22-2-CWS | January 14, 2022
BILOXI, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) announces the appointment of Traci Floyd as Director of the Office of Marine Fisheries.
As Director of the Office of Marine Fisheries, Floyd will be responsible for regulating all commercial and recreational saltwater fisheries in the State of Mississippi and for providing protection, conservation and management over all marine aquatic life. She will oversee programs and direct activities for the Artificial Reef, Finfish, Hatchery, Seafood Technology, Shellfish and Shrimp and Crab Bureaus, as well as protected species coordination. Floyd will represent the agency at various local, state, regional and fisheries management forums, and serve as program coordinator, principal investigator or primary project review officer for federal grant projects.
“Traci has the knowledge, experience and commitment to lead the MDMR Office of Marine Fisheries,” said MDMR Executive Director Joe Spraggins. “I look forward to seeing her continue our agency’s mission to enhance, protect and conserve the State of Mississippi’s marine resources.”
Floyd, who started at the MDMR in 1997, held positions as Deputy Director of the Office of Marine Fisheries, Director of the Shrimp and Crab Bureau and as a Marine Fisheries Scientist.
During her time at the MDMR, Floyd has served on the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission Crab Subcommittee, grant coordinator and internship recipient for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Sport Fish Restoration Program, lead MDMR representative at the Deepwater Horizon Incident Command Center and natural disaster recovery programs and proxy to the Executive Director on the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council, as well as Mississippi’s representative on the Council’s Special Shrimp Science and Statistical Committee.
The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources is dedicated to enhancing, protecting and conserving marine interests of the state by managing all marine life, public trust wetlands, adjacent uplands and waterfront areas to provide for the optimal commercial, recreational, educational and economic uses of these resources consistent with environmental concerns and social changes. Visit the DMR online at dmr.ms.gov.
