisiana State University [email protected]

James Ebeling Aquaculture Systems Technology, LLC [email protected]

Jean Ellis* NASA Stennis Space Center [email protected]

Brooks Ellwood Louisiana State University [email protected]

Deborah Epperson Minerals Management Service [email protected]

Roger Erickson National Weather Service [email protected]

Amanda Evans Tesla Offshore, LLC [email protected]

Garen Evans Mississippi State University Extension

Service [email protected]

Justin Farrell* Louisiana Sea Grant [email protected]

John Finley Louisiana State University [email protected]

John Foret NOAA Fisheries Service [email protected]

Carol Franze LSU Ag Center/Sea Grant Program [email protected]

Kola Garber* NOAA Sea Grant [email protected]

M. E. Betsy Garrison LSU College of Agriculture [email protected]

Rusty Gaude LSU Sea Grant [email protected]

Linda Gauthier St. Louis King of France School [email protected]

Tre Glenn MMS [email protected]

Bill Graham NASA [email protected]

60



GMRP Appendix F



(continued)

First Name Last

Name Affiliation

E‐mail

Address

Bren Haase

Louisiana Department of Natural

Resources [email protected]

Don Hayes University of Louisiana at Lafayette [email protected]

Haosheng Huang LSU, Department of Oceanography and

Coastal Sciences [email protected]

Thomas Hymel LA Sea Grant [email protected]

Jack Irion MMS [email protected]

Kelly Knowlton SSAI Kelly.Knowlton‐[email protected]

Roy Kron Louisiana Sea Grant [email protected]

Jerome La Peyre LSU Ag Center [email protected]

Megan La Peyre USGS [email protected]

Paul

LaRock

Louisiana State

University

[email protected]

Dawn Lavoie USGS [email protected]

Edward Laws Louisiana State University [email protected]

Brian LeBlanc LSU AgCenter/Sea Grant [email protected]

Jack Losso Department of Food Science [email protected]

C. Greg Lutz LSU AgCenter / Sea Grant [email protected]

Hassan Mashriqui Louisiana State University & Sea Grant [email protected]

Nelson May NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service [email protected]

Terry McPherson NASA Applied Sciences [email protected]

Riley Milner Louisiana Geological Survey [email protected]

Robert Moreau SLU‐Turtle Cove ERS [email protected]

Mike Murphy The Nature Conservancy [email protected]

Richard Neill USDA‐NRCS [email protected]

Dave Nieland* Louisiana Sea Grant [email protected]

Ebenezer Ogunyinka LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries [email protected]

Paula Ouder Louisiana Sea Grant [email protected]

James Pahl Louisiana Department of Natural

Resources [email protected]

Andy Patrick NOAA National Weather Service [email protected]

Craig Peterson NASA SSC [email protected]

Aaron Pierce Nicholls State University [email protected]

Rick Raynie LDNR Coastal Restoration [email protected]


David Reed NWS Lower Mississippi River Forecast

Center [email protected]

Amitava Roy CAMD, Louisiana State University [email protected]

Lawrence Rozas NOAA Fisheries Service SEFSC [email protected]

61



GMRP Appendix F



(continued)

First Name Last

Name Affiliation

E‐mail

Address

Paul W. Sammarco

Louisiana Universities Marine

Consortium (LUMCON) [email protected]


Kevin A. Savoie LSU AgCenter/Sea Grant [email protected]

Mark Schexnayder LA Sea Grant [email protected]

Warren Schulingkamp Louisiana Geological Survey [email protected]

Martha Segura NPS Gulf Coast Network [email protected]

Steve Sempier* Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant

Consortium [email protected]

Richard Shaw LSU [email protected]

Mark Shirley LA Sea Grant [email protected]

Patricia

Skinner

LSU AgCenter

and

Sea

Grant

Extension

[email protected]

Bob Stewart UL Lafayette [email protected]

John Supan LA Sea Grant College Program [email protected]

Glenn Thomas* Louisiana State University [email protected]

R. Eugene Turner Louisiana State University [email protected]

Thomas Van Biersle LGS‐LSU [email protected]

Jenneke Visser Louisiana State University [email protected]

Michael Wascom, JD Dept. of Env. Studies, LSU [email protected]


Chuck Wilson* LA Sea Grant [email protected]

Maurice Wolcott LA Sea Grant [email protected]

Jun Xu LSU [email protected]


62







GMRP Appendix F

Mississippi Workshop Report












65



GMRP Appendix F



Research Needs




Measure of valuation of depletable/renewable resources

(ecosystem services) 8

Impact of reduced freshwater/sediment discharge on

northern Gulf estuaries 7

Model impact of sea‐level rise on coastal habitat/fauna/flora

and humans 7

Threshold of quantity and quality of habitat for sustainable

populations 7

Comparative analysis

of

freshwater

and

marine

influence

systems (abiotic and biotics) as they respond to natural

and anthropogenic effects 6

Examine tradeoff between cultural gains and losses vs.

economic/ecological gains 6

New dynamic modeling that addresses non‐equilibrium

ecosystems resiliency 6

Synergistic impact of multiple stressors on ecosystems

(Investigate natural + anthropogenic) 6

Interaction of habitat degradation modification upon

behavior and distribution of biota 4

Large scale ecosystem thresholds/regime change‐

replacement (ecosystem change) 4

Impact of invasive species and associated management

strategies on ecosystem services 3

66





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

‐Drought

‐Flood

‐Sea‐level rise

‐Saltwater intrusion/canals

‐Fire

‐Urban/rural interface

‐Research into rebound from natural or man‐induced

hazards

17

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?

‐How

much

will

it

cost

in

30

years

if

community

is

still

using existing infrastructure?

9

What are the cultural and demographic broad differences in

how people view place and resiliency?

‐How do these differences affect community resiliency?

‐Traditions?

‐How does age/gender/economic affect resiliency?

‐How much do these affect decisions to stay?

‐Why evacuate or donʹt?

9

Do formal or informal communications work better in certain

situations?

‐Church response vs. Red Cross 7

In communities which are more resilient

‐Is there a connection to education?

‐How much does community invest?

‐What subjects?

6

68



GMRP Appendix F




Insurance – makes it harder to come back

‐What are the business aspects

‐Commercial vs. government products

‐What is the water dependency of those?

6

Which is the best wetland habitat remediation strategy?

‐Buffers, reduction of existing problem

‐How successful projects will be

5

Have tidal datums reflected sea‐level rise? If so, what is the

cause?

‐Subsidence? 4

What are the regional differences in response, and why? 4

What could we replace abandoned areas with to make things

work better next time? 3

How demographics or religious or value systems of community affect ability of community to respond?

2

How do community dynamics play into the response to

hazards? 2

If put more water into wetlands, will it cause more algal

blooms?

‐Can wetlands even absorb additional water?

2

What approach do we take—education, regulation,

incentives? 2

How do people learn about their homes and flood/hazard

risk?

1

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?

‐E.g., Coast Guard vs. Red Cross 0

Determine develop evaluation technique for individual sites

to determine best strategy 0

Freshwater resources 0

How do

you

determine

what

is

the

best

look

(historical/natural) for the location? 0

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?

Should they? 0

69



GMRP Appendix F




Other hazards

‐Drought

‐Hypoxia

‐Fisheries

0

Should first responders invest in connections to churches? 0

What impact will sea‐level rise have on local communities?

‐How do you communicate that? 0

What is in place that works well?

‐Combined with demographics 0

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

levels of success in different areas? 0

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

70



GMRP Appendix F



Research Needs




Impact of next (e.g., super Panama) shallow draft vessels on

coastal land and waterborne environments and transport 6

Study impact of shallow water dredging for small marinas

on water quality, SED, transport, and circulation

Research on non‐dredging and sediment management in

ports and channels

6

Research on environmental/economic impacts of marine

aquaculture in Gulf of Mexico region 4

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

‐Regional impacts of land/water use on the marine

environment

‐Research needed in improved dredging and construction

(illegible) and management practices

3

Economic/cultural impacts of a working waterfront

community to regional economics 3

How much waterfront is required for necessary marine

operations (how much, what type, and where) and

impacts?

3

Assessment of unmanned vehicles (air/surface/underwater),

machine operations, and research on homeland security 2

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

material management 1

Baseline

acoustic

survey

of

marine

mammals

in

Gulf

of

Mexico 0

Inventory economic/environmental impacts of all Gulf of

Mexico marine industries 0

71



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

72



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

and climate, AL and barriers to marsh migration

‐Social

economic

impacts

of

climate

change

and

sea

‐level

change

‐Population dynamics

‐Infrastructure (large vs. individual home)

‐Demographic shifts

‐Coastal resilience

‐Commerce changes

Did not

vote

‐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

and principal officials to be concerned with long‐term

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

Did not

vote

73





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

75



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

on fish, etc. 7

Better ecosystem‐scale models (habitat‐species connections

(e.g., seabirds and sea turtle nesting habitats) 6

Develop appropriate indicators of ecosystem health for

coastal/marine systems

‐Indicator species need to be ones that can be studied in

large numbers (rare/endangered not good candidates)

6

Human manipulation including changing timing of

freshwater inflows—impacts (e.g., oysters) 6

Marine debris 6

Research what variables need to be monitored and mapped

to support ecosystem/scale work 6

Invasive species—pathways, prevention, and control

‐Invasive jellyfish in Gulf

‐Lionfish may be headed here

‐Understanding changes in plant communities and how

Impacts ecosystem functions/services

‐Changing community structure of benthos too

‐Changes in particle size/inorganics

5

Impacts of commercial trawling and recreational fisheries on

‐The fisheries

‐The larger ecosystem (e.g., bottom)

4

Research on restoration techniques

‐What works for stability of projects?

