In 2021, the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Legal Program received funding from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to conduct a survey to gain an understanding of the perceptions and knowledge of waterway users of Mississippi regarding how Aquatic Invasive Species impacts natural resources and recreational use of those waterways.
The Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium issued a grant to University of Mississippi researchers to analyze technical, financial, and legal barriers to implementing green stormwater infrastructure (GSI). The research is being conducted by two engineers and a lawyer at UM in partnership with two coastal municipalities, Biloxi, MS and Orange Beach, AL.
A team from the University of Southern Mississippi, the University of New Hampshire, and the University of Mississippi worked with a New York company and necessary federal partners to perform the research needed to seek permits for a finfish mariculture operation in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Legal Program researched the state laws and examined the practical barriers in removing abandoned vessels left on private property following storms in Alabama and Mississippi.
Learn More about Mississippi Laws
The Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Legal Program (MASGLP) received funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission to develop model regulatory language for use by Gulf and South Atlantic states to limit the spread of invasive species through the live bait pathway. Additionally, MASGLP created a database of aquatic invasive species statutes and regulations for Gulf and Southeastern states.
In 2017, a team of student and faculty researchers at the University of Mississippi received funding from the Mississippi Based RESTORE Act Center of Excellence (MBRACE) to examine differences in environmental and biological stressors at current and historic oyster reef sites in order to better understand oyster reef health and inform management regarding the best places and practices to improve oyster reef restoration strategies.
In 2014, the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Legal Program and partners received funding from the EPA Gulf of Mexico Program to provide technical assistance to Mississippi and Louisiana coastal communities participating in the CRS. Through the project entitled Saving Money and Enhancing Resilience: Assisting Communities through the 2013 Community Rating System, project team members assisted local governments in creating a PPI committee and crafting a comprehensive document detailing the range of flood outreach activities applicable to each PPI group.
In 2012, the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Legal Program partnered with the Town of Dauphin Island and the Dauphin Island Park and Beach Board to undertake a multi-year climate resilience study for Dauphin Island, AL. The project aimed to improve the capacity of Dauphin Island to adapt to changes in climate.
At the request of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Legal Program and the National Sea Grant Law Center compiled a research report on the regulatory framework governing shellfish restoration projects in 21 coastal states. The 21 coastal states of interest as identified by TNC were: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. For each state, the legal team identified the responsible agencies, the application process, and the general regulatory framework. In addition, the team summarized oyster harvesting requirements, tools for protecting shellfish reefs and restoration projects, and state mitigation policies that incorporate shellfish. Download the report, entitled "Inventory of Shellfish Restoration Permitting & Programs in the Coastal States."
In 2012, the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Legal Program and Louisiana Sea Grant Law and Policy Program received funding to evaluate the feasibility of using the value of ecosystem services provided by oyster farming to offset regulatory fees. This work is part of the broader effort of the research team, which includes individuals from Auburn University, Louisiana State University, Shellfish Environmental Services, and Northern Economics Inc., to quantify the economic value of off-bottom oyster aquaculture and its ecosystem services in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
Recent changes to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) resulting from the Biggert-Waters Act of 2012, the Homeowners Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014, and the updated 2013 Community Rating System (CRS) Manual have had significant impacts on coastal communities across the Gulf of Mexico. These new developments present challenges and opportunities for coastal communities along the Gulf coast.
Living shorelines use materials, such as living plant material, oyster shells or offshore breakwaters, to protect against erosion. These structures often require placement of materials on submerged lands, raising regulatory challenges not faced by traditional bulkhead installations.
In February 2010, the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Legal Program and project partners Florida Sea Grant, Louisiana Sea Grant Law and Policy Program, Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, and Texas Wesleyan School of Law launched a new legal research and outreach program on the impact of the “regulatory takings” doctrine on the ability of local governments to implement sea level rise adaptation policies. This work is funded by Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant Programs, the EPA Gulf of Mexico Office, the Northern Gulf Institute, and the U.S. Geological Survey.
Aquatic Invasive Species in Mississippi
Model Bait Regulation for Limiting Invasive Species
Researching the Health of Oyster Reefs in Mississippi
CRS and the Program for Public Information
Dauphin Island Climate Resilience Study
Oyster Aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico
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Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Legal Program
256 Kinard Hall, Wing E
P.O. Box 1848, University, MS 38677
Phone (662) 915-7775 • Fax (662) 915-5267