Welcome to the 2020 Virtual Bays and Bayous Symposium Your browser does not support HTML5 video.Welcome to the 2020 Bays and Bayous Symposium, I'm LaDon Swann, the director of the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium. We're happy that you are joining us on this platform for what will be the first VIRTUAL Bays and Bayous Symposium. Over the next three days, you will have the opportunity to attend presentations and panel discussions about coastal issues that are important to the northern Gulf of Mexico. We have more than 165 presentations this year, which is remarkable considering the speakers had to go the extra mile and narrate and pre-record them. That was a learning experience for many of us, and we appreciate the presenters' dedication to sharing their research, education, extension and environmental efforts. The theme for the 2020 Bays and Bayous Symposium is "Sound Science, Sound Policy: A 2020 Vision for the Future." Little did our steering committee know in February -- when the theme was developed -- how relevant it would become for all of us grappling with the world we live in today. Our lives have been disrupted in so many ways we would have been unable to imagine 10 months ago.  When we realized that cancelling the 2020 Bays and Bayous was a real possibility, we reached out to people who had attended past Bays and Bayous and asked them what they suggested we do. The responses ranged from cancelling this year's symposium to postponing until 2021. After much deliberation, the steering committee made the decision to stop planning an in-person meeting in Biloxi and move forward with a virtual event.  While we are losing the in-person networking that occurs during a "normal" Bays and Bayous, we do see some benefits to going virtual. This year, you will enjoy some of the best developed presentations ever submitted. With the help of our sponsors, we were able to make the event free. And, of course, we will not be facing the COVID-19 risks of a large gathering (which is illegal in many places right now). All things considered, we believe the 2020 Bays and Bayous probably is as good of a technical session that we have ever organized. Not only do we have more than 165 online presentations, there are four live panels with 18 speakers. And we have planned two pretty cool live social hours.  A lot of planning goes into hosting a Bays and Bayous Symposium. Based on history, we typically have a good idea of what needs to happen and when. But, planning this year was quite a bit different in that everyone involved had to adjust and learn how to do things in a new way. That included learning about the virtual platform we are using, learning how to do narrated presentations, and figuring out how attendees would be able to interact with speakers during the online event. In short, there has been a lot of learning going on over the last several months. We hope the end result is justified. There are so many people to thank for getting us to today. I'll start with the speakers who made a commitment to prepare their presentations with narration for the virtual world. I know this was not easy, but I also learned speakers spent a lot of time making sure their presentation was "just right." I also thank our sponsors who provided enough funding to allow us to provide free registration as virtual venues come with costs, too. Bays and Bayous always has a strong technical program. This year is no exception. I thank Dr. Dan Petrolia with Mississippi State University and Dr. Zach Darnell with the University of Southern Mississippi, who led the development of the technical program. I also thank all of the abstract reviewers. Our virtual conference platform is called Dryfta. They were extremely helpful in providing technical support every time we asked, and we asked often.  I would also like to sincerely thank the steering committee members who made a commitment to the success of Bays and Bayous. The committee had a Zoom, Google Meet or conference call every other week from January through November. This event would not have been possible without their deep engagement in ensuring this year's event is equal to previous ones. Members of the steering committee include  Jim Franks, Chair of Awards Committee, The University of Southern Mississippi Ryan Bradley, Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United Melissa Schneider, Chair of Marketing Committee, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium (MASGC) Steve Sempier, MASGC Tara Skelton, MASGC Roberta Swann, Mobile Bay National Estuary Program (MBNEP) Tom Herder, MBNEPBethany Hudson, MBNEP Devaney Cheramie, Chair of Finance Committee, MASGC Marian Hanisko, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Julien Lartigue, NOAA Science Program Steve Ashby, Northern Gulf Institute Tina Miller-Way, Dauphin Island Sea Lab and MASGC Laura Bowie, Gulf of Mexico Alliance Bill Walton, Auburn University and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab Eric Sparks, Mississippi State University (MSU) and MASGC Amy Newbold, Environmental Protection Agency Gulf of Mexico Program Dan Petrolia, Co-Chair of Program Committee, MSU Zach Darnell, Co-Chair of Program Committee, USM Kirsten Larsen, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information I'd like to thank Jim Franks, who chairs the student awards, and his team of judges. I also thank the Dauphin Island Sea Lab Foundation for sponsoring the Mike deGruy Student Presentation Awards.  Everyone with Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant was involved in planning for Bays and Bayous. I call out Melissa Schneider, Tara Skelton, Devaney Cheramie, and Steve Sempier who have spent many hours behind the scenes working on Bays and Bayous. Melissa provided regular updates as planning evolved and answered many questions from people who are presenting and attending. We all hope you enjoy this online event.