‐What leads to greatest function?

‐Effective for mitigation

4

Harmful algal blooms—subsurface

‐Formation and inshore/offshore transport

‐Human health concerns

‐Shellfish

‐Sea grass

‐Marine mammal die‐offʹs

3

76



GMRP Appendix F




Human perceptions

‐Nutrients 3

Boating (commercial and recreational) increasing wave

energy/wakes, causing erosion/need for armoring

(understudied)

Impacts of boat traffic (e.g., on marine mammals, birds, sea

grass)

2

Economic valuation of habitats (e.g., marsh) and economic

impacts of habitat losses 2

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

enforcement)

2

Organismic health and disease (e.g., coral or sea urchin die‐

off’s—learn a lot from these processes) 1

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

between watersheds (need for interdisciplinary research) 0

Eutrophication/nutrient inputs—how effects ecosystem

health 0

How are

human

pathogens

in

seafood

modified

by

ecosystem conditions, habitat/species interactions, etc. 0

Research origin of marine debris 0

Role of seabirds and sea turtles in the ecosystem (e.g., habitat

needs, impacts on other species) 0

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

‐How to interest folks who don’t live on the coast

0

Human perceptions of and understanding of nutrient input

(why need to follow fertilizer instructions) 0

Research why messages about/enforcement of marine debris

laws haven’t been effective 0

77



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

78



GMRP Appendix F



Research Needs




Vibrio – in seafood

‐Understand transport sources, process of contamination

‐Understand natural history, role, how humans facilitate

roles to risk

‐Is it emerging threat?

‐How do humans facilitate risk?

5

New products?

‐Drugs

‐Bio‐sensors/source tracking

‐Micro‐arrays

‐Bio‐remediation

‐Bio‐materials

‐Sustainable as products

‐Various molecular probes

‐Bio

4

What are the best/new methods to process public seafood to

decontaminate for consumption? 4

How to educate citizens as to good stewardship related to

water quality and potential human health risks? 3

Industrial discharge impacts on human health and

proliferation of harmful organisms 3

Understand biodiversity of the Gulf of Mexico to identify

new products 2

What are economic impacts to human health from pathogen

contamination? 2

What environmental conditions mediate biochemistry?

Production of natural products? 2

What is natural history of potentially harmful organisms

environmental attributes, risks, and impacts (Harmful

Algal Blooms (HAB’s), virus, bacteria)?

‐Modeling

‐Bloom dynamics

2

How do large‐scale climate change and hurricanes affect:

‐Genetics?

‐Epidemiology? 1

How do oil spills impact health of environment and humans? 1

79



GMRP Appendix F




Bird migration path and risk from avian flu, what diseases

are transported by migratory birds and how climate

change and human development impacts routes 0

Develop micro array for detection of beneficial and harmful

organisms 0

Drugs from sea, biosensors 0

Effluent release practices affect pathogen concentration and

spatial distribution 0

Epidemiological studies on impacts of bloom, virus

pathogens, quantify risk 0

Gain a better understanding of genetic controls and

gene expression 0

How do different levels of wastewater treatment affect

pathogen concentrations? 0

How do large‐scale events, such as climate change and

hurricanes affect human exposure to pathogens?

‐Pathogen concentrations/prevalence

‐Bloom dynamics

‐Bird migration (avian flu)

‐Tropical disease

0

How to educate/awareness of risks of eating contaminated

seafood

‐Public and health care providers 0

Increase seafood

consumption

education

0

Model harmful algal blooms and Vibrio ‐ creation of bloom

dynamics 0

Quantify/investigate risk of tropical disease migrating due to

climate change 0

Understand environmental factors that cause harmful algal

blooms and Vibrio virulence 0

What are new sources of bio‐remediation bacteria material? 0

What are best/alternate indicators for virus pathogens and

how can pathogens be linked to sources? 0

What are

human

health

impacts

from

hurricanes

‐large

‐scale

events? 0

What are the roles of different sources? 0

80



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

81



GMRP Appendix F


Overall Results—Research Priorities Determined in Large Group Voting Session





(Ecosystem), enabling marine operations (Operations), enhancing human health (Human), and the ocean’s role in climate (Climate).


research topic.




Research Topic

Votes

Theme

Socioeconomic impacts of climate change and sea level change on:

‐Population dynamics

‐Infrastructure (large scale versus individual homes)

‐Demographic shifts

‐Coastal resilience

‐Commerce/shipping centers and needs‐changes

32 Climate

Changes in habitat quantity and quality‐‐impacts on fish species,

etc. (all marine organisms) 28 Ecosystem

Understand processes, effects, and trade‐offs of climate change on

coastal and upland areas over time, including

‐Barrier islands ‐Elevations

‐Sea level change

‐Barriers to marsh migration

‐Rates of elevation change

‐Hydrology

28 Climate

Develop model of what a successful resilient community is 27 Resilience

Eutrophication/Nutrients

‐Impacts on ecosystem health

‐Coastal hypoxia and its impacts 22 Ecosystem

Research into shallow‐water dredging and non‐dredging sediment

management and impacts on water quality, sediment transport,

and circulation

21 Operations

Economic/cultural/intrinsic impacts of working waterfront

communities (value‐added perspective) 20 Operations

82



GMRP Appendix F



areas.

Human manipulation of freshwater inflows (amount and timing)

impacts on resources (e.g. oysters) 19 Ecosystem

Measure of valuation of depleted/renewable resources

(ecosystem services) 19

Stewardship

Research on environmental/economic impacts of marine

aquaculture in Gulf of Mexico 19 Operations

Better ecosystem‐scale models showing habitat‐species connections

(e.g. sea birds’ and sea turtles’ nesting habitat) 17 Ecosystem

Examine tradeoff between cultural gains and losses versus

economic/ecological gains and losses 17 Stewardship

Impacts of next‐generation, shallow‐draft PANAMAX (post) super‐

containers on land/water transport and environments

(inland too)

17 Operations

Impact of

reduced

freshwater/sediment

discharge

on

northern

Gulf

estuaries 16 Stewardship

What new products can be discovered/developed to serve as:

drugs, bio‐sensors/source tracking, micro‐arrays, bio

remediation, bio‐materials, molecular probes?

16 Human

How do large scale events, such as climate change and hurricanes

affect exposure to pathogens, pathogen concentrations

(prevalence, bloom dynamics, bird migration (avian flu), and

tropical disease?

14 Human

What are the affects of industrial discharge on human health and

proliferation of harmful organisms? 14 Human

Economic research

into

cost

of

hardening

infrastructure

versus

maintaining existing and rebuilding after 12 Resilience

Study thresholds of quantity and quality of habitats for sustainable

populations 12 Stewardship

Baseline study of aquatic invasive species (AIS) in major

ports/waterways 11 Operations

Marine Debris

‐Research on origins

‐Research on why education and enforcement of laws haven’t

been effective

‐Effects on ecosystems (habitats, species)

11 Ecosystem

New dynamic models that address non‐equilibrium systems

(models that don’t assume some “natural”/steady state) 11 Stewardship

83



GMRP Appendix F



areas.

Changes in species distribution with climate change, changes in

currents, temperature change, and freshwater influx, and their

effects on fisheries stocks, populations, and habitats

10 Climate

How do demographics of community affect how the community

responds? 10 Resilience

Potentially harmful organisms‐What is natural history,

environmental attributes, risks, impacts, bloom dynamics,

genetics, epidemiology, modeling

10 Human

Develop appropriate indicators of ecosystem health for

coastal/marine systems 9 Ecosystem

Research which variables need to be monitored and mapped to

support ecosystem‐scale work 8 Ecosystem

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

‐Research changes in communities (plant communities, benthos)

and how these changes impact the ecosystem

7 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

anthropogenic effects 6 Stewardship

Investigate techniques to better educate the public and municipal

officials about climate change and coastal ocean ecosystems 6 Climate

Which approach—education, regulation, incentives—is more

effective in increasing resiliency? 6 Resilience

What are anthropogenic forcing on pathogen concentrations,

bloom dynamics and factors that affect them? 5 Human

How does the insurance make‐up of community (self‐insured,

commercial, fed.) affect resiliency? 4 Resilience

How much/where/what type of ‘water front’ is necessary/required

for marine operations? (10, 25, 50, 100 years) 4 Operations

Impacts of marine energy development (air, nuclear) on marine

environment 4 Operations

Measures of actual sea level change and changes in air and water surface temperatures in local areas over time. Determine

applications to better predict these factors 4 Climate

Model impacts of sea‐level rise on coastal habitat, flora/fauna,

and humans 4 Stewardship

84



GMRP Appendix F



areas.

