Sharing our Gulf: a challenge for us all: conference proceedings, June 10-12, 1998

This conference is really about "how to solve marine problems." Even though I personally am very interested in endangered species, such as sea turtles, in this conference, we have stepped back from specific situations to try to evaluate the larger concerns of our marine environments.... The Sharing Our Gulf conference was an opportunity to come together and take stock of the marine environment in the Gulf of Mexico. The conference planners and I assembled a group of marine experts and resource users to give their interpretations of some of the most pressing issues facing the Gulf of Mexico; however, the audience participation and input were vital to the success of the conference.... The Sharing Our Gulf Challenge Goals 1. Look at Gulf of Mexico concerns from all viewpoints. 2. Provide a place in which people who really care can listen to each other. 3. Find common ground (ocean?) and shared interests. 4. Recognize our success stories and successful strategies and build on them. The conference proceedings in this publication covered topics such as: Status Reports - How We Use the Gulf; TEDs, BRDs, and the Fisheries; Mexico's Ban on the Turtle Fisheries; Strandings, Trash and Beaches; Pollution and Hypoxia; Fish for Everyone; Marine Education - What Works?; Currents in the Gulf - Change, Challenge, and Choice; Sea Grant Student Award Recipients; Poster Session; Conference Agenda; and "Sharing Our Gulf" Participants.