Porfirio Alvarez Torres, PhDChief Technical Advisor

Gulf of Mexico Large Marine Ecosystem

Bangkok, Thailand 24-26, September, 2012

Linking Regional Priorities with Scientific Research in the Gulf of

Mexico LME

Yoskowitz, David. 2011http://www.sgmsummit.org/schedule/Yoskowitz.pdf

Key interventions

• Socioeconomics

Ecosystem Connectivity

Threats & Extreme Meteorological events

Jamapa Cuenca

Sediments, Nutrients, & Contaminants

www.gulfofmexicoproject.org

*

BAHIAS Cruise in June 2009RV ANTEA - IRD

< 1.25

1.25 - 1.50

1.50 - 1.75

1.75 - 2.00

2.00 - 2.25

2.25 - 2.50

2.50 - 2.75

2.75 - 3.00

3.00 - 3.25

3.25 - 3.50

3.50 - 3.75

3.75 - 4.00

4.00 - 4.25

4.25 - 4.50

4.50 - 4.75

4.75 - 5.00

5.00 - 5.25

5.25 - 5.50

5.50 - 5.75

5.75 - 6.00

6.00 - 6.25

> 6.25

93°00'W 92°40'W 92°20'W 92°00'W 91°40'W 91°20'W20'N

40'N

00'N

Ciudad Del Carmen

Laguna de Terminos

Bottom Oxygen

Hypoxia Grijalva-Usumacinta River Basin

NAPTDA SAP

Productivity

Fish & Fisheries

Pollution and Ecosystem Health

Governance

Socio economy

Climate Change Sea Level Rise

Education and Outreach

Action implementa

tion by country

Reduce pollution

Reovery ofLMRs

Restore Ecosystems Habitats

Multisectoral Policies and Strategies

Improve quality of life

Adaptation Coastal Resilience

Fossil fuel use

Production of consumer goods

Consumer

goods transportation

Food production from the land

Food production from the Ocean

Development in watershed

Coastal development

Demand for energy

Demand for consumer goods

Demandfor food

Demand for living space

Popu

latio

n G

row

th

Loss

of e

cosy

stem

ser

vice

s

Dam

age

to e

cosy

stem

str

uctu

re a

nd fu

nctio

n (R

esili

ence

)

Habitat loss /Reduction

oss/reduction of commercial

and non-commercial

species

Air pollution

Oil pollution

Solid waste and Floating Marine Debris, especially plastics (MSW)

Industrial Pollution

Excessive water use

Agriculture run-off

Other watershed issues (deforstation, sediment trapping)

Urban sewage pollution

Physical destruction of habitat

ROO

T CA

USE

Climate change Ocean acidification Acute, event-related

effects (oil spills) Effects from Chemical

tocixity (hydrocarbons, pesticides, metals, emergent pollutants (extraction and other source)

Low quantity and timing of fresh water inflows (as distinct from polluted inflows)

Nutrient Overenrichment

Eutrophication Hypoxic Zones HABs

Invasive species Habitat damage from

fishing gear Overfhising Illegal Unreport

Unregulated fisheries By-catch Primary production

habitat destruction from coastal development

DRIVERS PRESSURES STRESSORS STATE/ IMPACT RESPONSE

EVALUACIÓN INTEGRAL Y MANEJO DEL GRAN ECOSISTEMA MARINO DEL GOLFO DE MÉXICO

Key Transboundary Elements

Key Transboundary Elements

Key Transboundary Elements

Reduce Pollution and

Nutrient Overloading

Restore Marine and

Coastal Ecosystems Recover Depleted

Living Marine Resources

Regional priority issues

Governance Improve Livelihoods and quality of life

SAPs comparative analysis

Analysis of followig SAPs

• Benguela Current

• South China

• Russian Arctic

• Mediterranean

• Caspian Sea

• Bermejo River

• Yellow Sea

• Lake Victoria Basin

• Draft GoM LME

15

1. Control, regulation and monitoring land base sources of pollution

2. Advisory Group on Information and Data Exchange. International collaboration. Increase local, regional and governmental authorities understanding the importance of environmental issues and increase the involvement in project implementation. Information systems and research

3. Remediation, prevention, monitoring of areas of pollution concern

4. Management of oil drilling activities

5. Maintenance and improvement of populations/distributions and genetic diversity of the living organisms including endangered and endemic species. Introduced species, invasive species. Total loading of nutrients

6. Maintenance of ecosystem health and protection of biological diversity

7. Preparing and implementing programs and investment projects on remediation of past environmental damage. Prevention, mitigation of impacts. Restore habitats

The GoM LME SAP main issues match the general concerns regarding the protection of LMEs around the

world.

MAIN ISSUES RAISED IN THE 8 SAPs

Collaborative Scenarios

Gulf Research Consortiums and Excellence Research Centers

Joint collaboration for scientific research and capacity building

Mexican Marine Universities Consortium in the Gulf of Mexico

Tecnológico (Tamaulipas) UAT (Tamaulipas) UANL (Nuevo Leon) UV (Veracruz) ITMar (Veracruz) INECOL (Veracruz) UNAM (Campeche, Q Roo) UAMI (DF) UJAT (Tabasco) UAC (Campeche UNACAR (Campeche) EPOMEX (Campeche) UADY (Yucatan) CINVESTAV (Yucatan) ECOSUR (Qroo, Chiapas,

Tabasco CICY (Yucatan, Q. Roo) UQROO (Q. Roo)

GOMA PLAN ACCION

LMEPLAN ACCION

EPAPLAN ACCION

HRIScore Card

Water Quality and Pollution

Restore Marine Ecosystems

Living Marine Resources

Coastal Resilience (Socioeconomic & Governance)

Synergies of the Existing Plans of Action in the Gulf of Mexico

Establish a Regional Excellence Center for the Gulf LME

The Gulf of Mexico Large Marine Ecosystem Partnership

STATESUS &MEX

UNIVERSITIESUS & MEX

GOMA PLAN OF ACTION

LMEPLAN OF ACTION

EPAPLAN OF ACTION

HRIScore Card

EducationWater

Quality

Ecosystems

Coastal Resilience

Living Marine Resources

FEDERAL GOVSUS & MEX

CIVIL SOCIETYUS & MEX

Long term visionStrengthen a regional mechanism to enhance scientific

research, MEX US Scientific Cooperation Agreement in place.

Establish the Gulf of Mexico Excellence Center, (SAP implementation & long term scientific research)

Regional consortium to enhance cooperation and dialogue between scientists and policy-makers.

Establish an integrated information management system (Baseline and key issues)

Enhance cooperation and development of joint scientific research projects in the Gulf of Mexico

www.gulfofmexicoproject.org

Gracias