Conduct research into formal and informal communications

network to determine which works better and in what

situations

3 Resilience

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‐

sea shipping, or container on‐ barge) 2 Operations

How do we educate stakeholders regarding health risks from

contaminated seafood and water quality; good stewardship? 2 Human

Watershed development, coastal metabolism/acidification,

and climate 2 Climate

Have tidal datums in Gulf detected rise in sea level? If so, what is

the reason? 1 Resilience

What is

the

biodiversity

and

environmental

conditions

of

the

Gulf

that relate to production of natural products? 1 Human

What are the economic impacts to human health from pathogen

contamination? 0 Human

What is the best habitat remediation strategy to increase resiliency? 0 Resilience

85



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.






86



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)


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


87



GMRP Appendix F


Appendix B:


88





GMRP Appendix F



(continued)

First Name Last

Name Affiliation

E‐mail

Address

Keith Mullin NOAA NMFS [email protected]

Dave Nieland Louisiana Sea Grant [email protected]

Corky Perret Mississippi Dept. of Marine Resources [email protected]

Craig Peterson NASA SSC [email protected]

Daniel Petrolia Mississippi State University [email protected]

Ben Posadas MSU‐CREC [email protected]

Drew Puffer EPA/Gulf of Mexico Program [email protected]


Jay Ritchie Northern Gulf Institute [email protected]

Joseph Runnels MS DMR [email protected]

David Ruple Grand bay National Estuarine Research Reserve [email protected]

Tina

Sanchez*

NOAA

Gulf

Coast

Services

Center

[email protected]

Steve Sempier* Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant Consortium [email protected]

Stephanie Showalter* Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant Legal Program [email protected]

Tina Shumate MS DMR [email protected]

Marc Slattery University of Mississippi/NIUST OBCR [email protected]

LaDon Swann* Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant Consortium [email protected]

Jody Thompson* Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant Extension

Program [email protected]

Mark Woodrey Mississippi State University [email protected]

Jennifer Wozencraft Joint Airborne Lidar Bathymetry Technical

Center of Expertise

[email protected]

rmy.mil

Lee

Yokel

GOMA‐

DISL

[email protected]


90




Workshop Report


Spanish Fort, Alabama on

January 15, 2008







91



GMRP Appendix F

Alabama Workshop Report

Background







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







enabling marine operations,

the ocean’s

role

in

climate,









areas.



areas.






92



GMRP Appendix F













93



GMRP Appendix F



Research Needs




Understanding of interspecies relationships

‐Accurate assessment of biodiversity (ADCNE is doing?) 8

Economic evaluation of (hunting and fishing) outdoor

activities

‐(Gulf of Mexico/Coastal) Comprehensive economic

analysis of maritime related activities

6

Research of delivery methods and messages to get people

to change behavior related to stewardship ‐ evaluation of

existing programs

6

Assessment of which biological/environmental factors

impact status and trends

‐Pristine environment

‐Fisheries

‐Water quality

‐Tourism

‐Land use/development impacts

5

How do current cultural practices impact the

environment?

‐Identification of cultural practices that exist now that are

sustainable

5

Identification of changing land use patterns and creating

models to predict areas most heavily impacted 4

Status and trends of biological species 4

Analysis of changing patterns of resource use (fishing,

hunting, commercial) 2

Valuation of natural resources (biological, social,

economic, ecosystem) 2

Identification of tourist expectations, knowledge of

environment (human dimension surveys) 1

Analysis of human use patterns related to the resources

and development 0

Confirmative evaluation of outreach activities/programs

‐Effectiveness

‐Research of how to conduct effective outreach/

education programsʺ

0

94





GMRP Appendix F



Research Needs




Identify offshore sand resources for use in beach

nourishment/delineation 7

Ecosystem, living and habitat, beaches rate/ability to recover

from natural and man‐made hazards (comprehensive

profile and vegetative)

6

Rates of shoreline change due to human impact (combined

with ʺDo long‐term shoreline change rates vary between

natural and engineered beachesʺ for large group ranking

session)

6

Explore geology/topography of shoreline vulnerability/

potential to breach 5

Update surge modeling and products 5

Assess economic and social vulnerability of coastal

community 4

Improve capability and coordinate evacuation procedures for

emergencies 4

Quantify impacts of winter storm events on coastal regions 4

Develop understanding of wetland process and change along

Mississippi Sound 2

Catalog resilience best practices, evaluate what factors make

a city/town resilient 1

Determine best method (including natural alternatives) of

shoreline stabilization 1

Hurricane probability, frequency, and growth modeling,

looking at future development 1

Collect shallow water bathy data and lidar to assess

dunes/beaches 0

Detect long‐term shoreline/beach morphodynamics 0

Develop sand prioritization 0

Do long‐term shoreline change rates vary between natural

and engineered beaches 0

Investigate historical topography bathy vulnerability to

shoreline breach 0

Societal perception of hurricane impacts – people

understanding Saffir‐Simpson scale, surge predictions,

and perception of uniform damage

0

What are subsidence rates 0

96



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

97



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

nationally for Coast Guard) to assist waterfront

development decision‐making

9

Economic, social, environmental/cost‐ benefit analysis of

working waterfront versus residential/tourism other

types of development ‐ how much waterfront needed

to sustain?

6

Understand systems involved and develop better

management practices in maintaining navigation

channels

6

Develop data to assist waterfront business decisions

(locations, business expansion, etc.) 5

Open ocean aquaculture impacts 5

Water quality impacts on Gulf of Mexico systems,

including estuaries 5

Economic and environmental impacts of short‐water

commodity trips vs. land‐ based transport (i.e., from

state docks

to

Hyundai

plant)

4

Evaluate economic impact of dredging on

ʺnontraditional̋ (smaller) channel and of innovative

methods of dredging

4

Impact of human development on water quality ‐

understanding water quality change based on land

use/land cover ‐ utilize observation systems to

determine preventative strategies

4

Impacts and better prediction of global warming/sea‐level

rise change on commerce and inland businesses and

coastal communities

4

Impacts

of

super

Panamex

vessels

on

ports,

transportation, and environmental quality 4

Develop detection methods for new non‐native species 3

Predictions on hurricanes, strength, location of strike,

storm surge ‐ accuracy and lead time 3

White paper definitions of ʺworking waterfrontsʺ across

US 3

Understanding of capacity of Gulf to meet commercial

and recreational fishing needs 2

98



GMRP Appendix F


Table 3 (continued). Research topics identified by the “Enabling Marine Operations” breakout group and


Understanding of Gulf based on impacts of new

technologies related to fishing, homeland security, and

energy production (waves, nuclear)

2

Evaluate comparative impacts of shipbuilding and port

operations on water quality, especially stormwater 1

Research the translation of research data/technology to

applied uses (business/commerce community) 1

Air quality/air impact space impacts of maritime

operations 0

Analyze definition of safe harbor info, how many exist,

and how many are needed 0

Identify characteristics to determine where production

centers (fishing, boat‐ building) should exist/expand 0

Identify emerging technologies for future

commerce/impacts 0

Impact of ocean/sea breezes on ozone levels over land 0

Incoming vessels and their impacts of on aquatic nuisance

non‐invasive species 0

Long term coastal change detection 0

Meteorological impact of ocean on near‐shore lands 0

Qualify study culturally diverse groups in Gulf of Mexico

area 0

Research techniques to decrease response time to

hazards/spills 0

Better prediction

of

sea

level

change

and

impacts

on

coastal communities 0

Economic studies (ecotourism) 0

Environmental impacts of competing waterfront land uses 0

How to mitigate impacts of sand movement on shipping

channels ‐ better management 0

Impacts/benefits of energy production methods 0

Social impacts of competing waterfront land uses 0

Study less‐impact industry 0

99



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

100



GMRP Appendix F



Research Needs




How climate variability affects pollution sediment and

nutrient/organic composites delivery 8

Impacts of climate change/precipitation/salt wedge

hydrology on ocean/estuarine circulation 6

Historical reconstruction of ecosystem indicators 5

Impact of sea‐level rise on native coastal habitat 5

Impact of temperature/salinity on expanding species

range/invasive species/productivity (fisheries, etc.) 5

Research into generation of climate change scenarios 5

Has built environment effected rainfall and water

penetration/seawater penetration

into

aquifer

4

Impact of sea temperature/salinity on harmful algal blooms,

toxins, and pathogens 4

Impact of sea‐level rise on coastal development

(built environment) 3

Sea‐level rise and nutrient release from eroding marshes 3

Socio‐economic impact of climate change on coastal

communities (insurance, codes, etc.) 3

Impact of built environment on atmospheric circulation

(mesoclimate) 2

Positive impact of oceans on mitigating man‐made climate

changing factors

2

Predicted shifts in storm intensity/frequency and effects 2

How has/does development of coastal lands and associated

waterways (?) impact relative sea‐level rise, etc. 1

Impact of algal productivity or geochemistry on climate 1

Incorporate climate change into existing or new

hydrological models 1

Human perceptions of “status” of coastal environment,

land/sea interface, and change 0

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)

101



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)

‐Canʹt measure everything, so what pick?

