Pelagic longline fishermen in the Gulf are invited to submit a quote to participate in the 2020 Oceanic Fish Restoration Project. Visit the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s (NFWF) website and resources to learn more, and return the necessary forms no later than October 23, 2019.

Many species of oceanic (or pelagic) fish in the Gulf of Mexico were injured during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, including tuna, billfish, and others. Managed by NOAA, the Oceanic Fish Restoration Project is a is 6-year effort to restore impacts from the oil spill to fish species by giving them time to grow

The Alabama Trustee Implementation Group released its Draft Restoration Plan III to address injury to birds and lost recreational use opportunities on August 30, 2019. We held a public meeting in Spanish Fort, Alabama to present an overview of the plan and receive feedback on September 11, in conjunction with our annual public meeting. As part of the annual public meeting, we provided updates on projects from early restoration and our first and second restoration plans.

Materials from the meeting are now available:

• Public meeting presentation (PDF, 27 pages).

• Draft Restoration Plan III

The Regionwide Trustee Implementation Group (TIG) is beginning the process of considering restoration activities that will address injuries caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. At this time, we would like your restoration project ideas that benefit living coastal and marine resources  that range throughout the Gulf. In our upcoming first restoration plan, a range of projects will be considered to address injuries to the four restoration types listed below:

• Birds.
• Marine mammals.
• Oysters.
• Sea turtles.

Since these include highly migratory and wide-ranging species, project ideas may

The Mississippi Trustee Implementation Group will hold its annual public meeting on November 12, 2019, in Biloxi, Mississippi to provide updates on Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) restoration activities. The NRDA updates will be a part of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality’s 2019 Restoration Summit.

The Restoration Summit will provide an update on our restoration planning efforts in all funding streams and provide stakeholder engagement opportunities, including an open house. We look forward to seeing you at this meeting.

More information on  the Restoration Summit

The Florida Trustee Implementation Group approved the Phase V.3 Florida Coastal Access Project Final Restoration Plan and Supplemental Environmental Assessment (PDF, 56 pages), which selects one project at a total estimated cost of $2 million. The final plan selects the Navarre Beach Marine Park Addition recreational use project, which includes acquisition of a privately-owned coastal parcel of land within the existing county park property. This project will enhance the public’s access to the surrounding natural resources and increase recreational opportunities.

The final plan is consistent

Following a 30 day public comment and review period, the Mississippi Trustee Implementation Group has finalized its supplement to the 2016-2017 Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment (Restoration Plan I). This final supplemental plan (PDF, 26 pages) allows for additional restoration work for the Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats restoration type by allocating $10 million in additional funds to the Grand Bay Land Acquisition and Habitat Management Project that was approved in Restoration Plan I.

Restoration measures will support additional acquisition of target habitat, habitat

The Alabama Trustee Implementation Group has released a draft restoration plan proposing seven projects to address injuries to natural resources caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Draft Restoration Plan III and Environmental Assessment: Provide and Enhance Recreational Opportunities; and Birds (PDF, 239 pgs) includes five preferred alternatives for addressing lost recreational use and two for addressing injury to birds.

We will accept comments on the Draft Restoration Plan III through October 3, 2019. And, we’ll hold a public meeting to present the plan and receive comments on

The Open Ocean Trustee Implementation Group approved new monitoring and adaptive management activities to help better understand environmental conditions that impact marine mammals injured by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The species include pantropical spotted and other oceanic dolphins, and sperm whales.

The Gulf of Mexico is a complex system in which there are many uncertainties and knowledge gaps. In the northern Gulf, whales and dolphins may be exposed to several stressors at the same time or cumulatively over their lifespan. They include noise, physical injury, toxins, reduced prey

The Florida Trustee Implementation Group invites you to submit project ideas for restoration in Florida.

For our upcoming Restoration Plan 2, we would like your input regarding restoration of a range of natural resources:

• Habitat projects on federally-managed lands.
• Oysters, sea turtles, marine mammals, and birds.
• We will also consider project ideas that enhance recreational fishing opportunities.

Click the “Florida Restoration Plan 2 Project Idea Submission Guidelines" link below for more detailed information about the goals, restoration types, approaches, techniques, natural

The Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group will hold its annual public meeting via webinar on September 26, 2019 at 4 p.m. CT.

During this meeting, we will present updates on the Louisiana Restoration Area plans, projects and other activities. We’ll also provide an opportunity for attendees to submit written comments after the updates are presented. We encourage your attendance and participation.

• Date: September 26, 2019
• Time: 4:00 p.m. CT
• Register: Please register for the public webinar at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6295775393588103949 

After registering, you will