The Alabama and Mississippi Coast has experienced - and is experiencing - a variety of disasters and disruptions from major hurricanes (Zeta, Sally, Katrina 15 years ago, Ivan 16 years ago), the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster (10 years ago), multiple freshwater inflow events, harmful algae blooms, a recession and the ongoing COVID-19 health pandemic. However, our coastal communities have been resilient to the wide array of stressors that have impacted our coast. During this panel you will hear a variety of perspectives from coastal leaders and scientists regarding how science informs policy to prepare for and recover from disasters and disruptions. (Images: Satellite image of Hurricane Sally making landfall; Observed water levels during Hurricane Zeta)

The Gulf Coast has experienced - and is experiencing - a variety of disasters and disruptions from the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster (this year being the 10th anniversary), major hurricanes, freshwater inflow events, such as the opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway and the ongoing COVID-19 health pandemic. For some of these disasters and disruptions, we have a better understanding of human and ecological recovery, with restoration efforts underway or planned to advance recovery. For others, our knowledge of the impacts and the recovery process is more limited. Topics in this track may include new research, perspectives and/or updates on human and ecological impacts, restoration, extension and education and outreach-related discoveries related to these and other major disruptions and disasters affecting the Gulf Coast.

Development, resource extraction, climate change and other anthropogenic stressors on coastal ecosystems are issues of management concern. Scientists and stakeholders are attempting to understand such impacts and find integrative coastal management strategies. The seascape changes that may occur to coastal habitats because of these stressors can be dire. For example, changes in the hydrogeomorphology of a landscape combined impacts of subsidence, sea level rise and alterations in freshwater flow may have negative impacts on coastal habitats. They may also have cascading impacts on the many species residing in these habitats. The focus of this track is to present research, policy and educational opportunities and tools that have been used to improve our understanding of habitat vulnerability. This track is intended to provide a venue for scientists and managers to share their insights about habitat protection, conservation and restoration in light of the inevitable changes to our coasts. 

Although subject to long-term fluctuations and episodic anthropogenic impacts, the northern Gulf of Mexico continues to support a diversity of productive fisheries and sustain flora and fauna that are of interest to conservationists. This track will focus on the applied ecology of living resources in the Gulf of Mexico. A major challenge of working toward sustainability in this region is to balance the interests of stakeholders while continuing to develop data, models and management policies that result in long-term benefits. Potential presentation topics include research that addresses management questions necessary for sustainability of the Gulf of Mexico ranging from single species to entire ecosystems. Ecological studies help us understand the results of different management decisions and restoration activities, especially as we evaluate the consequences of natural and human-caused changes and changes to management and conservation strategies. Potential presentations for this track will allow the research community, private sector, community action groups, resource managers and NGOs to share knowledge with coastal decision-makers and increase dialogue among these groups.

This track will encompass natural, anthropogenic and social impacts to coastal hazard resilience and how communities adapt to these impacts. It will encourage a broad range of presentations focusing on state and local efforts to minimize environmental impacts while enhancing economic opportunities and improving resilience to both natural and technological hazards. This track will also include education and outreach efforts to raise awareness and understand climate and hazard challenges. Topics may include land policies; innovative floodplain management strategies; sustainable building design techniques and methodologies; community response and adaptation activities related to climate change, sea level rise and inundation events; and cultural and sociological impacts associated with natural and anthropogenic coastal hazards. Submissions discussing resilience-related topics, including engineering, modeling, tools, remote sensing, field-based experiments, social vulnerability indexing, and other topically-relevant behavioral science are also encouraged.