‐E.g., salinity? Indicator species?

7

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, volunteer opportunities, public outreach, political

lobbying, scholarships); also research types of

info/methods for communicating with decision‐

makers/officials

7

Nutrient loading/non‐point source 6

Better understand of success of different restoration

techniques (comparative analysis) (e.g., planting sea

oats)

‐How many variables play into success (which type

plants, type sediment, type slope)

‐Research

technologies

to

improve

function

5

Fisheries natural science (non‐economic) 5

Research into connectivity between different habitats

(e.g., upstream/downstream, wildlife corridors,

impacts of barriers, lateral connection between streams

and adjacent woodland habitat)

5

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,

chicken transfer cages, concrete mixing drums,

concrete

pyramids,

bridge

rubble)

3

Impact of human development on coastal systems,

specifically habitat change 3

Research on methods of changing human behavior; re.,

environment 3

Better predictive models to show impacts of continued

population growth on coastal ecosystems (where is the

tipping point for different

resources/systems/functions)

2

102



GMRP Appendix F




Research alternative institutional frameworks and

management actions (e.g., incentives/disincentives) for

influencing human behaviors that affect the

environment 2

Research mechanisms that aid in organizing, recording,

and analyzing measurements/field results – how

connect measurements from different states

2

Alternative to shoreline armoring

‐Research efficacy, economics, habitat impacts, sediment

‐Types: Bulk heading, breakwaters, living shorelines

alternatives

‐Use of living shoreline alternatives to armoring

(marsh, oyster)

1

Effects of

human

behavior

on

the

coastal

environment

(ecological impacts) 1

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

management

0

Better understanding of mercury loading and

bioaccumulation 0

Determining the non‐use value of ecosystems (e.g.,

aesthetics) (wilderness value) 0

Develop models to predict impacts of nutrient non‐point

source pollution

on

coastal

resources

0

Economic impacts resulting from changes in fish/shellfish

populations 0

Economic value of coastal habitat/delta, e.g., ecotour

value 0

Economic value of restored habitats 0

Ecosystem function of restored habitats, and research on

techniques to improve function 0

Effect of stormwater management on the coastal

environment 0

Efficacy of/cost‐ benefit of different types of marine

protected

areas

0

How does filling one wetland impact adjacent

ecosystems? 0

103



GMRP Appendix F




Impact of altered sediment circulation

‐Impacts of causeways/other structures on sediment

transport

‐How does restoration/engineering impact sediment circulation

‐How does that impact oysters

0

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

and bay 0

Cumulative impacts of human activities on fisheries

‐Investigating whether top‐down of bottom‐up has

greater impacts on fish populations

0

Develop predictive models of fish populations that

incorporate physical environment 0

Identify key ʺunderpinningʺ issues that are priorities for

communicating to public officials — e.g., survey

scientists to identify top issues

0

Impacts of drought on biota

‐Impacts reduced freshwater to estuaries 0

Reduced inflows due to upstream impoundments

(impacts)

‐Changes in amount and timing of flows

‐Changes in type of flow (surface vs. groundwater)

0

Role of causeways to ecological, hydrological 0

Saltwater intrusion

effects

on

biota

and

resulting

shift

in

ecosystem 0

Understanding impacts nutrient loading on:

‐harmful algal blooms

‐loss of seagrass communities

0

What GIS information/layers do you need for stormwater

management ‐ is there an optimal way? Evaluate/study

different methods so can choose cost‐effective one

0

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

104



GMRP Appendix F



Research Needs




Nutrient criteria development; identify threshold levels

impact health 8

Rapid, field‐deployable standardized

tests/technology/hardware for detection of

contaminants/toxins and organisms

7

Cultivating/extract beneficial drug treatments from ocean

resources 5

Develop epidemiological tests screen pointing to trigger

public health response syndrome surveillance 5

Atmospheric deposits of contaminants like pathogens ‐Ballast water; people; recreational equipment

4

Contaminant (mercury, metals, organics/pathogens)

sources fate transport 4

Habitat alteration/nutrient transport and harmful algal

bloom impacts/occurrence at Gulf/estuary interface 4

Human‐made structures, contributions, and alterations 4

Identify sentinel species below human toxicity levels for

harmful agents 4

Impacts of iron fertilization of microalgae 4

Predictive modeling on of near‐shore waters on

movement of

harmful

algal

blooms/pathogens

4

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

management levels) 2

Growth conditions for maximum toxicity 0

Socioeconomic and cultural influences on risk

communication 0

Agricultural/human runoff impacts on human health 0

Develop field deployable tests for under‐processing of

cooked/prepared local/imported ocean products 0

Habitat alteration/nutrient

transport

at

human

‐made

structures: Canals, dead‐end canals, and reefs 0

105



GMRP Appendix F




Identify other contaminants natural/anthropological (non‐

mercury)

‐Identify likely sources

0

Identify potentially toxic microalgae and toxicity tests: Field deployable

0

Identify rapid tests for contaminants/toxins 0

Mercury introduction/impacts

‐Pathogen microorganism mediated mercury processing 0

Mercury sources and transport 0

Stormwater management and alteration of fresh‐water

entry amount/frequency change on harmful algal

blooms/pathology/contaminants

0

Toxins/chemical/pathogen impacts inputs from

active/inactive oil/gas rigs 0

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

106



GMRP Appendix F









research topic.




Research Topic

Votes

Theme

Nutrient Loading/Non‐Point Source Research

‐Effects of storm water & waste water management on

environment

‐Developing models to predict impacts non‐point source

pollution on coastal resources

‐Understand nutrient loading impacts on harmful algal

blooms and on sea grass

23 Ecosystem

Identify appropriate variables needed to develop good

indicators of ecosystem health (variables for indices) 22 Ecosystem

Impact of human development on water quality,

understanding water quality change based on land‐

use/land cover – utilize observation systems to determine

preventative strategies

22 Operations

Predictive modeling of near‐shore waters for transport of

harmful algal blooms/pathogens 22 Human

Assessment of which biological and environmental factors

impact status and trends of resources

‐Fisheries, water quality, tourism, development/land use

impacts

21 Stewardship

Develop rapid field‐ based standardized tests for detection of

contaminants, toxin, and organisms 19 Human

107



GMRP Appendix F



areas.

Hydrological Issues

‐Reduced inflows due to upstream impoundments

‐Drought impacts

‐Impacts & changes in timing, amount, and type of water (ground water vs. surface)

‐Salt‐water intrusion effects on biota & resulting shifts in

ecosystems

‐Role of causeways in changing hydrology

18 Ecosystem

Accurate assessment of biodiversity

‐Population, genetics, molecular ecology 17 Stewardship

Rates of shoreline change from human and natural impacts 16 Resilience

Impacts of temperature/salinity on expanding species

range/invasive species/productivity (fisheries) 15 Climate

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

‐Evaluation of existing programs

13 Stewardship

Cultivating/extracting beneficial drugs/treatments from ocean

resources 11 Human

Historical reconstruction of ecosystem health indicators 11 Climate

Impact of sea temperature/salinity on harmful algal blooms,

toxins, and pathogens 11 Climate

Research connectivity between different habitats (e.g.

upstream and

downstream;

wildlife

corridors;

impacts

of

barriers, streams, and adjacent habitat) 11

Ecosystem

Economic, social, and environmental/cost benefit analysis of

working waterfronts vs. other types of development (how

much waterfront needed to sustain business)

10 Operations

Fisheries Research

‐Cumulative impacts of human activities on fisheries

‐Develop predictive models of fish populations that

incorporate physical environment information (i.e., not just

information on fishing effort, population data and harvest)

10 Ecosystem

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.,

education, outreach workshops, volunteer opportunities,

scholarships, lobbying)

10 Ecosystem

Impacts of climate change on precipitation and

ocean/estuarine circulation 9 Climate

108



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

requirements

9 Operations

Establish value of competing waterfront development on a

regional/national scale to assist waterfront development

decision‐making

8 Operations

Identify characteristics and develop data to assist waterfront

business decisions, including determination of production

centers and needs to expand

8 Operations

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

information/layers needed to support storm water management

7 Ecosystem

Economic evaluation of maritime and recreational activities 6 Stewardship

Evaluate economic impact of dredging on “non‐traditional”

(smaller) channels and innovative methods of dredging 6 Operations

How does climate variability affect pollution, sediments,

organic compounds, and nutrient delivery 6 Climate

How has built environment affected rainfall, water

penetration, and seawater penetration into aquifer 6 Climate

Deposition from atmospheric, ballast water, people and

equipment 5 Human

Identification of

changing

land

‐use

patterns

and

creating

predictive models 5 Stewardship

Identification of how current cultural practices impact the

environment

‐Sustainability of existing cultural practices

5 Stewardship

Impacts of super panamex vessels on ports, transport, and

environmental quality 5 Operations

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

docks Hyundai)

4 Operations

Impacts of

human

‐made

structures

(on

harmful

algae

blooms,

pathogens, and other human health concerns) 4 Human

Improve capability and coordination of emergency evacuation

procedures for emergency management 4 Resilience

109



GMRP Appendix F



areas.

