Marine Policy & Law
This program examines how laws and regulations influence decisions affecting the environment, with a particular emphasis on the coastal and marine systems of the Gulf. The legal team focuses on how laws impact people’s use and enjoyment of natural resources in a coastal environment. Research is designed to inform policymakers and anybody who enjoys the Gulf, by explaining the legal basis of issues such as energy development, fishery management, migratory bird conservation, and water quality.
The Marine Policy and Law program also provides a Law Fellowship. This unique opportunity enables an early-career attorney to work directly with the Chair of the Department to enhance their environmental law portfolio, assist with the department’s research, and develop a coastal research project of their own. The Fellowship is distinct among legal positions as the Fellow will work with coastal and marine experts while focusing on law and policy.
Results of the program’s research are shared with the community in Third Coast Lines, a legal publication for non-lawyers, and via other outreach.