The bays and bayous of the coastal zone are squeezed between the land and sea, which leads to strong connections to both environments. As a result, direct modification to conditions in coastal systems and alterations to adjacent systems (e.g. watersheds, rivers, shelf waters) can affect changes in water quality. This underscores the difficulties associated with maintaining good water quality, as well as managing recreational, commercial and industrial interests that all depend on these water bodies. Increasingly frequent droughts and floods compound this difficulty, resulting in disruptions to normal patterns of freshwater availability. Potential presentations in this track include: how we assess these alterations in quality and quantity, how changes in the types and rates of terrestrial, aquatic and marine processes and activities have affected water quality, how we identify the human health and ecosystem impacts associated with these alterations, how we use this information to improve and better manage this critical resource, how we address water quality and quantity issues in formal and informal education and how we bring about behavior change to protect water quality. 

The Gulf Coast has experienced - and is experiencing - a variety of disasters and disruptions from the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster (this year being the 10th anniversary), major hurricanes, freshwater inflow events, such as the opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway and the ongoing COVID-19 health pandemic. For some of these disasters and disruptions, we have a better understanding of human and ecological recovery, with restoration efforts underway or planned to advance recovery. For others, our knowledge of the impacts and the recovery process is more limited. Topics in this track may include new research, perspectives and/or updates on human and ecological impacts, restoration, extension and education and outreach-related discoveries related to these and other major disruptions and disasters affecting the Gulf Coast.

Development, resource extraction, climate change and other anthropogenic stressors on coastal ecosystems are issues of management concern. Scientists and stakeholders are attempting to understand such impacts and find integrative coastal management strategies. The seascape changes that may occur to coastal habitats because of these stressors can be dire. For example, changes in the hydrogeomorphology of a landscape combined impacts of subsidence, sea level rise and alterations in freshwater flow may have negative impacts on coastal habitats. They may also have cascading impacts on the many species residing in these habitats. The focus of this track is to present research, policy and educational opportunities and tools that have been used to improve our understanding of habitat vulnerability. This track is intended to provide a venue for scientists and managers to share their insights about habitat protection, conservation and restoration in light of the inevitable changes to our coasts.

Although subject to long-term fluctuations and episodic anthropogenic impacts, the northern Gulf of Mexico continues to support a diversity of productive fisheries and sustain flora and fauna that are of interest to conservationists. This track will focus on the applied ecology of living resources in the Gulf of Mexico. A major challenge of working toward sustainability in this region is to balance the interests of stakeholders while continuing to develop data, models and management policies that result in long-term benefits. Potential presentation topics include research that addresses management questions necessary for sustainability of the Gulf of Mexico ranging from single species to entire ecosystems. Ecological studies help us understand the results of different management decisions and restoration activities, especially as we evaluate the consequences of natural and human-caused changes and changes to management and conservation strategies. Potential presentations for this track will allow the research community, private sector, community action groups, resource managers and NGOs to share knowledge with coastal decision-makers and increase dialogue among these groups.

This track will encompass natural, anthropogenic and social impacts to coastal hazard resilience and how communities adapt to these impacts. It will encourage a broad range of presentations focusing on state and local efforts to minimize environmental impacts while enhancing economic opportunities and improving resilience to both natural and technological hazards. This track will also include education and outreach efforts to raise awareness and understand climate and hazard challenges. Topics may include land policies; innovative floodplain management strategies; sustainable building design techniques and methodologies; community response and adaptation activities related to climate change, sea level rise and inundation events; and cultural and sociological impacts associated with natural and anthropogenic coastal hazards. Submissions discussing resilience-related topics, including engineering, modeling, tools, remote sensing, field-based experiments, social vulnerability indexing, and other topically-relevant behavioral science are also encouraged.

The bays and bayous of the coastal zone are squeezed between the land and sea, which leads to strong connections to both environments. As a result, direct modification to conditions in coastal systems and alterations to adjacent systems (e.g. watersheds, rivers, shelf waters) can affect changes in water quality. This underscores the difficulties associated with maintaining good water quality, as well as managing recreational, commercial and industrial interests that all depend on these water bodies. Increasingly frequent droughts and floods compound this difficulty, resulting in disruptions to normal patterns of freshwater availability. Potential presentations in this track include: how we assess these alterations in quality and quantity, how changes in the types and rates of terrestrial, aquatic and marine processes and activities have affected water quality, how we identify the human health and ecosystem impacts associated with these alterations, how we use this information to improve and better manage this critical resource, how we address water quality and quantity issues in formal and informal education and how we bring about behavior change to protect water quality. 

