STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies will receive $1.25 million to evaluate the impacts of the Bonnet CarrĂ© Spillway opening on dolphins and sea turtles in the Mississippi Sound.
Gov. Phil Bryant announced the funding Friday [Sept. 27]. The research and evaluation will be supported by Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act funds, which support coastal conservation, restoration and hurricane protection. The research will provide state and federal leaders with a more complete understanding of the spillway opening’s impact on marine life, as well as effective mitigation methods to reduce harm.
The Mississippi Sound and its adjacent waters are home to the largest dolphin population in the United States. It is also a critical habitat for the most endangered sea turtle species in the world, the Kemp’s ridley. In 2019, dolphin mortalities have increased by over 100 percent from previous years. Read more click here.
