Mississippi-Alabma Sea Grant Consortium Update
By Dr. LaDon Swann, Interim Director

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It is hard to believe that it has been almost six months since an office of Alabama Programs for the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium (MASGC) was established. The learning curve has been tremendous, but thanks to the support of everyone at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and other individuals from our coastal community my knowledge of the coastal issues and how they can be addressed is growing daily. The MASGC feels the integration of research, education and public outreach is the only way to solve many of the environmental and economic challenges   
  
and opportunities facing the rapidly growing populations of Mobile and Baldwin Counties.

One of the primary activities MASGC has been involved in since the last Tidings is the completion of our Omnibus proposal for the National Sea Grant Office. The three-year, 3.3 million dollar federal request was submitted to the National office in early November and has a balance between research, education and outreach. The proposal contains 15 projects in the areas of advance technology, seafood production, coastal ecosystem health, K-12 education, marine extension, legal programs, and communications.

Some of the other activities we have been involved in over the last few months include:

Office of Alabama Programs Web Site
The Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, Office of Alabama Programs now has a Web site containing information regarding ongoing Sea Grant programs and other useful information for scientists and educators. You may access the site at: http://www.masgc.org/masgc_al.htm.

Auburn Marine Aquaculture Facility
While MASGC is not directly involved in the Auburn Marine Aquaculture Facility to be located at DISL, I will be through my half-time appointment within the Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures. Many of you may not believe it, but after more than five years in planning the 3,700 square foot building is nearing completion. Weems General Contractors of Mobile was awarded the contract and construction is scheduled to be completed by June of 2001.  

Although its official name is still under consideration, this facility is tentatively known as the new Auburn University’s Center for Shellfish Research.
 
 

Mobile Bay Oyster Gardening Program
A new oyster gardening project sponsored by the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, Auburn University and its Marine Extension Center, the Alabama Department of Public Health--Seafood Branch, and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Marine Resource Division are looking for homeowners who live on Mobile Bay and have access to a pier. In order to qualify you must live in areas open to shellfish harvest by the Alabama Department of Public Health. In Baldwin County most waters that are south of the Live Oak Beach Access on Scenic Highway 98 are open. In Mobile County most waters south of East Fowl River are also open. There is no experience necessary and all supplies and training are provided free to the volunteers. Once the oysters have grown to around 5 cm, they will be collected from our volunteers and planted on existing oyster reefs. The goal of this project is to increase oyster populations on these reefs, while at the same time helping the water quality in Mobile Bay. Anyone interested may contact LaDon Swann, at 334-861-7544 or visit the oyster gardening web page at: www.mobilebaynep.com/habitats/oystergarden.htm

Interim Director of MASGC
Dr. LaDon Swann was named the Interim Director of the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium (MASGC) at the Consortium’s annual Board of Directors Meeting held May 10, 2001. Swann, who is currently the Associate Director of MASGC’s Office of Alabama Programs, will assume the Interim Director position beginning July 1, 2001. Dr. Barry Costa-Pierce, the current MASGC Director, will leave the Consortium in August to become the Director of the Rhode Island Sea Grant College Program.

Jackson State University - Newest MASGC Member
Another significant action taken at the board meeting was the vote and approval to accept Jackson State University as the newest member of the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium. A special board-appointed committee reviewing JSU’s request made a site visit to the university’s campus last month. They spent the day touring JSU’s research facilities, meeting faculty and administrators, and listening to presentations of JSU’s research activities.