Gulf of Mexico: Environmental Overview and History of Environmental Research

Abstract

Mexico. Most of these studies were spon? sored by the U.S. Department ofthe Interior (in relation to oil and gas development on the continental shelf and slope), although significant studies have also been funded by the U.S. Navy, Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, and Environmen? tal Protection Agency, among others. As a result, our knowledge of the biology and ecology of the Gulf has increased dramatically during the past several years. Unfortunately, most of this knowledge is locked up in the various technical reports sub? mitted to the sponsoring agencies, and only a small fraction has appeared in the profes? sional journal literature. To partially alleviate this situation the Minerals Management Service ofthe U.S.