Gulf of Mexico Origin, Waters, and Biota: Volume II, Ocean and Coastal Economy

Preface

Preface This book is an offshoot of the highly successful State of the Gulf of Mexico Summit 2006, held at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi, which focused on the theme of ensuring productive economies and healthy marine environments within the entire Gulf of Mexico region. The summit was designed to develop an international perspective on issues related to the Gulf of Mexico by examining the commitments and effectiveness of leaders of government, business and industry, science, and conservation and resource management. The ultimate goal was to help ensure a sustainable quality of life for future generations. Summit participants included representatives of the governments of the United States and Mexico, along with members of regional, state, and local governments, and citizens. During the conference the most up-to-date scientific information available on the Gulf of Mexico as a large marine ecosystem was presented, with four panels sharing information about the Gulf of Mexico’s economy, public health, environmental conditions, and collaborative governance. This book focuses on information presented at the summit related to the economy of the Gulf of Mexico. While a few papers and book chapters have appeared over the years on some aspects of Gulf economics, this volume represents the first attempt to assess the Gulf as a single economic region, including both U.S. and Mexican contributions. The information provided also covers the political economy of the region. Readers will find here a collection of baseline economics data on the Gulf of Mexico against which future data can be compared to determine if the region is making progress toward the goal of achieving economic and environmental sustainability. One missing element of the analysis is information on Cuba. It is hoped that in future years and subsequent analyses of the economic value of the Gulf of Mexico, the prevailing political situation will allow access to data and participation from Cuba. ...