Contact Information:
Harte Research Institute
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
6300 Ocean Drive, Unit 5869
Corpus Christi , Texas 78412-5869
Telephone: (361) 825-2010
Fax: (361) 825-2050
E-mail: richard.mclaughlin@tamucc.edu

Richard J. McLaughlin was named HRI's Endowed Chair for Coastal Marine Policy and Law in June 2005. Dr. McLaughlin has research interests in a broad range of marine and coastal policy and legal issues including the international law of the sea, ocean energy policies, ocean governance, and marine ecosystem-based management. He has been actively involved in a variety of leadership positions in the marine policy field, is a former Fulbright Scholar to Japan and has published over fifty articles and monographs on ocean and coastal policy issues.  CURRICULUM VITAE (pdf)

Area of Expertise/Interest:
Ocean and Coastal Policy and Law

Research Projects:

• Cooperative Hydrocarbon Development in the Ultra-Deepwater Boundary Region of the Gulf of Mexico, 2005-present. One of the most promising sources of ultra-deepwater hydrocarbons in the world is located on the Lower Tertiary Wilcox Trend, which overlies the U.S.-Mexico maritime boundary in the Gulf of Mexico. This research examines the serious political and legal obstacles that impede the two nations from cooperating to develop these resources in an economically and environmentally effective manner.
• Legal, Policy, and Management Strategies for Effective Stewardship of the Gulf of Mexico, 2006-present. Coordinated management of coastal and ocean policies and laws to minimize cumulative impacts has been rarely undertaken. This research effort evaluates strategies to support holistic, adaptive, and cooperative management of the Gulf of Mexico marine ecosystem.
• Wetland and Coastal Habitat Conservation and Restoration, 2006-present. Creating a healthy, productive, and sustainable wetland and coastal habitat was established as a priority goal by the Governors’ Action Plan of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance. The purpose of this research project is to identify and provide possible resolutions for federal/state environmental compliance issues and to streamline certain federal permitting requirements.
• Emerging Energy Technologies Policy in the Gulf of Mexico, 2005-present. Emerging energy technologies such as offshore wind, marine current turbines, methane gas hydrates, offshore carbon dioxide sequestration, and others will be an increasingly important component of the nation’s energy policy in coming years. This initiative critically assesses gaps and conflicts in current policies and laws governing these offshore activities and recommends improvements in regulation and management.
• Foreign Access to Shared Marine Genetic Materials, 2002-2004. Scientific and commercial interest in marine genetic materials as sources of drugs and other biotechnological uses is growing rapidly. This study examines one of the primary deterrents to future development of the industry, the lack of predictable and effective international and domestic legal rules governing ownership of these resources.
• Trade-Related Disputes Over the Protection of Marine Living Resources, 1994-2000. The United States and other nations have had marine conservation policies reduced or eliminated due to rulings by dispute settlement bodies of trade organizations such as the WTO. This research comparatively studies the trade/environment implications of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the World Trade Organization.

Education:

• J.S.D., Doctorate in Law, Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California at Berkeley (1997)
• LL.M., Masters in Marine Law and Policy, University of Washington School of Law, Seattle, Washington (1987)
• J.D., Cum Laude, Tulane University School of Law, New Orleans, Louisiana (1985)
• A.B., Cum Laude, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California (1978)

Courses:

• Coastal Management and Ocean Law, CMSS 6370
• Environmental/Marine Policy, PADM 5340

Past Courses:

• Admiralty Law (1993-2004)
• Coastal and Ocean Law (intermittently 1991-2005)
• Environmental Law (1991, 2000, 2002)
• Global Commons and the Law (Summer 2003)
• International Law (1996-2003)
• International Environmental Law (intermittently 1995- 2005)
• International Trade Law (1998)
• Land Planning Law (1994-2003)
• Property Law (1998-2004)

Honors/Awards/Service:

• Founder and Director, Hawaii Summer Law Program, 1996-2005
• Board Member, Coastal Bend Bays Foundation, 2005-present
• Board Member, Law of the Sea Institute, 2002-present
• National Chair, Maritime Law Section of American Association of Law Schools (AALS), 2001
• Board of Directors (National Co-Chair), Marine Affairs and Policy Association, 1996-present
• Fulbright Scholar, Tokyo, Japan, 1991-1992

Selected Publications:

• McLaughlin, R., “Maritime Boundary Delimitation and Cooperative Management of Transboundary Hydrocarbons in the Ultra-Deepwaters of the Gulf of Mexico,” forthcoming in J. Van Dyke, et al, Towards a Framework for the New Order of the Sea, (Brill/Kluwer Publishing, 2008)
• McLaughlin, R., “Hydrocarbon Development in the Ultra-Deepwater Boundary Region of the Gulf of Mexico: Time to Reexamine a Comprehensive U.S.-Mexico Cooperation Agreement” Accepted for publication in Ocean Development and International Law (2007)
• McLaughlin, R., “Collaborative Governance in the Gulf of Mexico,” Proceedings of the State of the Gulf Summit, Corpus Christi, TX (March 2006)
• McLaughlin, R., “Mississippi in 6 Waters and Waters Rights 707 (Robert E. Beck ed. 2005)
• McLaughlin, R., “Managing Foreign Access to Marine Genetic Resources: Moving From Capture to Cooperation,” in Harry N. Scheiber and David D. Caron, Bringing New Law to Ocean Waters, (Kluwer Publishing, 2004)
• McLaughlin, R., “Chapter 23A.04 ‘Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act’ and ‘Coast Guard Controls over Coastal Structures,’” in Environmental Law Practice Guide (Matthew Bender & Company, 2003)
• McLaughlin, R., “Foreign Access to Shared Marine Genetic Materials: Management Options for a Quasi-Fugacious Resource” 34 Ocean Development and International Law 297 (2003)
• McLaughlin, R., “Chapter 23A ‘Coasts,’” in Environmental Law Practice Guide (Matthew Bender & Company, 2002)

CURRICULUM VITAE (pdf)