The Growing Importance of The Gulf of Mexico

The Gulf of Mexico stands today as one of the most economically viable bodies of water in the World. MPB’s Phoebe Judge reports on new developments which may make that body of water all the more important.

Just under 2000 marine biologists and scientists from around the world are meeting this week in Biloxi to discuss the new technologies and the state of the world’s oceans. But just outside the conference hall sits the Gulf of Mexico, a body of water that Brian Griffith with the United States Environmental Protection Agency says holds as much importance as any other in the world,

“The fact of the matter is between the energy off shore oil and gas production and distribution, to the fishery, to tourism, to the seven top busiest ports, it is preeminently important.”

The Gulf of Mexico has long been considered a working body of water, and it might get even busier after a call last week from 35 United States senators, including both Senators Wicker and Cochran from Mississippi, to increase offshore oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. Bill Burnett, with the National Buoy Data Center says given the hurricane prone nature of the Gulf new oil drilling is something they are examining closely,

“Hurricane Katrina there was lot of damage to the industry, so we have to know how we can build these facilities much stronger so they can withstand these types of events.”

The Gulf of Mexico may also become home to the first large scale open fish farming operation in the world, after the plan won approval from President Obama last month. David Shaw, director of the Northern Gulf Institute says all these new ventures must take sustainably into consideration,

“The resiliency of the Gulf has been incredible, but at the same time as we look at the eco system health, we better understand now that if we do not do things in a way that is sustainable and sound then we won’t be able to rely on this resource in the future.”

That could have a large impact considering the billions of dollars in resources the Gulf puts out each year.