During the social hour we will demonstrate how to pick a crab, shuck oysters, peel shrimp and fillet fish. Bring a beverage and snack with you for this culinary adventure.

The red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) is a popular target of the recreational and commercial fishing industries throughout the Gulf of Mexico. Historical overharvesting resulted in an overfished red snapper population. There is some disagreement among resource managers, fishermen and environmental groups surrounding the 2014 and earlier stock assessments for red snapper. Much of the disagreement centers on the accuracy of estimating the red snapper population around oil and gas platforms, artificial reefs and other structures considers to be difficult to sample using traditional sampling methods such as trawl surveys. In FY 2016, Congress directed the National Sea Grant College Program to implement a competitive research for red snapper fisheries data collections, surveys and assessments independent of the National Marine Fisheries Service. In the fall of 2017 a research team, made up of 21 scientists from 12 institutions of higher learning, a state agency and a federal agency, was awarded $9.5 million in federal funds for the project; with matching funds from the universities, the project will total $12 million. This panel will include scientists, fishermen and resource managers who will discuss the role of science in informing fisheries managers.

The Gulf Coast has experienced - and is experiencing - a variety of disasters and disruptions from the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster (this year being the 10th anniversary), major hurricanes, freshwater inflow events, such as the opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway and the ongoing COVID-19 health pandemic. For some of these disasters and disruptions, we have a better understanding of human and ecological recovery, with restoration efforts underway or planned to advance recovery. For others, our knowledge of the impacts and the recovery process is more limited. Topics in this track may include new research, perspectives and/or updates on human and ecological impacts, restoration, extension and education and outreach-related discoveries related to these and other major disruptions and disasters affecting the Gulf Coast.

Although subject to long-term fluctuations and episodic anthropogenic impacts, the northern Gulf of Mexico continues to support a diversity of productive fisheries and sustain flora and fauna that are of interest to conservationists. This track will focus on the applied ecology of living resources in the Gulf of Mexico. A major challenge of working toward sustainability in this region is to balance the interests of stakeholders while continuing to develop data, models and management policies that result in long-term benefits. Potential presentation topics include research that addresses management questions necessary for sustainability of the Gulf of Mexico ranging from single species to entire ecosystems. Ecological studies help us understand the results of different management decisions and restoration activities, especially as we evaluate the consequences of natural and human-caused changes and changes to management and conservation strategies. Potential presentations for this track will allow the research community, private sector, community action groups, resource managers and NGOs to share knowledge with coastal decision-makers and increase dialogue among these groups.

Development, resource extraction, climate change and other anthropogenic stressors on coastal ecosystems are issues of management concern. Scientists and stakeholders are attempting to understand such impacts and find integrative coastal management strategies. The seascape changes that may occur to coastal habitats because of these stressors can be dire. For example, changes in the hydrogeomorphology of a landscape combined impacts of subsidence, sea level rise and alterations in freshwater flow may have negative impacts on coastal habitats. They may also have cascading impacts on the many species residing in these habitats. The focus of this track is to present research, policy and educational opportunities and tools that have been used to improve our understanding of habitat vulnerability. This track is intended to provide a venue for scientists and managers to share their insights about habitat protection, conservation and restoration in light of the inevitable changes to our coasts. 

This track will encompass natural, anthropogenic and social impacts to coastal hazard resilience and how communities adapt to these impacts. It will encourage a broad range of presentations focusing on state and local efforts to minimize environmental impacts while enhancing economic opportunities and improving resilience to both natural and technological hazards. This track will also include education and outreach efforts to raise awareness and understand climate and hazard challenges. Topics may include land policies; innovative floodplain management strategies; sustainable building design techniques and methodologies; community response and adaptation activities related to climate change, sea level rise and inundation events; and cultural and sociological impacts associated with natural and anthropogenic coastal hazards. Submissions discussing resilience-related topics, including engineering, modeling, tools, remote sensing, field-based experiments, social vulnerability indexing, and other topically-relevant behavioral science are also encouraged.

