The mission of the Alliance is to enhance the ecological and economic health of the Gulf of Mexico through increased regional collaboration. It includes five U.S. Gulf States (Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas) that face similar challenges and concerns regarding the Gulf Coast and its waters. The all hands meeting included participants from state and federal agencies, academia, non-profits, businesses, and industry, and it provided a forum to share knowledge and expertise as well as an opportunity to collaborate to reduce duplication of effort.

During the meeting, the MDP’s Gulf of Mexico Regional Coordinator Caitlin Wessel facilitated a workgroup meeting by the Alliance’s Marine Debris Cross-Team Initiative. At this meeting, the workgroup introduced new marine debris action plan goals/actions, furthered collaboration with the Alliance’s Priority Issue Teams, and worked on action plan project updates, including a presentation on the new Florida Marine Debris Reduction Planning project by the MDP’s Charles Grisafi. This workgroup meeting was the first of two annual meetings, and the second will take place in the fall and include a greater focus on debris issues throughout the Gulf of Mexico.

For more details about the Marine Debris Cross Team or additional information about the meeting, please contact Caitlin.Wessel@noaa.gov.

Return to OR&R Weekly Report.