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"Science Serving America's Coast" |
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Long-term economic development, environmental stewardship, and responsible use of America's coastal and ocean resources is at the heart of Sea Grant's mission. Sea Grant's challenge is to guarantee optimal use of these resources, while ensuring that they provide sustainable, long-term benefits. With faculty from over 200 colleges and universities in 29 states and territories participating in the program, it is difficult to find an issue that Sea Grant cannot address. Each state involved in the National Sea Grant Program is justifiably proud of the features which make it unique. The states vary in size, developmental intensity, industrial development, climate, and dozens of other characteristics, each of which might be quantified to define that state's uniqueness. The Mississippi Sea Grant Extension Program (MSGEP), has, for many years, provided information and leadership on the wise and non-destructive exploitation of our valuable renewable resources. Education of user groups is essential to ensure that exploitation of the state's marine resources does not bring about destruction of these resources. Constant monitoring, management, and replenishment are required if we are to maintain healthy environmental levels, and assure that these resources remain healthy and available to marine interests. Mississippi's marine extension program, officially known as the Mississippi Sea Grant Extnesion Program, was initiated in 1970 to provide an extension arm for the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium's parent organization, the Universities Marine Center. The logical affiliation of this extension program with the Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service was recognized early in the Mississippi Sea Grant Program's life. This early tie of the MSGEP with the Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service has obviously resulted in the tailoring of the MSGEP that it is compatible with both the Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service's administrative structure and the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Program's information delivery needs. MSGEP serves as a department within the Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service. Sea Grant specialists have a responsibility to serve the entire state in specific program areas and also serve as agents, in that they are primarily responsible for initiating and maintaining individual contacts within their discipline areas. Individual staff members are accountable to the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium and the Mississippi State University Extension Service through the program leader of the Sea Grant Advisory Service Program and the head of Mississippi State University's Coastal Research and Extension Center. The Advisory Service Program in Mississippi also works closely with Alabama Sea Grant Extension Service and Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Legal Program. The affiliation of part of the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium's extension arm with the Extension Service has allowed the Consortium to take advantage of a wealth of talent and expertise available through the state-wide Extension Service network. MSGEP staff are considered state specialists for the Mississippi State University Extension Service and participate fully in all activities of the Extension Service, including program planning, program development, staff evaluation, training, and other related activities. As do all specialists within the Extension Service, MSGEP specialists carry out program activities with the assistance and coordination of both county and other state extension personnel. |
Extension Professor of Marine Resources |
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Assistant Extension Professor |
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