The bays and bayous of the coastal zone are squeezed between the land and sea, which leads to strong connections to both environments. As a result, direct modification to conditions in coastal systems and alterations to adjacent systems (e.g. watersheds, rivers, shelf waters) can affect changes in water quality. This underscores the difficulties associated with maintaining good water quality, as well as managing recreational, commercial and industrial interests that all depend on these water bodies. Increasingly frequent droughts and floods compound this difficulty, resulting in disruptions to normal patterns of freshwater availability. Potential presentations in this track include: how we assess these alterations in quality and quantity, how changes in the types and rates of terrestrial, aquatic and marine processes and activities have affected water quality, how we identify the human health and ecosystem impacts associated with these alterations, how we use this information to improve and better manage this critical resource, how we address water quality and quantity issues in formal and informal education and how we bring about behavior change to protect water quality. 

Development, resource extraction, climate change and other anthropogenic stressors on coastal ecosystems are issues of management concern. Scientists and stakeholders are attempting to understand such impacts and find integrative coastal management strategies. The seascape changes that may occur to coastal habitats because of these stressors can be dire. For example, changes in the hydrogeomorphology of a landscape combined impacts of subsidence, sea level rise and alterations in freshwater flow may have negative impacts on coastal habitats. They may also have cascading impacts on the many species residing in these habitats. The focus of this track is to present research, policy and educational opportunities and tools that have been used to improve our understanding of habitat vulnerability. This track is intended to provide a venue for scientists and managers to share their insights about habitat protection, conservation and restoration in light of the inevitable changes to our coasts.

This track will encompass natural, anthropogenic and social impacts to coastal hazard resilience and how communities adapt to these impacts. It will encourage a broad range of presentations focusing on state and local efforts to minimize environmental impacts while enhancing economic opportunities and improving resilience to both natural and technological hazards. This track will also include education and outreach efforts to raise awareness and understand climate and hazard challenges. Topics may include land policies; innovative floodplain management strategies; sustainable building design techniques and methodologies; community response and adaptation activities related to climate change, sea level rise and inundation events; and cultural and sociological impacts associated with natural and anthropogenic coastal hazards. Submissions discussing resilience-related topics, including engineering, modeling, tools, remote sensing, field-based experiments, social vulnerability indexing, and other topically-relevant behavioral science are also encouraged.

The bays and bayous of the coastal zone are squeezed between the land and sea, which leads to strong connections to both environments. As a result, direct modification to conditions in coastal systems and alterations to adjacent systems (e.g. watersheds, rivers, shelf waters) can affect changes in water quality. This underscores the difficulties associated with maintaining good water quality, as well as managing recreational, commercial and industrial interests that all depend on these water bodies. Increasingly frequent droughts and floods compound this difficulty, resulting in disruptions to normal patterns of freshwater availability. Potential presentations in this track include: how we assess these alterations in quality and quantity, how changes in the types and rates of terrestrial, aquatic and marine processes and activities have affected water quality, how we identify the human health and ecosystem impacts associated with these alterations, how we use this information to improve and better manage this critical resource, how we address water quality and quantity issues in formal and informal education and how we bring about behavior change to protect water quality. 

The bays and bayous of the coastal zone are squeezed between the land and sea, which leads to strong connections to both environments. As a result, direct modification to conditions in coastal systems and alterations to adjacent systems (e.g. watersheds, rivers, shelf waters) can affect changes in water quality. This underscores the difficulties associated with maintaining good water quality, as well as managing recreational, commercial and industrial interests that all depend on these water bodies. Increasingly frequent droughts and floods compound this difficulty, resulting in disruptions to normal patterns of freshwater availability. Potential presentations in this track include: how we assess these alterations in quality and quantity, how changes in the types and rates of terrestrial, aquatic and marine processes and activities have affected water quality, how we identify the human health and ecosystem impacts associated with these alterations, how we use this information to improve and better manage this critical resource, how we address water quality and quantity issues in formal and informal education and how we bring about behavior change to protect water quality.

