GoMMAPPS Event at the 2018 GoMOSES Conference

The Gulf of Mexico Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (GoMMAPPS) will host a workshop on February 5th at the 2018 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference (GoMOSES). The GoMMAPPS study is a multi-agency partnership program to improve information on protected species in the Gulf of Mexico and provide a comprehensive assessment of marine mammal, seabird, and sea turtle abundance and spatial distribution in offshore waters. The program is conducting repeat broad-scale surveys over multiple years and seasons using various methods, including aerial surveys, ship-based surveys, and satellite tagging. GoMMAPPS began its 3-year field campaign in April 2017, as guided by a well-considered science framework developed to collect this comprehensive dataset. The workshop will feature talks from GoMMAPPS PIs and from other Gulf funding agencies as we continue to identify synergies across Gulf programming.  Outreach and coordination are important aspects of GoMMAPPS, so the continued conversation with stakeholders and partners during this meeting is a welcome contribution.

The 2018 GoMOSES Conference will revolve around the theme of “Response, Restoration, and Resiliency in the Gulf” by exploring how fundamental science can help restore and maintain Gulf ecosystem integrity, inform response strategies, and strengthen resilience. This year’s program will also emphasize cross-cutting discussions among academics, industry, government agencies, and public interest organizations. The conference will be held from February 5-8, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana.