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Mississippi AMRAT Media Advisory
For Immediate Release
August 26, 2004
OCEAN SPRINGS --
Aliens in Mississippi waters are the target of a five-day scientific
marathon Aug. 30-Sept. 3. More than 100 scientists from the northern
Gulf of Mexico will converge on The University of Southern Mississippi's
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory Monday Aug. 30 to kick off a search for
alien--non-native or exotic--species in Mississippi Sound and adjacent
waters. The impact of non-native species can range from benign to
harmful. Nuisance and invasive non-natives can displace native residents
and disrupt the ecology and economy of a region.
Organizers of the Alabama-Mississippi Rapid Assessment Team (AMRAT)
expect the collaborative coast-wide effort to be the largest rapid
assessment of living resources ever held in the Gulf of Mexico.
Scientists will take a "snapshot" inventory of organisms present in
Mississippi coastal waters. They will identify non-native species,
locations where the species have already established populations and
their abundance. The inventory of biological information will be used
for developing management strategies and for planning needed research.
More than 20 universities, state and federal agencies, and conservation
groups are providing personnel, boats and equipment. Organizing the
collaborative program are GCRL, the Mississippi Department of Marine
Resources, the Mobile Bay National Estuarine Program and the
Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium. The team piloted its
cooperative, comprehensive assessment strategies in Mobile Bay in
September 2003 with more than 50 scientists.
THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN
MISSISSIPPI
Marketing and Public Relations
CONTACT: Linda Skupien (228) 872-4273; 806-7718
WHO: Alabama-Mississippi Rapid Assessment Team (AMRAT)
WHAT: The largest rapid assessment of living resources ever held in the
Gulf
of Mexico will target aliens--non-native species--during a five-day
inventory of plants and animals in Mississippi coastal waters.
WHERE: Main activities at Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, 703 East Beach
Drive, Ocean Springs, Miss. Sampling will occur in the Mississippi Sound
and
adjacent river systems and marine waters.
WHEN: Aug. 30 through Sept. 3
TIME: Boats in the field all days except Friday. Researchers in the lab
all
days and evenings except Friday. Monday kickoff with instructions at
8:30
a.m. and departure to boats and vehicles at 9 a.m.
Call Linda Skupien at (228) 872-4273 or (228) 806-7718 to
schedule a boat trip tailored to your deadlines.
CONTACTS
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, Linda Skupien, before Aug. 30 --
(228) 872-4273; after Aug. 30 -- (228) 806-7718 or (228) 818-8831
Mobile Bay NEP, David Yeager, before Aug. 30 -- (251) 431-6409;
after Aug. 30-- (251) 605-3914
MS-AL Sea Grant, LaDon Swann -- (228) 818-8843 or (251) 648-5877
Assessment activities: Aug. 30 - Sept. 3
Assessment lab phone: Aug. 30 - Sept. 3--(228) 818-8831
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