In 2012, the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program partnered with State agencies, the cities of Daphne and Spanish Fort, Baldwin County, and other partners and to initiate implementation of the D'Olive Watershed Management Plan (WMP). The first project, installation of a step pool conveyance to restore a deeply incised tributary to Joe's Branch, won a Gulf Guardian Award for Partnerships. With significant funding secured in late 2013 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund, supplemented with further NFWF funding in 2015, the MBNEP and partners sustained a coalition for restoring stormwater degraded streams across the three constituent watersheds, D'Olive Creek, Tiawasee Creek, and Joe's Branch, with the following objectives:Reduce upstream sediment inputs into the Lake Forest Lake/D'Olive Creek/ Tiawasee Creek systems,Reduce sediment loads carried into D'Olive Bay and the Mobile Bay estuary to protect downstream submerged aquatic vegetation fishery nursery areas,Remediate past effects of sediment loading, including the restoration of Lake Forest Lake, andMitigate future impacts of development in the Watershed, where feasible.Panelists will discuss the value of:Coalition building across geopolitical boundaries in sustaining a multi-year restoration effort, which evolved over timeLeveraging capacities to across coalition members to work with private property owners and provide project management for a city with limited capacity,Partners in leveraging resources to achieve de-listing of impaired stream segments,Changing regulations as a catalyst for restoration and environmental management, andLandscape-scale restoration and the importance of a plan.This WMP-driven restoration program resulted in the restoration of 11,833 linear feet of degraded streams, enhancement of 92 acres of floodplain and wetlands, annual load reductions of 5,272 tons of sediment delivered downstream, and the April 2020 de-listing of Joe's Branch from the State's 303(d) list of impaired waters.In 2012, the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program partnered with State agencies, the cities of Daphne and Spanish Fort, Baldwin County, and other partners and to initiate implementation of the D'Olive Watershed Management Plan (WMP). The first project, installation of a step pool conveyance to restore a deeply incised tributary to Joe's Branch, won a Gulf Guardian Award for Partnerships. With significant funding secured in late 2013 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund, supplemented with further NFWF funding in 2015, the MBNEP and partners sustained a coalition for restoring stormwater degraded streams across the three constituent watersheds, D'Olive Creek, Tiawasee Creek, and Joe's Branch, with the following objectives:Reduce upstream sediment inputs into the Lake Forest Lake/D'Olive Creek/ Tiawasee Creek systems,Reduce sediment loads carried into D'Olive Bay and the Mobile Bay estuary to protect downstream submerged aquatic vegetation fishery nursery areas,Remediate past effects of sediment loading, including the restoration of Lake Forest Lake, andMitigate future impacts of development in the Watershed, where feasible.Panelists will discuss the value of:Coalition building across geopolitical boundaries in sustaining a multi-year restoration effort, which evolved over timeLeveraging capacities to across coalition members to work with private property owners and provide project management for a city with limited capacity,Partners in leveraging resources to achieve de-listing of impaired stream segments,Changing regulations as a catalyst for restoration and environmental management, andLandscape-scale restoration and the importance of a plan.This WMP-driven restoration program resulted in the restoration of 11,833 linear feet of degraded streams, enhancement of 92 acres of floodplain and wetlands, annual load reductions of 5,272 tons of sediment delivered downstream, and the April 2020 de-listing of Joe's Branch from the State's 303(d) list of impaired waters.

Although subject to long-term fluctuations and episodic anthropogenic impacts, the northern Gulf of Mexico continues to support a diversity of productive fisheries and sustain flora and fauna that are of interest to conservationists. This track will focus on the applied ecology of living resources in the Gulf of Mexico. A major challenge of working toward sustainability in this region is to balance the interests of stakeholders while continuing to develop data, models and management policies that result in long-term benefits. Potential presentation topics include research that addresses management questions necessary for sustainability of the Gulf of Mexico ranging from single species to entire ecosystems. Ecological studies help us understand the results of different management decisions and restoration activities, especially as we evaluate the consequences of natural and human-caused changes and changes to management and conservation strategies. Potential presentations for this track will allow the research community, private sector, community action groups, resource managers and NGOs to share knowledge with coastal decision-makers and increase dialogue among these groups.

Development, resource extraction, climate change and other anthropogenic stressors on coastal ecosystems are issues of management concern. Scientists and stakeholders are attempting to understand such impacts and find integrative coastal management strategies. The seascape changes that may occur to coastal habitats because of these stressors can be dire. For example, changes in the hydrogeomorphology of a landscape combined impacts of subsidence, sea level rise and alterations in freshwater flow may have negative impacts on coastal habitats. They may also have cascading impacts on the many species residing in these habitats. The focus of this track is to present research, policy and educational opportunities and tools that have been used to improve our understanding of habitat vulnerability. This track is intended to provide a venue for scientists and managers to share their insights about habitat protection, conservation and restoration in light of the inevitable changes to our coasts. 