Better Understanding of Different Restoration Techniques

(Comparative Analysis)

‐Investigate variables that impact success (sediment type,

plant type, slope, etc.) ‐Research techniques to improve function

3 Ecosystem

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

(including estuaries) 3 Operations

Assess economic and social vulnerabilities of coastal

communities 2 Resilience

Impact of sea‐level rise on coastal development

(built environment) 2 Climate

Impacts and better prediction of sea level change on commerce

and inland businesses and coastal communities 2 Operations

Understand systems involved and develop best management

practices in maintaining navigational channels 2 Operations

Identify sentinel species for harmful agents 1 Human

Investigate historical, topographical, and bathymetric

vulnerability to shoreline breach 1 Resilience

Socioeconomic impacts of climate change on

coastal communities 1 Climate

Understanding ecosystem coupling of inland and coastal/

near‐shore environments 1 Stewardship

Effects of

water

temperature,

salinity

and

pH

on

pathogenicity/virulence 0 Human

110



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.





Karl

Havens,

Florida

Sea

Grant

College

Program

111



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)


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


112



GMRP Appendix F


Appendix B:


113



GMRP Appendix F


Appendix C:


First Name Last

Name Affiliation

E‐mail

Address

Becky

Allee

NOAA Gulf

Coast

Services

Center

[email protected]

Yolanda Brady Auburn University [email protected]

Kelly Brinkman ALDCNR State Lands, Coastal Section [email protected]

David Brommer University of Alabama [email protected]

Michael Carron Northern Gulf Institute [email protected]

Jennifer Denson Partners for Environmental Progress [email protected]

Dennis DeVries Auburn University [email protected]

Andrew Diller University of Florida IFAS Extension ‐

Escambia County [email protected]

Carol Dorsey AL Dept of Public Health [email protected]

Brett Dungan Alabama Working Waterfront Coalition [email protected]

Jean

Ellis

NASA Stennis

Space

Center

[email protected]

Carl Ferraro ADCNR‐SLD‐Coastal Section [email protected]

Douglas Fruge US Fish & Wildlife Service [email protected]

Joseph Grant NASA Stennis Space Center [email protected]

Ken Halanych Auburn University [email protected]

Candy Hansard Emerald Coast Reef Association [email protected]

Danny Hardin The University of Alabama‐Huntsville [email protected]

Ronald Heveran Fairhope Environmental Board [email protected]

Bob Higgins Baldwin County Economic

Development Alliance [email protected]

Phillip Hinesley Alabama State Lands [email protected]

Joie Horn Alabama Dept.

of

Environmental

Management [email protected]

Harvey Joanning Smart Coast; U of South Alabama [email protected]

Stephen Jones Geological Survey of Alabama [email protected]


Bethany Kraft Alabama Coastal Foundation [email protected]

Russell Ladd Mobile Bay NEP [email protected]

Hugh MacIntyre Dauphin Island Sea Lab [email protected]

Herb Malone AL Gulf Coast CVB [email protected]

Joanne McDonough Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant

Extension [email protected]

Behzad

Mortazavi

Dauphin Island

Sea

Lab

[email protected]

Jim Nienow Valdosta State University [email protected]

Kenneth Odom USGS [email protected]

Julie Olson University of Alabama [email protected]

Steve Perry The FORUM [email protected]

Craig Peterson NASA Stennis Space Center [email protected]

Scott Phipps Weeks Bay NERR [email protected]

Hal Pierce NEP [email protected]

Akshinthala Prasad Florida State University [email protected]

114



GMRP Appendix F



(continued)

First Name Last

Name Affiliation

E‐mail

Address



Elizabeth Sanders Downtown Mobile Alliance [email protected]

Neil Sass Alabama Dept of Public Health [email protected]

Steve Sempier* Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant


Jason Senkbeil University of Alabama [email protected]

Michael Shelton* Weeks Bay NERR/ADCNR/SLD [email protected]

Homer Singleton Wolf Bay Watershed Watch

Roberta Swann* Mobile Bay National Estuary Program [email protected]

LaDon Swann* Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant


Jody Thompson* Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant

Extension Program [email protected]

John Valentine Dauphin Island Sea Lab [email protected]

Mark Van Hoose ADCNR/MRD [email protected]

Chris Verlinde FL Sea Grant Extension [email protected]

Rick Wallace* Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant


PJ Waters Mississippi‐Alabama Sea Grant



115




Workshop Report


St. Petersburg, Florida on

February 19, 2008







116



GMRP Appendix F

Florida Workshop Report

Background







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

Florida.







enabling marine operations, the ocean’s role in climate,









areas.



areas.






117



GMRP Appendix F









were crossed out on the flip chart paper are indicated with a strike through in the table.




118



GMRP Appendix F



Research Needs




Effectiveness of education about these resources and examine

our methodology 9

Understand connectivity of related fisheries species from

coastal habitats across shelf to shelf edge habitat 8

Economic value / costs of restoration, habitat, ecological

benefits 6

Understand habitat change over time ‐ what is and isnʹt

sustainable 6

Understand resource / fisheries abundance ‐ historic

sustainability and current abundance ‐ what is

sustainable?

6

What are the options from (snapper / grouper) labor

dynamics and alternatives for fishing communities,

socioeconomic impact of managing fisheries?

6

Connectivity of offshore hard bottom areas throughout the

Gulf of Mexico “Islands in the Stream” concept (species

specific)

5

Determine nourishment effects/timing and recovery on

effective affected habitats/benthic and physical ocean

acoustic

5

Look at historical, current, and future impacts of oil and gas

industry on biodiversity; effect of oil and gas pipeline

structure, both active and not

5

Understand habitat connectivity to help manage fisheries;

how fisheries use connecting habitats 5

Physical and ecological comparisons of shoreline

stabilization > natural versus hard armor 4

Devise efficient and effective methods to map oyster reefs;

intertidal and subtidal, preferably in 3‐D 3

Understand fisheries potential, sustainability, and potential

impacts on

deep

water

reefs

and

shelf

edge

reefs

‐What are the impacts of fishing it/harvesting?

‐What is there, what is the fishing potential?

3

119



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

(bird nesting > invertebrates) versus watershed 2

Ecosystem services and value to guide management;

evaluate habitat restoration benefit over time given sea‐

level rise

2

Marine debris eradication and what is safe to leave or not 2

Study of sound in water and impacts to species (human

sounds) 2

Understand and assess status of deepwater and mesopelagic

zones and shelf beds/reefs 2

Biochemical impacts on species (i.e., toxicology) 1

Impact of fisheries on communities (reduce gear impacts) 1

Impacts to species biodiversity from anthropological and

natural impacts ‐ shifting baselines 1

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

how people are using coastal resources 1

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

how that translates to action 0

Relationship between location, abundance, and human use of

the resource 0

Water column on west Florida shelf interaction between

surface, pelagic, and benthic/trophic zones 0

Cedar Key interaction between near shore, open ocean, and

watershed 0

Effect of leaving platforms as artificial reefs ‐ habitats,

function, biodiversity, etc. (before and after it has been

abandoned)

0

Historic habitat and determine what is sustainable > do we

determine sustainability based on now or then shifting

baselines

0

Interactions between trophic zones 0

120



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

Policy,

Management

or

Education

Topics

Educate human reference points

Large scale mapping efforts

121



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.

‐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

9

Storm surge and wind force/speed

‐Energy dissipation associated with various tree types

‐Ecosystems, built environment, land use (how the loss of

these systems impact) and its mitigation benefits

‐Study the true value of ecosystems on storm mitigation‐‐

the economics of ecosystem services

5

Critical Infrastructure

‐Bridge

design

‐‐Performance

in

hydrodynamic

conditions.

(e.g. Ivan‐damage. How transportation system would

perform)

‐Port facilities‐‐Engineering design research. Ports as critical

facilities. (e.g. Tampa petroleum services)

4

Behavioral science hurricane evacuation. Why people behave

given various risks confronting them. 3

Marine debris modeling

‐Where, what will end up offshore and how that may

impact pick‐up and damage to fisheries sand other

services

3

Coupled surge flood models

‐River floods/surge‐‐understand the combined impacts 2

Phosphate mining standards

‐Effluent in surface waters

‐Economic impacts of spills

‐Modeling of potential for spills

2

Research on the resiliency of data collection. Wind/water‐‐

design standards. These data collection systems must

perform in storms to be of full value

2

122



GMRP Appendix F




Modeling droughts, climate change, and how lack of water

impacts ecosystem resiliency 1

Potable surface water supply

‐Study land use effluents‐runoff categories as to how they

would recover after storms (e.g. HAB’s )

‐Modeling to predict how the reservoirs would be impacted

1

HAB’s

‐Events‐predict the impacts allow communities to adapt

‐Community pilots to I.D. HAB’s risk and adaptation

0

Studies of communities that have been impacted by storms

versus those that have not‐‐ behavior related to experience 0

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

123



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

onshore databases

‐Automate mechanism to incorporate existing and new

data (real time) (clearing house)

