Lagniappe (a little something extra)

Around the Gulf . . .
In September, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission banned operators of shark diving excursions from using bloody bait to attract sharks. The commissioners noted that, in light of this summer’s regular reminders of the potential tragedy when sharks and swimmers collide, to allow “shark baiting” is simply inviting danger.

The Minerals Management Service and Texas A& M University have entered into a cooperative agreement to conduct an archaeological investigation of a 200-year-old shipwreck in the Gulf of Mexico. First discovered last February, the wreck is nearly one half mile beneath the surface of the water, 30 miles off the mouth of the Mississippi River. This will be the first time that a wreck this deep has ever been scientifically excavated in the Gulf of Mexico.
Seven universities, including the University of Florida and Rice University in Texas, will share more than $3.5 million in research grants awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to study invasive species. The EPA research grants will help to minimize environmental and economic losses associated with invasive species.

Around the Nation . . .
EPA Administrator Christie Whitman announced the establishment of a task force in charge of helping agencies protect drinking water supplies from terrorist attacks. Among the tools used to help agencies is a notification system, which alerts authorities of possible contamination of drinking water sources.
In August, the Bush Administration promised quick action to protect 29 vanishing plant and animal species by listing them as endangered species. In exchange a coalition of environmental groups agreed not to continue lawsuits involving a few other species. This agreement allows the Fish and Wildlife Service to focus attention and resources back on many plants and animals that are on the verge of extinction.

The Marine Conservation Biology Institute announced the winners of the Mia J. Tegner Memorial Research Grants in Marine Environmental History. The grants are among the first ever awarded to help document the composition and abundance of ocean life before humans altered the marine environment. The results of the studies are crucial to help lawmakers, regulators and managers establish efficient conservation efforts.

The government of the Cook Islands, in the South Pacific, announced that it has established a whale sanctuary throughout its Exclusive Economic Zone. Covering two million kilometers, the sanctuary is believed to be the largest whale sanctuary declared by an individual government.