International coordination of environmental science initiatives between the US and Mexico is a high priority for Gulf of Mexico stakeholders. As the scientific and regulatory communities work together for the safe and responsible use of offshore resources, joint environmental research on priority issues will be essential. On March 29–30, 2017, ~165 leading scientists from the US, Cuba, and Mexico–with recognized expertise in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) oceanographic and marine science studies–met in Houston, Texas for the Gulf of Mexico Workshop on International Research (GOMWIR). The purpose was to better understand the Gulf of Mexico as a whole, to assess the current state of science throughout the Gulf of Mexico Large Marine Ecosystem–rather than just regional waters–across several disciplines, and to identify research gaps and recommend research priorities for the southern GOM. The workshop centered on three thematic areas: baseline studies, fates and effects studies, and environmental monitoring. Topics of interest addressed during the workshop broadly included marine mammals and protected species, habitat and ecology, physical oceanography, water and air quality, and social science and economics, with consideration given to appropriate observational, laboratory, and modeling methods. A priority was identifying interdisciplinary approaches that integrate perspectives across disciplines and encourage or help facilitate ecosystem-based understanding and management approaches. The GOMWIR Proceedings synthesize information from the workshop and recommend high-priority international environmental science needs in the GOM to inform research planning and studies development plans.

USD: $250,000

2016-09-23 → 2018-09-30