NCCOS scientists and sponsored principal investigators (PIs) joined hundreds of other scientists and managers interested in the ecology and sustainability of the Gulf of Mexico at the Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA) 2017 All Hands Meeting in Houston, Texas, in late March.

The Gulf of Mexico Alliance is a Regional Ocean Partnership working to sustain the Gulf of Mexico that is led by the five Gulf States and includes a broad partner network. Credit: GOMA.

With research spanning decades, NCCOS supports a robust research portfolio in the Gulf of Mexico. NCCOS multidisciplinary studies include benthic habitats, sea level rise, offshore aquaculture, disease/pathology, invasive species, coral reefs, harmful algal blooms, hypoxia, nutrients, and oil pollution. NCCOS research resulted in numerous resource management tools such as forecasts, interactive geo-spatial maps/story maps, models, inventories, and ecological assessments.

NCCOS highlights from the 2017 GOMA meeting include:

Tools Café

• Handheld Genetic Sensor (NCCOS sponsored PIs John Paul/USF, Alicia Hoeglund/Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission [FWC], and Kate Hubbard/FWC)
• Marsh Equilibrium Model (MEM) Tool (David Kidwell/NCCOS, Christine Buckel/NCCOS, Renee Collini/Northern Gulf of Mexico Sentinel Site Cooperative)
• Northern Gulf of Mexico Ecological Effects of Sea Level Rise Data Visualization Tool (Christine Buckel/NCCOS, David Kidwell/NCCOS, Renee Collini/Northern Gulf of Mexico Sentinel Site Cooperative)

Priority Issue Team Meeting Presentations

• RESTORE Modeling Inventory (Randy Clark/NCCOS)
• 'GOMAPortal' Data Portal Inventory (Jacob [Jake] Howell/NCCOS)
• Report Out From the Hypoxia Monitoring Workshop (Alan Lewitus/NCCOS)
• Seafood Prices Reveal Impacts of Gulf Hypoxia (Justin Kirkpatrick, NCCOS sponsored PI and Duke University economist)
• The New NCCOS Northern Gulf of Mexico Ecological Effects of Sea Level Rise Project on Ecosystem Services of Nature-Based Infrastructure (Renee Collini, NCCOS Sponsored PI and Coordinator, Northern Gulf of Mexico Sentinel Site Cooperative)
• Next Steps in the NCCOS Ecological Effects of Sea level Rise Project (Renee Collini, NCCOS Sponsored PI and Coordinator, Northern Gulf of Mexico Sentinel Site Cooperative)
• Harmful Algal Bloom Observation Gliders (Katherine [Kate] Hubbard, NCCOS Sponsored PI and FWC research scientist)
• Expansion of Harmful Algal Bloom Sensor Network (Kate Hubbard, NCCOS Sponsored PI and FWC research scientist)

GOMA meeting attendees included resource managers, scientists, and education/outreach/extension agents including many scientists from across NOAA. NOAA National Ocean Service Assistant Administrator, Dr. Russell Callender, also attended.

For more information, contact Randy Clark, David Kidwell, and Christine Buckel.