Summit for the Sustainability of the Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Industry
Funders: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Sea Grant Office
The Gulf of Mexico shrimp fishery has traditionally been the most valuable fishery in the United States and has been a major source of foreign commerce for Mexico. Over the past 25 years, the offshore Gulf of Mexico shrimp fishery and its accompanying industry have experienced considerable changes in the management regime, the market, and the regulatory measures taken in response to concerns for shrimp stocks, endangered species, and fisheries habitat. The shrimp industry of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and Mexico's east coast bordering the Gulf have long been intertwined by commonality of shrimp stocks, markets, research, and regulatory regimes. As interests and issues become more entrenched, it is critical to consider the elements that will ensure sustainability of the Gulf of Mexico shrimp industry along with the communities and social fabric that it supports.
The Summit for the Sustainability of the Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Industry was held March 6-8, 2003, in Houston, Texas. The Institute for Science, Technology and Public Policy provided background research for the Summit through a survey that asked a sample of shrimp industry members their perceptions of key issues they face and potential solutions. ISTPP also conducted a follow-up survey of the Summit.
The Summit provided a venue for industry, regulators, researchers, and conservation interests from both the United States and the Republic of Mexico to come together in a non-regulatory forum to discuss those issues of concern and attempt to provide solutions that would satisfy the needs of the managers, the health of the ecosystem, the economics of the industry, and the well-being of local communities and consumers.
The research team included principal investigator, Ralph Rayburn, associate director, Texas Sea Grant College Program; Dr. Tazim Jamal, assistant professor (recreation, park and tourism); Dr. Letitia T. Alston, ISTPP associate director (sociology); and Dr. Arnold Vedlitz, ISTPP director (political science). Other sponsoring partners included the Sea Grant Programs in Louisiana, Mississippi/Alabama, Florida, and Puerto Rico, and the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico.
