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| Once
the flagship of the U.S. and Mexico fisheries, recently the Gulf of
Mexico shrimp industry has been relegated to reactionary responses
in a global market with increasing domestic pressures. Issues related
to the industry that once were beyond the scope of interest groups
are now taking center stage in both statutory and regulatory venues.
Conflict, confrontation and chaos have resulted from attempts to block
change or discount the realities of the current global environment.
Individuals, communities and national interest are being impacted
by the current tensions, uncertainties and "survival mode" vision.
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| From
its inception in the decade of the 1960s, the Sea Grant College Program
has had a mission to promote the wise use and conservation of coastal and
marine resources. A broaden focus of issues and multitalented personnel
have expanded the original fishery extension focus of Sea Grant's activities
to such areas as coastal community development, invasive aquatic species,
aquaculture and essential fish habitat. |
| In
recent years the activities surrounding fisheries management have
led to heightened conflict among managers, industry and interest groups.
Congress recognized this growing conflict between the managers and
the managed with a directive in the fiscal year 2002 budget that required
Sea Grant to enhance its fisheries extension programs. Sea Grant accepted
this unfunded mandate with the "Fisheries Extension Enhancement
Initiative." Within this program were state, regional and national
fisheries extension enhancement projects. |
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| The Texas
Sea Grant College Extension Program, with support from the other Gulf
of Mexico and Caribbean regional extension programs, successfully competed
at the national level to organize and conduct the "Summit for the Sustainability
of the Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Industry." As a result, financial support
for the first summit was provided by the National Sea Grant Office.
Based on the experience of the key
organizers, it was determined that the government and industry from that
portion of the Gulf of Mexico within the jurisdiction of the Republic
of Mexico should be engaged in the summit along with counterparts and
interest groups from the United States. |
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Beyond
the geographic scope of the summit, it was considered necessary that
delegates representing the diversity of groups influencing the management
of the shrimp industry should also be engaged in this process. Following
that vision, leaders from groups representing government, industry,
recreational fishing and the environmental/ conservation community
were selected as delegates. Selection was accomplished against a set
of criteria to ensure geographic and interest diversity as well as
a substantial commitment to establishing a strategic plan for the
shrimp industry's sustainability. |
To
extend the capability of the regional Sea Grant Programs, the Institute
for Science, Technology and Public Policy within the George Bush
School of Government and Public Service was commissioned to assist
in the planning, surveying and facilitating functions of the
summit. Additional support was provided by the Marine Policy Program
of Texas A&M University-Galveston.
The goals of this continuing
project are to identify critical elements to the sustainability
of the Gulf of Mexico shrimp industry, reinvigorate the synergy
between the U.S. and Mexico shrimp industry of the Gulf of Mexico
and bring together, in a non-regulatory venue, those groups with
a stake or interest in achieving an economically, biologically and
politically sustainable Gulf of Mexico shrimp industry.
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