Page 16 - South Mississippi Living - March, 2020

COAST NOTE
WORLD
Water Day
March 22
APRIL 4
CELEBRATE THE GULF MARINE EDUCATION FESTIVAL
War Memorial Park, Pass Christian
16 | March 2020
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
story by Lynn Lofton
photos courtesy of Gulf of Mexico Alliance
Water, fresh and salt, is a necessity of life. Human bodies are up to 60 percent water and it’s required for many body functions. That’s why March 22 is observed as World Water Day, an annual United Nations day that highlights the importance of water. The day is used to advocate for the sustainable management of fresh water resources. The Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA) takes that observance a step further by celebrating the importance of the Gulf of Mexico region.
“Because of the Gulf we have beautiful beaches, exceptional seafood, and numerous recreational activities such as boating, shing, swimming, and snorkeling,” says Laura Bowie, executive director of the Alliance. “It’s estimated that tourism supports 1.7 million jobs within the region. In addition, commercial shing in the
Gulf is a tremendous asset worth over $900 million.
“As we struggle to deal with water resource challenges on local, regional, national, and even global scales, experience continues
to demonstrate how issues such as water quality, water quantity, water sustainability, human health risks, and aquatic health are all connected. Furthermore, we realize how these water resource issues ultimately a ect the Gulf economy.”
GOMA’s Water Resources Team will focus its e orts on a wide range of key water resource concerns. These may include pathogens, harmful algal blooms, nutrient
pollution, hypoxia, freshwater in ows, water resource sustainability, and additional emerging water resource issues in the Gulf.
“The team will work to explore
and advance the understanding of the connections among these topics,” Bowie said. “They will also seek solutions to provide improved protection of human health and aquatic life.”
GOMA’s Development Director Becky Ginn says next month’s Celebrate the Gulf – April 4 in Pass Christian – does exactly what World Water Day advocates. “Celebrate the Gulf Marine Education Festival was rst established in 1991 to teach residents and visitors about the importance of the Gulf of Mexico. The festival is held the rst Saturday in April in conjunction with our sister
festival, Art in the Pass, under the beautiful canopy of live oak trees in War Memorial Park in Pass Christian.”
Embrace the Gulf 2020 www.EmbracetheGulf.org
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