BILOXI, Miss. – On behalf of the Gulf Coast legislative delegation, Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson presented the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) with a check for $6,390,400, representing the Tidelands Trust Funds amounts collected during Fiscal Year 2025 (for use during Fiscal Year 2026) and appropriated in Senate Bill 2037 during the 2025 Legislative Session.

Over the life of the program, the Secretary of State's Office has transferred a total of $216,335,667 to the Mississippi Gulf Coast through the Tidelands Trust Funds.

"It is a privilege to return these funds to the Coast each year. As the first Secretary of State from the Gulf Coast, I have a unique perspective of the significance of the Mississippi Tidelands. Ensuring we preserve such a beautiful and important resource, improve public access, and spur economic development when possible are just a few of the priorities of our office," said Secretary Michael Watson. "All of Mississippi benefits when the Coast works together to manage some of the state’s most treasured property."

Revenue for the Tidelands Trust Funds is generated by leases on lands owned by the state in trust for the people of Mississippi and assessments for onshore gaming operations. Generated funds are dispersed to MDMR for programs and projects geared toward conservation, preservation of Mississippi tidelands, and increased public access to the beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast.

“The Tidelands Trust Funds supports vital projects that preserve and enhance our coastal habitats, promote marine education and improve public access to the waterways that make the Mississippi Gulf Coast so special,” said Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Executive Director Joe Spraggins. “We appreciate Secretary Watson and our legislators for entrusting our agency to manage these funds, which continues to make a meaningful difference for our coastal communities.”

The Tidelands Trust Fund Program was created by the Tidelands Act of 1989. The first transfer occurred in 1997. The program’s mission is to carry out the State’s policy to support the public’s use of the public trust tidelands and submerged land of the State of Mississippi.

Currently, the State owns approximately 720,000 acres of Public Trust Tidelands.

For more information about Public Trust Tidelands or Tidelands Trust Funds, visit the Secretary of State's Office website or the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources website.

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A full list of the Fiscal Year 2026 public access projects approved during the 2025 Legislative Session and other historical information may be accessed by clicking on this link.