The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (the Council) announced that it will hold its first public meeting on December 11, 2012 in Mobile, Alabama. The Council, which was established by the Resources and Ecosystem Sustainability, Tourism, Opportunities Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act), will develop and oversee implementation of a comprehensive plan to help restore the ecosystem and economy of the Gulf Coast region in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

BP and Transocean have received approval from the Coast Guard to proceed with another ROV investigation of the Deepwater Horizon wreckage and wellhead site after a sheen was reported by BP on November 2 and verified by satellite imagery.  A joint plan to determine the source of a surface sheen was submitted by the companies on November 9 for review by the Coast Guard.

You might want to become involved with this project which will introduce kids to fishing and can help your business grow by meeting the parents too 

One of a child’s most lasting memories is often of the first fish he or she caught. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) “Fishing Camp” program is one of many that help children make that first catch.

However, the program goes far beyond that by helping young people learn a healthy lifetime sport and teaching them the importance of conservation stewardship. Children love the fishing camps so much that they want to come back. For these reasons and others, the FWC is looking for more camp partners.

This request is for a new information collection.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) has adopted a five-year strategic communications plan that requires the Communications staff to not only implement specific outreach and education strategies and tactics to Gulf of Mexico commercial fishermen, recreational anglers, non-governmental organizations, and others interested in fisheries issues, but to also provide a means to evaluate the effectiveness and measure the success of specific tactics.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is hosting two webinars in December to gather public testimony and input on the potential creation of saltwater game fish and sport fish designations. The designation issue will also be a topic of discussion at the Commission’s Dec. 5 meeting in Apalachicola.

The online meetings are from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 10 and 12.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will meet Dec. 5 and 6 in Apalachicola to discuss Florida’s saltwater fishery, including possible game fish and sport fish designations and oyster populations in Apalachicola Bay; boating issues; hunting matters, including two new wildlife management areas; alligator harvesting; imperiled species updates and plans; and more.

NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries has identified the remains of an early 20th century shipwreck in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to be those of the British steamship Hannah M. Bell. Information gathered by sanctuary staff and volunteers from the National Association of Black Scuba Divers (NABS) during a September 2012 field survey enabled maritime archaeologists to confirm the wreck's origins.

BP, the British oil company, said Thursday it would pay $4.5 billion in fines and other payments to the United States government and plead guilty to 14 criminal charges in connection with the giant oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico two years ago.