Marine Environmental Awards Lunch o at the Battle House Hotel 

Our speaker this year was Dr. Larry Madin, Deputy Director Emeritus; Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute 

Larry Madin is Deputy Director Emeritus and Senior Science Advisor at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in Woods Hole, MA. He served previously as Deputy Director and Vice President for Research, Director of the Ocean Life Institute, and Senior Scientist and Chair of the Biology Department at WHOI. He started at WHOI as a postdoctoral scholar in 1974 and retired in 2019.

His research interests are in the biology of oceanic and deep-sea zooplankton and fishes. He has participated in over 70 research cruises, serving as Chief Scientist on half of them. Madin was among the first biologists to use SCUBA diving and submersibles for the in-situ study of oceanic animals. Beginning in 1971, he has logged nearly 1,000 dives from the tropics to Antarctica, is the author or co-author of 100 scientific publications, and for 20 years chaired the WHOI Diving Control Board. 

As Vice President for Research from 2006 to 2019, Madin oversaw about 200 principal investigators in the science departments and related Centers at WHOI. He helped in the development of new opportunities in ocean science and engineering, including development of international and industry partnerships. His current role as Senior Science Advisor includes involvement in WHOI’s Ocean Twilight Zone program, and advisory roles for external organizations and companies.

Attendees at the luncheon

MEAL Luncheon

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

 This year's recipient is Chris Blankenship - Commissioner of the Alabama DCNR

This award was created in 2023 by DISL in the honor of Alabama Senator David Sessions and Representative Chip Brown in recognition of their advocacy for the conservation of the land and waters in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta and Alabama watershed.

Recognizing that conservation efforts intended to restore Alabama's natural resources from the headwaters of the Alabama watershed to the open waters of the Northern Gulf of Mexico, this award will be given to individuals from across the State of Alabama in recognition of delivering transformational advances in conservation theory and practice, along with innovation and application, that harmoniously balance the State of Alabama's economic, cultural, and historical interests.

 Dr Mimi Fearn - Gulf Coast Marine Environmental Excellence Award

Dr. Fearn (Mimi) is a native Mobilian who grew up boating on the rivers and bays of south Alabama during the 1950s. She graduated from Murphy High School in 1962 and attended Birmingham Southern College for three years where she majored in chemistry and math. For the next 17 years, she was a full-time wife and mother residing mostly in Austin, Texas. She has one grandson in Bozeman, MT, and an “adopted” family here in Mobile.

In 1982, Mimi returned to Mobile and resumed her college education at the University of South Alabama. She completed her degree in physical geography in 1987 and received a Ph.D. fellowship to Louisiana State University. She completed her Ph.D. in 1995 and joined the University of South Alabama faculty. From 2006 until 2014, she served as chair of the Earth Sciences Department. Mimi officially retired from USA in 2015.

Mimi served as president of Dog River Clearwater Revival (DRCR) from 1999-2005, and she became involved with Alabama Water Watch during that time. In retirement, she stays busy as an AWW trainer and as the water monitoring coordinator for DRCR. She enjoys walking, bicycling, kayaking, paddleboarding, and puttering with plants. She has almost an acre of wetland on her Halls Mill Creek property that she has enhanced with native vegetation and a living shoreline.

Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuaries - Gulf Coast Marine Environmental Leadership Award

DIBS initiated their conservation program for neotropical migrant stopover habitat in 2000 with a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). Since that time, with the continued support of NFWF, other foundations, and thousands of private donors, DIBS has acquired 55 individual parcels comprising approximately 16.5 acres of critical habitat.

DIBS mission is to preserve ecologically valuable stopover habitat on Dauphin Island for neotropical migrant birds​ with the support of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and countless generous donors, DIBS has protected the western boundary of the Shell Mounds Park, acquired the grove of ancient live oaks known as the Goat Trees, the lot providing the new exit road from the Audubon Sanctuary, a number of wet lots in the Gorgas and Tupelo Gum Swamps, and several other parcels of prime bird habitat. Wherever you see a DIBS sign, you are viewing habitat protected forever.