This track will encompass natural, anthropogenic and social impacts to coastal hazard resilience and how communities adapt to these impacts. It will encourage a broad range of presentations focusing on state and local efforts to minimize environmental impacts while enhancing economic opportunities and improving resilience to both natural and technological hazards. This track will also include education and outreach efforts to raise awareness and understand climate and hazard challenges. Topics may include land policies; innovative floodplain management strategies; sustainable building design techniques and methodologies; community response and adaptation activities related to climate change, sea level rise and inundation events; and cultural and sociological impacts associated with natural and anthropogenic coastal hazards. Submissions discussing resilience-related topics, including engineering, modeling, tools, remote sensing, field-based experiments, social vulnerability indexing, and other topically-relevant behavioral science are also encouraged.

The bays and bayous of the coastal zone are squeezed between the land and sea, which leads to strong connections to both environments. As a result, direct modification to conditions in coastal systems and alterations to adjacent systems (e.g. watersheds, rivers, shelf waters) can affect changes in water quality. This underscores the difficulties associated with maintaining good water quality, as well as managing recreational, commercial and industrial interests that all depend on these water bodies. Increasingly frequent droughts and floods compound this difficulty, resulting in disruptions to normal patterns of freshwater availability. Potential presentations in this track include: how we assess these alterations in quality and quantity, how changes in the types and rates of terrestrial, aquatic and marine processes and activities have affected water quality, how we identify the human health and ecosystem impacts associated with these alterations, how we use this information to improve and better manage this critical resource, how we address water quality and quantity issues in formal and informal education and how we bring about behavior change to protect water quality.

The bays and bayous of the coastal zone are squeezed between the land and sea, which leads to strong connections to both environments. As a result, direct modification to conditions in coastal systems and alterations to adjacent systems (e.g. watersheds, rivers, shelf waters) can affect changes in water quality. This underscores the difficulties associated with maintaining good water quality, as well as managing recreational, commercial and industrial interests that all depend on these water bodies. Increasingly frequent droughts and floods compound this difficulty, resulting in disruptions to normal patterns of freshwater availability. Potential presentations in this track include: how we assess these alterations in quality and quantity, how changes in the types and rates of terrestrial, aquatic and marine processes and activities have affected water quality, how we identify the human health and ecosystem impacts associated with these alterations, how we use this information to improve and better manage this critical resource, how we address water quality and quantity issues in formal and informal education and how we bring about behavior change to protect water quality. 

Development, resource extraction, climate change and other anthropogenic stressors on coastal ecosystems are issues of management concern. Scientists and stakeholders are attempting to understand such impacts and find integrative coastal management strategies. The seascape changes that may occur to coastal habitats because of these stressors can be dire. For example, changes in the hydrogeomorphology of a landscape combined impacts of subsidence, sea level rise and alterations in freshwater flow may have negative impacts on coastal habitats. They may also have cascading impacts on the many species residing in these habitats. The focus of this track is to present research, policy and educational opportunities and tools that have been used to improve our understanding of habitat vulnerability. This track is intended to provide a venue for scientists and managers to share their insights about habitat protection, conservation and restoration in light of the inevitable changes to our coasts.

Although subject to long-term fluctuations and episodic anthropogenic impacts, the northern Gulf of Mexico continues to support a diversity of productive fisheries and sustain flora and fauna that are of interest to conservationists. This track will focus on the applied ecology of living resources in the Gulf of Mexico. A major challenge of working toward sustainability in this region is to balance the interests of stakeholders while continuing to develop data, models and management policies that result in long-term benefits. Potential presentation topics include research that addresses management questions necessary for sustainability of the Gulf of Mexico ranging from single species to entire ecosystems. Ecological studies help us understand the results of different management decisions and restoration activities, especially as we evaluate the consequences of natural and human-caused changes and changes to management and conservation strategies. Potential presentations for this track will allow the research community, private sector, community action groups, resource managers and NGOs to share knowledge with coastal decision-makers and increase dialogue among these groups.