10

Impact of larger ports for larger vessels, and conflict of

multiple uses 7

Creating new predictive tools (models) to test the impact of specific activities (remodeling of coastal power plants)

beach renourishment

6

Establish baseline conditions to better understand the impact

of maritime operations on human and environmental health 6

Run sensors using GIS to prioritize water way maintenance

and navigation. Linked to value 5

What is the value ($) (up and down sides) of maritime

activities (looking at economic or environmental impacts of

different alternatives)

5

Impact of short sea shipping 2

Need to identify invasive species that are transported in ballast discharged fluids/other mechanical methods

(trailers)

‐Look at controlling

2

New navigational aids to better inform and direct traffic to

enhance habitat protection and human safety 2

124



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

125



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

changes resulting from climate change

‐Groundwater

‐Nutrients

15

Where are the best locations for sensors

‐Gap analysis

‐Redundancy ‐Money

Consider wind, climatological hotspots, atmospheric, ocean

circulation, Gulf of Mexico circulation

14

Physical, chemical, and environmental tolerances for (larvae)

all species within Gulf of Mexico

‐Temperature/salinity

‐Light

‐Winds

‐CO2

Effects of climate change on population dynamics and

community dynamics

‐Pathogens/disease

‐Distribution and range

‐Fisheries and invasive species

13

Examine important components of carbon sink/source for

baseline Gulf of Mexico

Address impacts of CO2/acidification

‐Calcification rates

‐Trace metal chemistry

‐Biological systems/corals

11

Need to develop coastal algorithms for satellite data analysis

(dissolved organic matter, gas exchange, transmittance; how

these factors change with climate change)

11

Extreme weather events on Gulf of Mexico scale

Generation of…

‐Impacts ‐ environmental/economic

‐Frequency

‐Intensity

10

126



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.

Development of models to predict sea‐level rise throughout

Gulf of Mexico (new or tweak existing models) 5

Social science/human dimension relative to decision makers

(how they process, understand, and apply climate change

science ‐ assessment/metrics) 1

Look at terrestrial/ocean/atmospheric (climate) variability on

a more refined scale

‐Historical ‐ to improve forecasting/mitigation

0

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

127



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

benthic communities, tropic interactions, fisheries, shifts

in emergent coastal habitats, and sediment

transport/erosion.

14

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

‐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)

14

Research on how to present information most effectively, in a

user‐friendly way. How to disseminate and present to

public.

13

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

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

12

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

concept (system of MPA’s around the GOM) ‐‐ specifically

looking at larval transport, how different proposed sites

are connected

7

128



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?

‐Need to examine the cumulative impacts of habitat loss

‐Also need to look at connections between wetland

characteristics and productivity (e.g. edge.)

7

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

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?

6

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

both natural and anthropogenic causes – how are

responses similar and how are they different?

5

Do

some

open

ocean

aquaculture

to

understand

the

impacts,

both positive and negative. Should do carefully, take an

adaptive management approach.

3

Impacts of oil and gas drilling on plankton 2

Quantify differential effects of different fisheries

management techniques (artificial reefs, marine managed

areas, effort limitations, total allowable catch (TAC), stock

enhancement)

2

Research impacts on benthic infauna from beach

renourishment. Need to know whether we should worry

about it.

2

Research iron “seeding” concept (adding iron to stimulate

phytoplankton growth to suck up carbon) 2

129



GMRP Appendix F




Economic value of natural resources (e.g. value of keeping

some lands) 1

Exploring the efficacy of mitigation of coastal habitats.

Looking at both the efficacy of different methods, and also

among/between different habitats 1

Liquid natural gas (LNG) facilities

‐Impacts of cycling water through

‐Need baseline information on the presence/abundance/life

history characteristics of icthyoplankton so can then

measure impacts

1

Cumulative impacts (on fisheries) of icthyoplankton losses

due to different causes. 0

Efficacy of carbon offsets 0

Impacts of wind farms on migratory birds

‐Impacts of all types of alternative energy (e.g. tide energy) 0

Research impacts of hypoxia, GOM dead zone

‐How does the dead zone impact other areas via the loop

current?

‐Other hypoxia areas emerging

0

Synthesize water quality monitoring information in order to

understand impacts on biodiversity 0

130



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

131



GMRP Appendix F



Research Needs




Integrated study to determine the effects of wastewater to

water quality / human health (source of contaminant,

especially as it relates to sewage treatment)

8

Research new and better technologies for addressing sewage

treatment / pharmaceuticals and costs 6

Evaluate the long‐ and short‐term human exposure risk to

marine aerosolized Brevetoxins and other HABʹs 5

Better / improved method to eliminate pathogens /

pharmaceuticals during harvesting and processing of

seafood

4

Research link between climate change / sea‐level change and

how that will affect human health 4

Evaluate the geographic extent of contaminants in

commercially harvested fish and shellfish 3

Research rapid assessment for mitigating human health

impact from coastal hazards 3

Research the effect of pharmaceuticals on ecosystems and

human health including best disposal methods for

pharmaceuticals

3

Research to predict conditions favorable to HABʹs and

forecast health risk

3

Continue to do research in marine biotechnology to develop

pharmaceuticals and products that enhance human health 2

Evaluate impact of cruise ship or other large vessel waste

disposal 2

What are the cumulative impacts associated with increased

human activities to human health along the coast? 2

What is the ecosystem impacts of the harvest of marine life

that have human health benefits? 0

Evaluate localized disposal of treated waste water versus

off‐shore disposal 0

132



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?

133



GMRP Appendix F









research topic.




Research Topic

Votes

Theme

Understand connectivity among populations and habitats

‐Watershed to shelf edge

‐Fisheries management

‐Shelf edge deep water hard bottom habitat

30 Stewardship

Fresh‐water inputs ‐ effects on ecosystem

‐Examine what really happens in the field under current

building and permitting practices (i.e. current impacts)

‐Examine/project impacts of reductions on benthic

communities, trophic interactions, fisheries, emergent

coastal habitats, sediment transport / erosion

28 Ecosystem

Marine Protected

Areas

(MPA’s)

research

‐How to measure effectiveness

‐Role in ecosystem management

‐Research to support the ʺIslands in the Streamʺ proposal in

the GOMEX (e.g. larval transport, connectivity between

sites)

27 Ecosystem

Develop GIS databases (layers) that characterize the marine

and coastal environment

‐Develop additional layers or create extensions of onshore

data layers

‐Develop automated mechanism to incorporate existing and

new data (real time)

‐Identify a clearing house for data and layers

25 Operations

Economics research of coastal development. True costs, true

benefits, including economic modeling of damage to

fisheries production, various classes of recreation, and many

other aspects of community resiliency

25 Resilience

134



GMRP Appendix F



areas.

What are the effects of climate change on population and

community dynamics?

‐Emergence / prevalence of pathogens

‐Distribution and range changes ‐Effects on biology of invasive species

‐Response of organisms to changing levels of: temperature,

salinity, light, winds, CO2 , etc.

22 Climate

Understand habitat change over time ‐ what is / is not

sustainable? 20 Stewardship

Integrated study to determine effects of wastewater to water

quality / human health (source of contaminant ‐ especially as

it relates to sewage treatment)

19 Human

Where are the best locations for sensors? (data collection)

‐Wind

‐Climatological hot spots ‐Gulf of Mexico

‐Atmospheric / ocean circulation

‐GAP analysis

‐Redundancy

‐$

19 Climate

Need new models for ecosystem‐ based management

‐Considering fisheries, habitat, threatened / endangered

species, ecosystem processes

‐Need to define ecosystem based management components

to allow comparisons across different areas in the Gulf

18 Ecosystem

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

conservation decisions

‐Research how to optimize future coastal development to

minimize environmental impacts, maximize quality of life,

and maintain public access

18 Ecosystem

Understand the effectiveness of education about resources and

examine our methodology 18 Stewardship

How can

genuine

change

in

ecosystem

structure

and

function

be discerned with more certainty

‐Hard to know when itʹs more than natural variability

‐e.g. changes in HAB’s, coral bleaching

‐How to know when real change from one system state to

another?

16 Ecosystem

135



GMRP Appendix F



areas.

How will climate change affect hydrology on land, in coastal

regions and open oceans ‐ with a focus on interactive

processes (pollution, freshwater influx, nutrients,

groundwater)

16 Climate

Understand resource / fisheries abundance ‐ historic

sustainability and current abundance: what is sustainable? 12 Stewardship

Evaluate long and short term human exposure risk to marine

aerosolized Brevetoxins and other HAB’s 10 Human

Research on how to present information most effectively, and

in a user‐friendly way (how to disseminate and present to

public)

‐e.g. GIS layers, web‐ based products (efficacy of different

delivery mechanisms)

‐e.g. use of the media

10 Ecosystem

What are the important components for a baseline carbon sink

/ source for GOM and what are the impacts of changing CO2

on ocean acidification and biogeochemistry and the

subsequent biological consequences

10 Climate

The resiliency of data collection platforms ‐ engineering

designs of data collection systems in severe events 9 Resilience

Storm surge modeling

‐Improvements in DEMs (topo / bathy) and how it influences

results

‐Sea‐level rise component of surge modeling

8 Resilience

Wind speed / storm surge energy dissipation as it interfaces

with wetlands

and

uplands

vegetation.

