4 °C - the National Sea Grant Library

12/18/92
such as diversion. The latter issue is important because many marine organisms
depend on specific salinity ranges for reproduction or survival.
Interagencv Cooperation
In addition to my position as FDA liaison, there are currently liasons for
NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the
Soil Conservation Service (SCS). The Corps of Engineers has a representative
dedicated to Program activities who spends some time in the Program Office. These
representatives provide guidance and support from their agencies on the ten issue
areas (mentioned under Action Agendas), and their assistance has been invaluable in
the success of this Program. SCS has had particularly strong involvement and
provided a great deal of support to the Nutrient Enrichment committee; NOAA has
similarly assisted with the Living Aquatic Resources committee, and the Corps has
taken the lead with the Coastal and Shoreline Erosion committee. I have provided
similar support as the federal co-chair of the Public Health committee.
Two state representatives are located within the office, one from the Mississippi
Cooperative extension Service and the other, who represents all Gulf States Soil and
Water Conservation agencies, comes from the Mississippi Soil and Water
Conservation Commission.
Seafood and Public Health
Of the nine short term environmental challenges, six deal predominantly with sealife
or ‘the water itself and three deal with seafood and public health. Although all directly
or indirectly effect seafood quantity or quality, these three interrelate:
PROTECT THE HUMAN HEALTH AND FOOD SUPPLY BY
REDUCING INPUT OF NUTRIENTS, TOXIC SUBSTANCES, AND
PATHOGENS TO THE GULF
INCREASE GULF SHELLFISH BEDS AVAILABLE FOR SAFE
HARVESTING BY 10 PERCENT
EXPAND PUBLIC EDUCATION/OUTREACH TAILORED FOR EACH
GULF COAST COUNTY OR PARISH
The four goals of the public health subcommittee are
1. PREVENT ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS RESULTING FROM
CONSUMPTION OF RAW SHELLFISH HARVESTED FROM
THE GULF OF MEXICO.