Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
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Wes Tunnell
Associate Director and Research Scientist,
Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies
Director, Center for Coastal Studies
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
Professor of Biology
The Island University
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
HRI Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies
The Team
The Team
Advisory Council Members:
Dr.
Dr. Sylvia
Sylvia Earle,
Earle, Chair
Chair –– National
National Geographic
Geographic Society
Society
Sr.
Sr. Homero
Homero Aridjis
Aridjis –– Journalist,
Journalist, Mexico
Mexico City
City
Ms.
Ms. Katharine
Katharine Armstrong
Armstrong –– Ranching
Ranching
Mr.
Mr. William
William Baker
Baker –– Environmental
Environmental Manager,
Manager, Reliant
Reliant Energy
Energy
Mr.
Mr. William
William Bradford
Bradford –– Former
Former CEOCEO Dresser
Dresser // Halliburton
Halliburton
Mr. Joseph Fitzsimons – Chair, TPW Commission
Mr. Joseph Fitzsimons – Chair, TPW Commission
Dr.
Dr. Robert
Robert Furgason
Furgason –– Director,
Director, HRI
HRI Sr. Eugenio Clariond
Mr.
Mr. Terry Garcia – Executive Vice President,
Terry Garcia – Executive Vice President, National
National Geographic
Geographic Society
Society Chairman and CEO,
Mr.
Mr. Bryon
Bryon Griffith
Griffith –– Director,
Director, Gulf
Gulf of
of Mexico
Mexico Program
Program Grupo IMSA
Dr. David Guggenheim – Vice President, Ocean
Conservancy
The Team
Advisory Council Members:
Dr.
Dr. Eric
Eric Gustafson
Gustafson –– President,
President, United
United States-Mexico
States-Mexico Chamber
Chamber of of Commerce
Commerce
Mr.
Mr. Ray
Ray Hayes
Hayes –– Executive
Executive ViceVice President,
President, Mississippi
Mississippi State
State University
University
Mr.
Mr. William
William Harte
Harte –– Harte
Harte Family
Family
Sr.
Sr. Alejandro
Alejandro Junco
Junco de de la
la Vega
Vega –– Publisher,
Publisher, Monterrey
Monterrey
Dr.
Dr. Björn
Björn Kjervfe
Kjervfe –– Dean,
Dean, College
College of
of Geosciences,
Geosciences, Texas
Texas A&M
A&M University
University
Dr. Kumar Mahadevan – Executive Director, Mote
Dr. Kumar Mahadevan – Executive Director, Mote Marine Lab Marine Lab
Mr.
Mr. Pat
Pat Noonan
Noonan –– Chairman,
Chairman, Conservation
Conservation Fund
Fund Sr. Guillermo Garcia
Sr.
Sr. Raul Rodriguez – Managing Director and CEO,
Raul Rodriguez – Managing Director and CEO, North
North American
American Montero – Director,
Development
Development BankBank National Aquarium
Dr. of Cuba
Dr. Andrew
Andrew Sansom
Sansom –– Executive
Executive Director,
Director, Exec.
Exec. Director,
Director, Intl.
Intl. Institute
Institute for
for
Sustainable
Sustainable Water
Water Resources
Resources
Mr.
Mr. G.
G. T.
T. (Tom)
(Tom) Theriot
Theriot –Manager,
–Manager, Safety,
Safety, Health
Health and
and
Environment,
Environment, ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil
Dr.
Dr. Don Walsh – Oceanographer, Trieste Pilot
Don Walsh – Oceanographer, Trieste Pilot
Dr. John Ogden –
Director, Florida
Institute of
Oceanography
Dr./Admiral Alberto
Vazquez de la Cerda –
Universidad Veracruzana &
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
The Island University Secretaria de Marina
HRI Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies
Mission
“Research institute of excellence at TAMU-CC to support
and advance the long-term sustainable use and conservation
of the Gulf of Mexico”
Characteristics
• Generate and disseminate knowledge
• Encourage trinational responsibility and
approach to understanding and managing the
Gulf of Mexico (U.S., Mexico, Cuba)
• Collaboration and cooperation with varied
Gulf partners
HRI Initiative/Collaborative
“Gulf of Mexico Past, Present, and Future”
1. GulfBase (www.gulfbase.org)
Immediate 2. Gulf Exploration (each year)
3. State of Knowledge Workshop (Oct. ’03)
4. Biodiversity of the Gulf of Mexico Project (’03-’06)
Near to
5. “Bulletin 89” 50-Year Update (’03-’08)
Mid-term
6. State of the Gulf of Mexico Summit (Mar. ’06)
7. Annual Thematic Working Conferences
Long-term 8. Gulf of Mexico Alliance (’05 )
9. Public Policy Initiatives
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
The Island University
HRI Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies
• Volume I – Geology
• Volume IIa – Physical Oceanography
• Volume IIb – Chemical Oceanography
• Volume III – Biota
• Volume IV – Human Issues
• Volume V – Ecosystem-based management
Environmental Overview
Size Desoto
Desoto
Canyon
Canyon
• 1,575 km East-West Gulf of Mexico
• 900 km North-South Straits
Straits of
of Florida
Florida
• 1,500,000 km2 Surface Area Sigsbee
Sigsbee Abyssal
Abyssal Plain
Plain Cuba
Cuba
YYu
ucca
atta
ann
Continental Shelves Bay
SSt
trraa
iitts
Bay of
of s
• Wide, Carbonate in East Campeche
Campeche
• Narrow to Moderate,
Terrigenous in West Mexico
Mexico
Environmental Overview
Resources
• Oil & gas United
United States
States
• Mineral leases
•Major ports/shipping
• Fisheries Desoto
Desoto
Canyon
Canyon
– commercial Gulf of Mexico
– recreational Straits
Straits of
of Florida
Florida
Sigsbee
Sigsbee Abyssal
Abyssal Plain
Plain Cuba
• Tourism Cuba
YYu
•Great biodiversity ucca
atta
ann
SSt
•Diverse habitats Bay
Bay of
of
trraa
iitts
s
•Vast wetlands Campeche
Campeche
•Numerous coral reefs
•Migratory waterfowl Mexico
Mexico
•Nesting seabirds/sea turtles
Impacts
• Loss of critical habitats United
United States
States
•Degradation of water quality
•Overfishing
Desoto
Desoto
•Destructive fishing methods Canyon
Canyon
•Oil spills
Gulf of Mexico
Straits
Straits of
of Florida
Florida
•Trash Sigsbee
Sigsbee Abyssal
Abyssal Plain
Plain Cuba
Cuba
•Nutrient enrichment (dead YYu
ucca
atta
zones) ann
SSt
trraa
Bay
Bay of
of iitts
•Invasive species s
Campeche
Campeche
•Beach/shellfish closures
•Coastal development Mexico
Mexico
•Harmful algal blooms
Habitats
70 Bays, Estuaries & Lagoons
Habitats
Shorelines
Habitats
Continental Shelves
Ecoregions
• United States
– DOI: USFWS, NPS
– DOC: NMSP
• Mexico
– SEMARNAT: CONANP – National Commission for
Protected Natural Areas
• Cuba
– CITMA: CNAP – National Center for Protected Areas
(administer decrees)
“Make
A
Difference”
Ed Harte