The symposium, which began in 1979 as "Alabama's Bays, Bayous, and Beaches Symposium," has evolved over the years. It encompasses a broader scope, emphasizing the economic importance of coastal waters, education programs and habitat restoration. Today, it stands as a biennial gathering that rotates between Biloxi, Mississippi, and Mobile, Alabama.
The symposium is guided by many committees and requires sponsors to keep registration as low as possible.
Steering Committee
Name | Organization |
| Ana Wheeler | Mississippi State University/Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium |
| Bethany Hudson | Mobile Bay National Estuary Program |
| Blair Morrison | Mobile Bay National Estuary Program |
| Cody Aloi | Mobile Bay National Estuary Program |
| Devaney Cheramie | Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium |
| Elizabeth Hall | Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium |
| Hailee Nigro | University of Southern Mississippi |
| Henry Perkins | Mobile Bay National Estuary Program |
| Jo Ann Moody | Dauphin Island Sea Lab/Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium |
| Melissa Schneider | Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium |
| Roberta Swann | Mobile Bay National Estuary Program |
| Rusty Grice | Auburn University/Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium |
Steve Sempier | Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium |
| LaDon Swann | Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium |
Program Committee
Name | Organization |
Ana Wheeler (co-chair) | Mississippi State University/Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium |
Blair Morrison (co-chair) | Mobile Bay National Estuary Program |
Hailee Nigro (co-chair) | University of Southern Mississippi |
Jo Ann Moody (co-chair) | Dauphin Island Sea Lab/Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium |
Rusty Grice (co-chair) | Auburn University/Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium |
| Steve Sempier (co-chair) | Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium |
Ayesha Gray | Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve |
Bekah Farmer | Mobile Bay National Estuary Program |
Ben Posadas | Mississippi State University/Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium |
Charlie Martin | University of Southern Alabama |
Chris Nelson | Bon Secour Fisheries |
Christian Miller | Mobile Bay National Estuary Program |
| Ellen Coffin | Mississippi Department of Marine Resources |
| Emily Cotton | Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality |
Eric Sparks | Mississippi State University/Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium |
Fred Leslie | Alabama Department of Environmental Management |
Jane Nguyen | Boat People SOS |
Jason Kudulis | Mobile Bay National Estuary Program |
Jason Rider | Mississippi Department of Marine Resources |
Jeanne Allen | Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf of Mexico Division |
Jillian Sower | Auburn University |
John Mareska | Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Marine Resources Division |
Kim De Mutsert | University of Southern Mississippi |
Kristiana Allen | Jackson State University/Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium |
| Mary Kate Brown | The Nature Conservancy |
Michael Kruk | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Centers for Environmental Information |
| Patric Harper | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
Paul Mickle | Northern Gulf Institute |
Rhonda Price | Mississippi Department of Marine Resources |
Samantha Capers | University of Southern Mississippi/Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium |
Shemika Brown | Mobile Bay National Estuary Program |
Stephen Deal | University of Mississippi/Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium |
Terry Boyd | Magnolia Key Oyster Company |
Tracie Sempier | Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium |
Roberta Swann | Mobile Bay National Estuary Program |
LaDon Swann | Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium |