Contact: Karen Brasher

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State researchers are asking for the public’s help in evaluating an expanded coastal monitoring system that provides beachgoers with information needed to ensure their planned outings truly are “a day at the beach.”

The study is asking ocean visitors about factors such as weather, crowds and water quality, all of which can impact perceptions of whether a day in the surf and sand is “fun in the sun” or a crowded, windswept headache replete with rip currents and other hazards.

An anonymous survey is being conducted to help the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System develop data and data products that appeal to beachgoers. Those who visit the sandy shores of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi or Texas are asked to complete the short survey, which is designed to take about 10-12 minutes. Individuals wishing to participate may complete the survey at https://survey.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5an9yn1K8wFtw9L.

“The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System provides a wide array of science-based data and related products,” said Dan Petrolia, associate professor of agricultural economics in the university’s Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. “This study focuses on an expanded Gulf of Mexico beach conditions monitoring system and the value of this expansion to those individuals who frequent beaches along the Gulf Coast.”

The survey includes questions on past and planned beach trips, as well as information travelers would like to know before making the journey.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.