Whale shark focus of expedition

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. – Biologists from the University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Research Lab took to the water recently to get a closer look at whale sharks, which gather by the hundreds in June and July within 30 miles of the coast. The crew of researchers and volunteers spent last week on their first whale shark fact-finding expedition to learn more about the fish. (Source: Sun Herald, Mississippi Press, 06/17/09)

Taylor, others oppose fish farms

Rep. Gene Taylor and 36 other lawmakers asked the Department of Commerce to reject a plan to allow fish farms in the Gulf of Mexico. The lawmakers, citing environmental concerns, wrote to Commerce Secretary Gary Locke in opposition to a Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council plan. The council, with representatives from Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, Florida and Alabama, approved the plan in January following months of debate. (Source: Sun Herald, 06/15/09)

USM to upgrade data center

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – The University of Southern Mississippi awarded Dell, Inc. to upgrade the Data Center for the Department of Marine Science at the Stennis Space Center Teaching and Research Site. The upgrade includes equipment racks that will house a high performance computing cluster of multiple blade servers and up to 27 terabytes of storage. (Source: University of Southern Mississippi, 06/09/09)