This track will encompass natural, anthropogenic and social impacts to coastal hazard resilience and how communities adapt to these impacts. It will encourage a broad range of presentations focusing on state and local efforts to minimize environmental impacts while enhancing economic opportunities and improving resilience to both natural and technological hazards. This track will also include education and outreach efforts to raise awareness and understand climate and hazard challenges. Topics may include land policies; innovative floodplain management strategies; sustainable building design techniques and methodologies; community response and adaptation activities related to climate change, sea level rise and inundation events; and cultural and sociological impacts associated with natural and anthropogenic coastal hazards. Submissions discussing resilience-related topics, including engineering, modeling, tools, remote sensing, field-based experiments, social vulnerability indexing, and other topically-relevant behavioral science are also encouraged.

This event provided an opportunity for attendees to speak face-to-face for the hour. Because of the nature of the event, we did not record it.

With the growth of the oyster aquaculture industry in the region, government agencies are charged with regulating this new industry in a way ensures that consumers and the environment are protected while allowing the industry to thrive. In Alabama, specifically, with concerns that routine desiccation might pose a public health risk, public health officials initially imposed a 30-day required resubmersion period prior to harvest. This created challenges for the industry and farmers requested applied research to provide better data to regulators. This research, conducted collaboratively by academia and federal agencies, allowed a reduction in the required resubmersion period to two weeks and one week for certain types of culture methods. Panelists will discuss what worked well in this process and what could work better, as well as challenges.

Development, resource extraction, climate change and other anthropogenic stressors on coastal ecosystems are issues of management concern. Scientists and stakeholders are attempting to understand such impacts and find integrative coastal management strategies. The seascape changes that may occur to coastal habitats because of these stressors can be dire. For example, changes in the hydrogeomorphology of a landscape combined impacts of subsidence, sea level rise and alterations in freshwater flow may have negative impacts on coastal habitats. They may also have cascading impacts on the many species residing in these habitats. The focus of this track is to present research, policy and educational opportunities and tools that have been used to improve our understanding of habitat vulnerability. This track is intended to provide a venue for scientists and managers to share their insights about habitat protection, conservation and restoration in light of the inevitable changes to our coasts. 

Development, resource extraction, climate change and other anthropogenic stressors on coastal ecosystems are issues of management concern. Scientists and stakeholders are attempting to understand such impacts and find integrative coastal management strategies. The seascape changes that may occur to coastal habitats because of these stressors can be dire. For example, changes in the hydrogeomorphology of a landscape combined impacts of subsidence, sea level rise and alterations in freshwater flow may have negative impacts on coastal habitats. They may also have cascading impacts on the many species residing in these habitats. The focus of this track is to present research, policy and educational opportunities and tools that have been used to improve our understanding of habitat vulnerability. This track is intended to provide a venue for scientists and managers to share their insights about habitat protection, conservation and restoration in light of the inevitable changes to our coasts. 

Although subject to long-term fluctuations and episodic anthropogenic impacts, the northern Gulf of Mexico continues to support a diversity of productive fisheries and sustain flora and fauna that are of interest to conservationists. This track will focus on the applied ecology of living resources in the Gulf of Mexico. A major challenge of working toward sustainability in this region is to balance the interests of stakeholders while continuing to develop data, models and management policies that result in long-term benefits. Potential presentation topics include research that addresses management questions necessary for sustainability of the Gulf of Mexico ranging from single species to entire ecosystems. Ecological studies help us understand the results of different management decisions and restoration activities, especially as we evaluate the consequences of natural and human-caused changes and changes to management and conservation strategies. Potential presentations for this track will allow the research community, private sector, community action groups, resource managers and NGOs to share knowledge with coastal decision-makers and increase dialogue among these groups.

This track will encompass natural, anthropogenic and social impacts to coastal hazard resilience and how communities adapt to these impacts. It will encourage a broad range of presentations focusing on state and local efforts to minimize environmental impacts while enhancing economic opportunities and improving resilience to both natural and technological hazards. This track will also include education and outreach efforts to raise awareness and understand climate and hazard challenges. Topics may include land policies; innovative floodplain management strategies; sustainable building design techniques and methodologies; community response and adaptation activities related to climate change, sea level rise and inundation events; and cultural and sociological impacts associated with natural and anthropogenic coastal hazards. Submissions discussing resilience-related topics, including engineering, modeling, tools, remote sensing, field-based experiments, social vulnerability indexing, and other topically-relevant behavioral science are also encouraged.