Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle © USF&WS / Public Domain

Gulf of Mexico

The Gulf of Mexico is among the most biologically rich areas in the world. It is the most economically productive body of water in North America, accounting for approximately 40 percent of the annual commercial fish yield in the United States, and it supports a tourism industry worth more than $20 billion annually. The Nature Conservancy’s Gulf of Mexico initiative will engage partners and resources to implement innovative “on-theground and in-the-water” approaches that sustain global conservation, economic sustainability and community values. A significant part of this work will take place in Mississippi.

Oyster Reef Restoration in Back Bay Biloxi & Bay St. Louis

Oyster reefs, sometimes called “estuarine ecosystem architects” have been largely impacted due to overfishing, habitat destruction and water quality deterioration. Our work includes working with partners and donors in the mapping of oyster reefs and applying technologies to restore oyster reefs.

Coastal Preserve Acquisitions

Mississippi has many coastal marsh and riparian lands in need of protection, particularly in light of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The Conservancy is working with the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office and the Department of Marine Resources to acquire and manage lands in the Coastal Preserve System and other riparian and wetland areas outside of this system.

Seagrass Protection and Restoration

The Conservancy is working to restore and improve the management of seagrass beds by mapping scarred sites, applying technologies to accelerate seagrass restoration, improving channel marking, implementing education and outreach campaigns, and monitoring sites through aerial photography.

For more information on conservation in the Gulf of Mexico, please contact Mike Murphy, Coastal Field Representative.

The Nature Conservancy
South Mississippi Conservation Program
1306-B Bienville Boulevard
Ocean Springs, MS 39564
(228) 872-8452