News

Regional Ocean Partnerships receive federal authorization

Regional Ocean Partnerships (ROPs), including the Gulf of Mexico Alliance, recently received federal authorization under NOAA. ROPs are regional organizations voluntarily convened by governors in collaboration with other governments and stakeholders. Although GOMA has been operating since 2004, this authorization recognizes that different coastal areas of our country have unique challenges that are specific to the member states and formally designates GOMA as the ROP for the Gulf of Mexico region. This federal authorization ensures sustained and intentional collaboration in our region for years to come.

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GOMA All Hands Meeting registration open

Registration is open for the Gulf of Mexico Alliance's All Hands Meeting 2023.

The meeting is June 26-29 in Austin, Texas, at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center.

Join us as we bring together partners from state and federal agencies, academia, non-profits, and industry from across the region to plan projects that implement Governors' Action Plan IV. Learn more.

Water Resources Team continues to fill critical monitoring gap

In 2018, the Water Resources Team began to fill a critical water quality monitoring gap from inshore to offshore waters in coastal Louisiana using funding from our Gulf Star Program. Additional partnerships have continued to leverage support for this important work over the last few years. Now, funding from the EPA Gulf Hypoxia Program will extend monitoring through 2025 and include new autonomous vessel technologies to provide further insight on the relationship between nutrients and hypoxia between Barataria Bay, Louisiana, and nearshore coastal waters.

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Help the Marine Debris Cross-Team identify prevention projects survey

Our Marine Debris Cross-Team Initiative needs your help to learn about projects that reduce plastic packaging, promote sustainable materials, and encourage marine debris and litter removal in local communities. Share your successes by completing a short survey. The goal of the Marine Debris Cross-Team is to address marine debris and its impacts to habitats, wildlife, and economies through a coordinated approach.

Take the survey

Gulf Star Report now available

This annual report celebrates the growth of the Gulf Star program since 2016 and highlights projects from 2022. We recognize that this program requires a coordinated effort to address the most important issues facing the Gulf region. We would not be where we are today without the collective effort of our Gulf Star partners, GOMA Teams, and project collaborators for supporting these efforts to advance a healthy and resilient Gulf of Mexico.

View Report

Tool of the Month

Coastal County Snapshots

Developed by NOAA's Office for Coastal Management, this online tool provides managers and citizens with easy-to-understand charts and graphs that describe complex coastal data. Users select a county of interest and the website does the rest. Users can even generate printable handouts. Snapshots help people understand information related to the marine and coastal economy, flood exposure risk, and coastal resilience.

Check Out This Tool

Partner News

LA CPRA releases 2023 Draft Coastal Master Plan

The 2023 DRAFT Coastal Master Plan builds upon previous efforts and strives to ensure that the collective effects of project investments reduce storm surge-based flood risk to communities, provide habitats to support an array of commercial and recreational activities, and support infrastructure critical to the working coast. Public review and comment will be open through March 25, 2023. Learn more.

Restore America's Estuaries Grant Opportunity

Restore America’s Estuaries is partnering with CITGO to facilitate the Caring for our Coasts Gulf Region Grants. The goal of this program is to support organizations and groups hosting locally based volunteer events in the Gulf of Mexico region. Learn more.

Mississippi State University paid apprenticeships

Applications are open through Feb. 14, 2023, for various environment and conservation focused apprenticeships. Learn more.

Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Marine Mammal Symposium (SEAMAMMS) Save the Date

SEAMAMMS will be March 17-19 in Mobile, Alabama, and will be hosted by the School of Marine & Environmental Sciences at the University of South Alabama. Learn more.

Groups creating center to reduce harmful algal blooms

The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in Florida are creating a center dubbed the U.S. Harmful Algal Bloom Control Technology Incubator to seek, fund and assist projects using technology to reduce harmful algal blooms. Learn more.