Gulf of Mexico Foundation
Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP)
GMF's 2009 SARP Project
As an officially recognized partnership under the National Fish
Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP), the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership
(SARP) has evolved a regional framework for planning and protection of
aquatic resources in the thirteen states that make up their region. The
group grew out of a desire to accomplish for fish what the North American
Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) did for birds. NAWMP is noted for its
success in aiding the recovery of North American waterfowl populations
through coordination of public and private efforts on an international
scale. SARP seeks to repeat that success for aquatic resources in the
Southeast United States, which contains 34 percent of the fish species
found in North America. The guiding document for the regional effort is
the Southeast Aquatic Habitat Plan (SAHP), which was developed alongside
NFHAP.
GMF's involvement in SARP:
In March 2009, SARP awarded the Gulf of Mexico Foundation (GMF)
$50,000 to fund a watershed-scale study focused on the Sabine and Red
River basins. Project Manager Mikell Smith is coordinating the GMF's
involvement and partnership with SARP.
The SARP Community
Watershed Project engaged a wide range of interests in a
collaborative effort to preserve aquatic species, the systems that
support them, and the benefits they provide to humans. GMF identified
threats to aquatic resources, assessed the state of conservation efforts
in the area of interest, and recommended strategies and targets. The USGS
National Wetlands Research Center in New Orleans has compiled data and
created a GIS-based resource for SARP for the same river basins — a
companion piece to the GMF effort. In addition to informing management
and planning decisions, the methods employed in this collaborative
venture will serve as a template for similar efforts in river basins
throughout the SARP region.
Good science and data are vital components to good planning, but
involving a diversity of stakeholders in the process is key to successful
implementation. GMF applauds SARP for its approach to collaborative
management and is pleased to have been selected for this important work.
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