Understanding

the

mitigation benefits of vegetation and the economic value of

these buffers.

8 Resilience

Research to predict conditions favorable to HAB’s and forecast

health risk 7 Human

What is the value ($) (up and down sides) of maritime

activities (looking at economic or environmental impacts of

different alternatives)

7 Operations

Determine re‐nourishment effects / timing and recovery on

affected habitats / physical oceanography 6 Stewardship

Marine debris ‐ modeling, predicting‐‐type, location, impacts /

economics of

withdrawal

6 Resilience

Need greater understanding or factors that affect productivity

based on habitat needs of species. Includes research on

benthic link to fisheries, understanding cumulative impacts

of habitat losses

6 Ecosystem

Research link between climate change / sea level change and

how that will affect human health 6 Human

136



GMRP Appendix F



areas.

Research the effects of pharmaceuticals on ecosystem and

human health including best disposal methods for

pharmaceuticals

6 Human

What is the impact of larger ports (to accommodate larger deep

draft vessels) and conflicts with multiple use areas

(recreational fishing, environmentally sensitive areas)

6 Operations

Development of models to predict sea‐level rise throughout

the GOM (new or enhance existing models) 5 Climate

Economic / engineering studies of phosphate mining and its

risk to coastal resources 5 Resilience

Study extreme weather events in the GOM including

‐Generation of events

‐Impacts ‐ environmental and economic

‐Frequency and intensity

5 Climate

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

renourishment

4 Operations

Economic value / costs on restoration, habitat, ecological

benefits 4 Stewardship

Establish baseline conditions to better understanding of the

impact of maritime operations on human and environmental

health

4 Operations

Evaluate the human dimension ‐ e.g. relative to decision

makers. Develop metrics to assess how they process,

understand and apply climate change science

4 Climate

Look at historical, current, and future impacts of oil and gas

industry on biodiversity 4 Stewardship

Research on protection of critical infrastructure

‐Engineering design research. Bridges (e.g. Ivan and Katrina

examples)

‐Port facilities: dependant functionality; e.g., gasoline in

Tampa Bay

4 Resilience

Run scenarios using GIS to prioritize water way maintenance

and navigation (linked to value) 4 Operations

Better / improved method to eliminate pathogens /

pharmaceuticals during

harvesting

and

processing

of

seafood 2

Human

Research new and better technologies for addressing sewage

treatment and costs 2 Human

Water column on west Florida shelf: interaction between

surface, pelagic, and benthic / trophic zones 2 Stewardship

137



GMRP Appendix F



areas.

Develop algorithms for coastal satellite data (dissolved organic

materials, gas exchange, etc. ‐ how these change with climate

change)

1 Climate

Evaluate geographic extent of contaminants in commercially

harvested fish and shellfish 1 Human

What are the options for labor dynamics and alternatives for

fishing communities / socio‐economic impact 1 Stewardship

Behavioral science; e.g. hurricane evacuation ‐ why people

make risk based decisions or not 0 Resilience

Evaluate localized disposal of treated wastewater versus

offshore disposal 0 Human

138



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.










139



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









2:00‐

2:30

Voting

Session

of

all

Research

Topics

(all

participants)


2:45‐ Optional tour of USGS facilities

140





GMRP Appendix F


Appendix C:


First Name

Last

Name

Affiliation

E‐mail

Address

Lori

Adornato

SRI International

[email protected]

Bill Arnold Florida FWCC/FWRI [email protected]

Michael Bailey NOAA [email protected]

Kyle Baker National Marine Fisheries Service [email protected]

Don Behringer University of Florida [email protected]

Seth Blitch Apalachicola National Estuarine

Research Reserve [email protected]

Robert Bourke Tanks‐A‐Lot Dive Charters [email protected]

Cristina Carollo FL Institute of Oceanography/FL Fish

and Wildlife Research Institute [email protected]

Leslie Craig NOAA Restoration Center [email protected]

Veronica Craw Southwest Florida

Water

Management

District [email protected]

Miles Croom NMFS [email protected]

Todd Davison* NOAA Gulf Coast Services Center [email protected]

Jennifer Dupont University of South Florida College of

Marine Science [email protected]

Lee Edmiston Apalachicola National Estuarine

Research Reserve [email protected]

Ernie Estevez Mote Marine Lab & FOCC [email protected]

Eric Fehrmann Pinellas County Dept. of Env. Mgmt. [email protected]

Sandra Gilchrist New College of Florida, Pritzker

Marine Lab

[email protected]

Joseph Grant NASA/SSC [email protected]

Christina Gwaltney Rookery Bay NERR [email protected]

Karl Havens Florida Sea Grant College Program [email protected]

James Hendee NOAA/AOML (Miami) [email protected]

Steve Kearl Florida Sea Grant [email protected]

Brian Keller NOAA Office of National Marine

Sanctuaries [email protected]

Jack Kindinger* USGS [email protected]

Kevin Kirsch NOAA Office of Response &

Restoration [email protected]


Ron Mezich FL Fish & Wildlife Conservation

Commission [email protected]

Joe Murphy Gulf Restoration Network [email protected]

Julie Neer SAFMC [email protected]

Charles Paxton National Weather Service [email protected]

Akshinthala Prasad Florida State University [email protected]

142



GMRP Appendix F



(continued)

First Name

Last

Name

Affiliation

E‐mail

Address


John Reed HBOI [email protected]

Dave Reed Florida Institute of Oceanography /

FWC ‐ FWRI [email protected]

Lisa Robbins USGS [email protected]

Nicole Robinson FDEP/CAMA/Florida Oceans and

Coastal Council [email protected]

Steve Sempier* MASGC [email protected]

Jamie Serino Shaw Group [email protected]

Charles Sidman Florida Sea Grant [email protected]

Chris Simoniello* Florida Sea Grant [email protected]

Kent

Smith

Florida Wildlife

Commission

[email protected]

Mike Spranger Florida Sea Grant [email protected]

Betty Staugler* Florida Sea Grant [email protected]

Bob Stickney Texas Sea Grant [email protected]

Beau Suthard Coastal Planning & Engineering [email protected]

Frederick

ʺBuckʺSutter NOAA Fisheries [email protected]

LaDon Swann* MASGC [email protected]

Don Sweat FL Sea Grant [email protected]

Laura Thorne EPC Hillsborough County [email protected]

Bob Trumble MRAG Americas [email protected]

Wes Tunnell TAMU‐CC, Harte Research Institute [email protected]

Elke Ursin FL Dept of Health [email protected]

Yyotika Virmani FL Coos Cons‐FL Institute of

Oceanography [email protected]

Robert Wakeford MRAG Americas, Inc. [email protected]


Allan Willis PBS&J [email protected]


143




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:



enabling marine operations,

the ocean’s role in climate,



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



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.

State

Number of

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.

Theme Area

Number of

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.

Category

Number of

Non‐Research

Topics

Information Needs 133

Policy / Education / Management Needs 118

Total 251

GMRP Appendix G



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



Education and Communication Needs

Education and Communication Issues

Topic Theme State

Awareness of how human waste management impacts the

environment Ecosystem

Alabama

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

Ecosystem Florida

Need education about ecosystem health and change and the role

of people Ecosystem Mississippi

Improve education regarding individual responsibility for water

quality Human Louisiana

Awareness

Re: ʺcarbon footprintʺ or transport miles of environmental

benefit of shipping (decrease carbon costs)

Operations Louisiana

Education/outreach on sea‐level change

‐Incorporate science / models into local building codes

‐Communicate science as changes to changing municipal

officials

‐Implement smart growth policies

Climate Mississippi

Increase in education regarding human health implications related

to disposal of pharmaceuticals Human Florida

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

impact / benefit Stewardship

Louisiana

Increase outreach into incorporating existing communication of

fishermen into aquaculture Operations Louisiana

Increase education and outreach for the general public

Re: aquaculture (offshore) Operations Louisiana

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?)

