13-109-LST| October 16, 2013 BILOXI, Miss. – Due to the government shutdown, all national parks including Gulf Islands National Seashore (GINS) are closed. Therefore, Gulf Islands National Seashore—which includes Cat, West and East Ship, Horn, Petit Bois and Sand islands, as well as Davis Bayou—will not be participating in the Mississippi Coastal Cleanup scheduled for

13-106-MMS| October 10, 2013 BILOXI, Miss. – The Commission on Marine Resources will hold its October meeting at the Grand Bay NERR’s Coastal Resources Center in Jackson County.   Commissioners normally meet at the Bolton Building on Bayview Avenue in Biloxi, but at the July meeting members voted to hold some meetings at other locations

13-107-MMS| October 10, 2013 BILOXI, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) and the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (GBNERR) will hold a seminar “Oysters: Science on the Half Shell” on Thursday, Oct. 24, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the first-floor meeting room of the Bolton Building at 1141 Bayview Ave.,

13-104-MMS| October 8, 2013 BILOXI, Miss. – Oyster reefs that were closed Oct. 3 due to the threat of Tropical Storm Karen will reopen Wednesday, officials with the Department of Marine Resources said Tuesday.   Those areas include:   Area II “A” – Conditionally Approved Waters – This area includes northern portions of the Pass

13-105-CWS | October 8, 2013 BILOXI, Miss. – The recreational fishing season for gray triggerfish (Balistes capriscus) will close in Mississippi territorial waters at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 15.   This action was taken under the authority of Mississippi Code Ann. 49-15-15(1)(a)(2009) and through the authority granted to the executive director of the Mississippi Commission on

13-103-MMS| October 3, 2013 BILOXI, Miss. – Oyster reefs that opened earlier this week for tonging were closed as a precaution due to Tropical Storm Karen, officials with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources said Thursday.   According to the MDMR emergency contingency plan, oyster reefs are closed the same day the Coast is put

13-101-CWS | October 2, 2013 BILOXI, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources has hired a chief financial officer and a chief operations officer, Executive Director Jamie Miller announced Wednesday.   Bill Feidt, 42, of Pascagoula, will be the agency’s CFO, and Brig. Gen. Joe Spraggins, 60, will serve as COO, Miller said. Both

13-99-CWS | September 26, 2013 BILOXI, Miss. – The commercial fishing season for king mackerel (Scomberomorus cavella) will close in Mississippi territorial waters at noon Friday, Sept. 27, 2013.   The National Marine Fisheries Service has determined the annual commercial quota for king mackerel in the Western Zone of the Gulf of Mexico has been

13-97-CWS | September 26, 2013 Volunteers in Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties are needed for the 25th annual Mississippi Coastal Cleanup to be held from 8 a.m. – 11 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 19, in conjunction with the International Coastal Cleanup—the world’s largest volunteer cleanup effort on behalf of the marine environment. Gov. Phil Bryant has

13-98-CWS | September 19, 2013 BILOXI, Miss. – The Mississippi Commission on Marine Resources certified three Mississippi recreational saltwater fishing records during its September meeting this week.   Cecily O’Brien of Pascagoula broke the state conventional tackle record for Gulf Toadfish with a 2-pound, 3-ounce fish.   Donald Armes Jr. of Pass Christian broke the