Marine Restoration

The Deepwater Horizon platform spill occurred in the Macondo Lease Block 50 miles offshore from the Mississippi River delta. The oil reached from Texas to Florida’s Atlantic coast and from the deep sea to coastal marshes (Berenshtein et al., 2020). Restoration of coastal habitats is common at local, state and regional levels, and will likely Read More

Value of a Healthy Gulf

Economic Impact of Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Goods and Services and Integration into Restoration Decision-making Shepard, AN, JF Valentine, CF D’elia, DW Yoskowitz, DE Dismukes. 2013. Economic impact of Gulf of Mexico ecosystem goods and services and integration into restoration decision-making. Gulf of Mexico Science. 2013(1–2): 10–27. Supplemental data tables Valuing Ecosystem Services Decision-makers need to Read More

Ecosystem Approach to Management (EAM)

An Ecosystem Approach to Management (EAM) “provides a comprehensive framework for living resource decision making. In contrast to individual species or single issue management, EAM considers a wider range of relevant ecological, environmental, and human factors bearing on societal choices regarding resource use.” (NOAA, 2014) Implementing EAM via DWH Oil Spill Restoration Shepard, AN, N Read More

Restoration Science Workshop

Implementing Best Available Science in Restoration University of Southern Mississippi, Gulf Park Campus, Long Beach, MS, August 2013 Objectives: The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill (DHOS) underscored the intrinsic link between the economy and the natural resources of the Gulf of Mexico. In the wake of the spill, Gulf citizens continued to support focusing the Read More

Ecosystem Monitoring

In 2010 the Gulf of Mexico experienced the worst marine oil spill in US history. Ecosystem monitoring is a critical but poorly understood component of the environmental recovery effort. This GOMURC presentation introduces ecosystem monitoring and why it is important for Gulf recovery, and the role of the Gulf Coastal Ocean Observing System’s Build-out Plan Read More

Climate Change

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster in 2010 devastated the Gulf Coast communities and is considered the worst spill in U.S. history. While some approaches exist on how to integrate climate change into restoration decision-making, many post-Deepwater Horizon restoration projects fail to adequately address climate change impacts. GOMURC collaborated with Scripps Oceanographic Institution Environmental Law Read More

DEI Workshop

GOMURC is embarking on a new diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiative to enhance the production of underrepresented minority (URM) PhD’s in the geosciences. While individual member institutions are each working on their own DEI plans, given the magnitude of the challenges in these fields of study, the GOMURC members feel that additional synergies may Read More

DEI Scholarships Inventory

A current and on-going GOMURC initiative is to promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) by facilitating education opportunities for underrepresented minorities (URM) student groups. For the purposes of the GOMURC regional inventory of scholarship opportunities, URM focuses on Black, Hispanic and Native American students. Financial aid is available in various forms including scholarships, loans, grants, Read More

Gulf of Mexico needs more protection

Antonio Bussalacchi, President of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, and Dr. Chris D’Elia, GOMURC Board member and Dean of the LSU College of the Coast and Environment, recently wrote a guest column for the Advocate entitled “After BP Spill, protecting the Gulf region requires even more money.” Given the sunsetting of spill-funded programs like Read More

Funding opportunities calendar for Gulf restoration

The NOAA RESTORE Science Program is hosting a funding opportunities calendar in partnership with other Gulf of Mexico science and restoration initiatives established following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The calendar is intended to enable stakeholders to remain informed about opportunities and assist grant applicants in planning ahead and submitting applications to the appropriate funding Read More