© 1990 by The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
The Gulf of Mexico—A Management Perspective1
Environmental Studies Section, Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region New Orleans, Louisiana 70123
The Minerals Management Service (MMS) must foster development of marine mineral resources while protecting environmental resources and giving attention to other matters of social and economic concern. In the conduct of its mission, MMS has, in recent years, sponsored a great deal of scientific research on the physical environment and living resources of the northern Gulf of Mexico. The present article presents both the general management perspective and the regional management perspective of MMS, and it details how the scientific knowledge aids in dealing with concerns of the Agency. The general management perspective takes into account the resource and industry being regulated and the legislative and regulatory framework, as well as the risk setting, social setting, and environmental setting. Application of each of these elements within the eight regions of the northern Gulf permits focus upon matters of particular management concern. To date, there has been some environmental enhancement as a result of oil and gas development activities in the northern Gulf and little deterioration of the marine environment. In general, the impacts of offshore oil and gas activities are manifested in the coastal zone.