Operations Texas

Educating citizens on reducing vulnerability / understanding of

barrier island Resilience Alabama

Educate media on responsible storm / hazard reporting Resilience Alabama

Education of the public‐‐understanding difference between

flooding (flood insurance) / storm surge (evacuation) Resilience Florida

GMRP Appendix G



Education and Communication Issues (continued)

Topic Theme State

Public needs to understand ramifications to land use violations for

rebuilding Stewardship Louisiana

Protection

of

shipwrecks

and

relic

sites

that

are

not

protected

‐Educate that these are non‐renewable Stewardship Louisiana

Educate public on our own resources and their importance to the

economy Stewardship Mississippi

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,

communication to user groups (funding to develop products) Operations Florida

Key underpinning issues that need to communicate to decision‐

makers Ecosystem Alabama

Government awareness/acknowledgement of importance of

freshwater inflow (need for freshwater inflow to coastal area)

‐Issue even when isnʹt a drought

Ecosystem Alabama

Teacher workshops for inland teachers to share coastal/marine

information Ecosystem Mississippi

Develop educational materials/workshops for formal and informal

educators Climate

Florida

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 /

retailers Human Alabama

Development of a naturalist program Stewardship Alabama

Develop awareness about technology available

‐Specific interface to direct Stewardship Alabama

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



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 Ecosystem Mississippi

Avoid consumer misconception‐conception Human Louisiana

Is there a link between investment in education and community

resilience? Resilience Mississippi

Research into how formal and informal communication come into

play and which works better and when Resilience Mississippi

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



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

topics to get ecosystem approach (e.g., expand SEAMAP

surveys)

Ecosystem Texas

Identify data sources ‐ archived, real‐time, and other Climate Florida

Need a better understanding of data (available / accessible) and

how to get it Resilience Texas

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

data, to bldg permits)

Ecosystem Louisiana

Gather and synthesize existing data from state / federal /

university sources

‐Lots of existing research

‐Need clearinghouse (GOMA Habitat Identification team is

working on this for habitat)

Ecosystem Florida

Centralized shoreline / topography data location to facilitate

research Resilience Alabama

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

harmonization of data, synthesis)

Ecosystem Louisiana

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

integrate existing HAB information Human Florida

Vibrio baseline data Human Mississippi Database of technical and human resources available to support

field research Stewardship Texas

GMRP Appendix G



Data Topics (continued)

Topic Theme State

Get post Katrina baseline data then follow with regular data

collection Resilience Louisiana

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

‐Gathering for comparisons

Climate Alabama

GMRP Appendix G



Monitoring Topics

Topic Theme State

Need monitoring information so that we can educate

communities on the effect of management changes Stewardship Louisiana

Experiments set up but we are not monitoring ‐ right people and

right parameters Stewardship Louisiana

On the ground data collection / monitoring needs to be increased;

also need to coordinate Ecosystem Texas

Increased instrumentation and coordination of oceanographic

data and real time access Stewardship Texas

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 &

environmental conditions, and baseline oceanographic info Human Mississippi

Need for marine information systems in inland waters (AIS) Operations Mississippi

Add gauging stations in tidal plains to monitor water quality and

quantity Resilience Texas

Water quality and nutrient run‐off

‐Need synthesis of monitoring information Ecosystem Florida

Encourage application of source tracking technology in Gulf of

Mexico Human Mississippi

Monitoring of coastal hypoxia—need regional assessment to

understand magnitude

of

problem

Ecosystem Mississippi

Need to monitor parameters (i.e. oyster monitoring only 2

parameters) Stewardship Louisiana

More monitoring programs

‐Health issues

‐Elevation

Human Texas

Increase monitoring and data collection (sea‐level rise, surface

elevation tables) long term monitoring Climate Texas

Long term coastal change detection Operations Alabama

Have tidal datums in Gulf detected a rise in sea levels? If so,

why? Resilience Mississippi

GMRP Appendix G



Mapping Topics

Topic Theme State

Large scale mapping efforts Stewardship Florida

Accurate topography Climate Alabama

Expand elevation data knowledge ‐ more frequent surveys and

more density Climate Louisiana

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

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)

Climate Florida

High‐resolution comprehensive geophysical, habitat, bathy

mapping continental shelf Resilience Texas

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

multibeam.

Good educational

tools

as

well.

Ecosystem Florida

Expand bi‐annual shoreline data orthophotography collection to

include Mississippi Sound and wetlands shoreline Resilience Alabama

Info GIS‐ based geodatabase of various discipline data Resilience Texas

GIS navigational layer identifying navigational rules, distribution

and changes (10 speed zone) Operations Florida

Inventory of marine establishments/services/operations in the

Gulf of Mexico (GIS)

‐Aquaculture/seafood/fisheries

‐Transport/shipping

‐Recreational

‐Government operations ‐Economic impact

‐Water/non‐water dependent

Operations Mississippi

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



Mapping Topics (continued)

Topic Theme State

Mapping of physical and biological habitats with 21st century

technology Stewardship Texas

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

‐Enhance information networks

Climate Mississippi

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,

whatʹs out there ‐‐ natural ledge communities Ecosystem

Florida

Information on availability of sediments ‐ where & when Ecosystem Louisiana

Have sand resources pre‐identified Resilience Alabama

GMRP Appendix G



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

development Climate Louisiana

What is current situation?

‐What would change with sea‐level change and higher

temperatures?

Human Florida

Measure interaction between sea surface temperature (SST) and

ecology Resilience

Texas

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

data gap analysis to couple existing models Stewardship Texas

Forecast and develop solutions to environmental impacts of

increasing human population density along the Gulf Coast Stewardship Texas

Model (not pure economic) to assist business decisions Operations Alabama

Modeling shipping

channels

Operations

Alabama

GMRP Appendix G



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) Ecosystem Mississippi

Better coordination across all things going on in the GOM;

coordination of research and management efforts Ecosystem Florida

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

navigation and water safety information Operations Florida

Engagement of local, state, regional governance (on climate

change (multi‐disciplinary) ‐How to use this information to mitigate?

Climate Louisiana

Increase interaction among governments at all levels and include

landowners Stewardship Louisiana

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)

‐Apply new technologies (i.e. sidescan sonar) Ecosystem Texas

Regional (Gulf of Mexico) strategic maritime business plan Operations Mississippi

Information directory

Stewardship Alabama

GMRP Appendix G



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?

‐Draft policy on climate change & how to mitigate

Climate Louisiana

Federal flood insurance policies need updated Climate Texas

Insurance ‐government policies

‐Enabling risk Resilience Mississippi

Sound policy of local community with climate change Climate Texas

Identify and define legal pathways for reliable emergency

marine services center use Operations Louisiana

Evaluate evacuation policies and emergency operating plans Resilience Alabama

Improve land use planning, floodplain management,

development of high risk areas Resilience Alabama

Mandates for following the plans that exist

‐Requirements for following the plan Resilience Florida

Which approach—education, regulation, incentives—is more

effective in increasing resiliency? Resilience Mississippi

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

currently; National policy is currently stalled.)

Ecosystem Florida

Need better ʺregimeʺ on ocean ʺuseʺ

Re: aquaculture, shellfish Operations Louisiana

Policy

Re: permitting for offshore aquaculture

‐need a way to permit this…

‐ʺoffbottomʺ aquaculture too

Operations Louisiana

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



Regulation, Policy, and Legislation Topics (continued)

Topic Theme State

Conflict resolution between research vs. policy, i.e. MS River

management Stewardship Mississippi

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

communities shift to seawater for drinking water? Human Florida

Improve federal matching funding for rural and urban sewage

treatment and non‐point source pollution Human Louisiana

Consistent management of septic systems Human Florida

Are marine discharge policies being enforced and are they

helping or improving environmental conditions? Operations Florida

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

community Ecosystem Florida

Translate research into actions Operations Alabama

Management needs biological, oceanographic, and

socioeconomic assessment

of

Gulf

of

Mexico

as

system

applied

to improve management/address management issues Ecosystem

Texas

Need comprehensive (adaptable / consistent / comparable) study

plans to respond to a variety of commercial activities in various

environments Operations Florida

Regional dredging plan Operations Alabama

Incorporation of newly developed field deployable testing into

management Human Alabama

GMRP Appendix G



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:

‐Users / stakeholders / MPA public forums Climate Florida

Need a better understanding about stakeholders in marine

operations (IOOS: GCOOS; etc.) Operations Louisiana

Large group behaviors/interactions‐‐social trap of large groups in

response to various issues Stewardship Louisiana

Human uses

(maritime

environmental)

Operations

Florida

Preservation of working waterfronts and commercial and

recreational destination Operations Florida

How do demographics of community affect how the community

responds? Resilience Mississippi

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 Resilience Mississippi

How does the insurance situation (commercial vs. government

policies) affect resilience of community? Resilience Mississippi

Resiliency index Resilience Mississippi

Description of the linkage between the value of functional

ecosystems and human‐use value Stewardship Texas

Standardization of economic value of a specific object or animal

(value of barrier island or manatee) Operations Florida

Economic information about ecosystem services Stewardship Florida

How to address loss of revenue related to outdoor license

activities? Stewardship Alabama

Economic value cost Stewardship Florida

Values of socioeconomic positions Stewardship Florida

Gulf of Mexico (GMFMC) does not have good info on

socioeconomic (fishing community) Operations Louisiana

Cost versus benefit of fishing gear modifications Stewardship Florida

GMRP Appendix G





Ecological and Biological Topics

Topic Theme State

Biodiversity of phytoplankton / microalgae (too much emphasis

on harmful algal blooms ‐‐ need to look at all species)

Need repository collections

Ecosystem Florida

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

Stewardship Mississippi

Where are we catching fish

‐How are they moving to respond to hypoxia Stewardship Louisiana

Information on species diversity to inform an ecosystem

approach especially the non‐charismatic species (phytoplankton

worms) Ecosystem Texas

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

lost due to ecosystem degradation? Human Florida

Develop list of pharmaceuticals that have been identified in fish /

others Human Florida

GMRP Appendix G



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 Operations Louisiana

What is the acceptable balance between harvest of marine life for

human health and protection of the resource? Human Florida

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 Operations Louisiana

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




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‐