PROFILE
: THE GULF RESTORATION NETWORK
Our
chapter has direct ties with a number of marine conservation organizations whose
goals are similar to ours. We would
like to introduce these organizations to you and thus have started this series
that will appear at intervals in this and future issues of Southern Shorelines.
The
Gulf Restoration Network
is a non-profit group based in New Orleans LA
. They publish a quarterly
newsletter and action alerts when
legislation or issues , either state or federal, arise that affect Gulf
fisheries or essential habitat. Their
vision and mission statement centers on stewardship for the Gulf of Mexico “to
unite and empower people to protect and restore the resources of the Gulf
region, forever protecting it for future generations”.
Their most recent newsletter , December 2000, discusses what they must do
to remain viable and effective.
Since no single
organization can do it all, GRN has given priority to the following issues, (1)
Protection of water quality ( they will concentrate on the Mississippi river
problems), (2) Wetlands and Habitat protection (their main work will focus
stemming wetland losses that arise from the Army Corps of Engineers 404(b)
permit program ), (3) Sustainable Fisheries ( GRN will focus on rebuilding
“overfished” species, assess the ”bycatch” problem and assess the health of key Gulf species), (4) mercury
contamination ( advocate monitoring and clean-up in contaminated waters), (5)
contaminated sediments (initially identify key areas ),
(6)Water resource protection (look
into regional water use where withdrawals affect marine ecosystems),
(7) mariculture (the federal government is pushing marine farming along
the Gulf coast which brings with it problems of water pollution and habitat
injury etc. GRN plans to follow
this), (8) Exotic species (will assess and seek to address problem).
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