The Deepwater Horizon oil spill began on April 20, 2010, and resulted in impacts to habitats, natural resources, and communities across the Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico). Since then, NOAA has taken the lead on more than 60 large-scale projects to restore natural resources. We work with state and local partners, coastal communities, user groups, and other constituents. Below, we’ll highlight key projects that demonstrate the ways we have made progress towards recovery.
Early Restoration
Restoration work across the Gulf began even as damage assessment was ongoing with a large-scale project to restore part of a barrier chain in an area most severely impacted by the spill.
We worked alongside the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority to design and construct the Chenier Ronquille Barrier Island Restoration Project. It improved shoreline stability, restored critical dune features, and created a strong backbarrier marsh platform to support island longevity. The project placed 1.3 million cubic yards of beach and marsh fill designed to prevent island breaching over the 20-year project life. Ongoing monitoring shows that despite severe storm events, the island's shoreline is intact without new tidal passes. It contributes to coastal protection and restoration in the region.
NOAA also partnered with state Trustees to implement other projects to restore marine resources during the early restoration phase and some of this work continues today. We are:
- Building protective living shorelines in Florida, Mississippi, and Alabama
- Improving our capacity to respond to stranded sea turtles
- Increasing outreach and engagement with shrimp fishing communities to reduce harmful interactions between turtles and trawling gear
We work with state and local partners, coastal communities, user groups and other constituents.
Partnering with Anglers to Reduce Fish Mortality
Return 'Em Right helps anglers reduce post-release mortality in Gulf reef fisheries. The project targets fish species affected by barotrauma, a condition caused by rapid pressure changes during deep water catch and release. It engages fishers to directly improve the survival rate of released fish by promoting better fishing practices. The project provides educational resources to anglers and tools like descending devices, facilitating fishers’ safe release and return of reef fish to the water. Since 2022, more than 43,500 anglers have voluntarily taken the free training course. The program has not only improved fish survival but also strengthened the resilience of Gulf fisheries, promoting healthier, more sustainable fishing practices.
Restoring Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Habitats
Mesophotic and deep benthic communities occupy areas of the seafloor that see little to no sunlight and are home to many fish, corals, and other invertebrates. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill injured more than 770 square miles of deep-sea habitats, an area about the size of Houston, Texas.
Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities restoration projects are currently underway to assess the impacts and identify actions to restore injured habitats and species. One of the projects uses mapping technology to understand the makeup of the ocean floor, then builds models to predict where important bottom habitats are found. First, the team collects mapping data from ship-based multibeam echosounders to get a big-picture idea of the nature of the seafloor. Then, they use sensors mounted on remotely operated vehicles and autonomous underwater vehicles to get an up-close view of specific areas. These data guide future mapping surveys and restoration activities, support predictive habitat models, and allow the discovery of new coral communities.
Restoring Deep-Sea Coral Communities
One way to restore deep coral communities impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill is to help new corals grow and reproduce. Replanting fragments of healthy corals and supporting new growth provides restored habitat and helps other species thrive. It’s not easy—there is much we don’t know about deep-sea corals, including what conditions are optimal for them to reproduce.
The team has spent hundreds of days at sea to conduct mesophotic and deep benthic communities restoration activities. They collect environmental data near coral colonies and pilot techniques for replanting coral fragments. They collect samples to bring back to the lab for husbandry and propagation technique development. They’ve already seen great success—in 2024, hundreds of coral fragments in NOAA and U.S. Geological Survey labs produced tens of thousands of eggs. This helps scientists better understand the conditions needed for these corals to thrive in the wild.
Targeted Restoration from Data Helps Reduce Mortality in Gulf Sturgeon
A project to aggregate and manage data on Gulf sturgeon populations will guide future restoration efforts for this threatened species. The project aimed to assess the status and viability of Gulf sturgeon populations, focusing on data collected from 1976 to 2024. The findings highlighted high mortality rates in certain populations, particularly in the western region. It recommended targeted restoration actions, such as improving water quality and reducing pollution to support the sturgeon's survival and recruitment. These efforts are part of ongoing restoration work following the oil spill.
A Collaborative Approach to Restoring Pelagic Species
The Oceanic Fish Restoration Project helped restore pelagic fish species like tuna and swordfish. The program was designed to keep fish in the water longer, allowing them to grow and reproduce. It engaged pelagic longline fishermen to voluntarily change their fishing practices. The project had two components. First, a 6-month pause on pelagic longline fishing; second, optional use of alternative fishing gear with lower risk of dead discards. Participants were compensated to offset their losses during the pause, and alternative gear was provided free of charge. Data from the 6-year project shows that as a result of our work, more than 40,000 fish were left in the water across 60 species.
Rebuilding Wetlands and Marshland in Barataria Basin
Wetlands in southern Louisiana’s Barataria Basin were the most heavily impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The spill accelerated the severe loss of marshland already underway as a result of erosion and damage from storm surge. These marshes play a crucial role in coastal protection and supporting fisheries production.
The Upper Barataria Marsh Creation Project is NOAA’s largest marsh restoration project to date, and has restored approximately 1,260 acres of marshland and tidal habitats. Completed in 2023, the project involved pumping sediment into the affected areas to restore marsh habitats, stabilize the shoreline, and enhance biodiversity. This initiative was critical to restoring Louisiana’s coastal ecosystems, improving coastal resilience, and supporting local communities.
Post-Restoration Monitoring Helps Track Outcomes and Adjust Efforts
Monitoring and adaptive management is a key component of the restoration efforts following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The process involves monitoring of environmental conditions and restoration progress to ensure projects effectively address the damages caused by the spill. Using information we gather through monitoring, we are able to adjust restoration approaches. For example, the Louisiana Sea Turtle Habitat Use and Abundance project is monitoring sea turtle movements. This information will help us better understand how they use coastal Louisiana habitats and inform future sea turtle restoration efforts in the state. We are improving our understanding of how coastal, wetlands, and nearshore habitats support fisheries production through projects like Monitoring the Effects of Coastal Restoration of Fish and Invertebrates and Louisiana TIG Lower Trophic Level Inventory. We are also monitoring how our restoration work for mesophotic and deep benthic communities benefits fish, invertebrates, and marine mammals in the Gulf through the Deep Sea Benefits project.
Looking Forward
Fifteen years after the Deepwater Horizon spill, we know that our restoration work has made significant progress addressing its impacts. From marsh creation to improving the health and sustainability of fisheries, we have made substantial strides. However, the journey is far from over: There is still much to be done to ensure that the Gulf of America continues on its path towards restoration.
Looking ahead, our efforts will remain focused on both ongoing and new initiatives. We will continue to lead and support critical restoration projects, ensuring that the benefits to coastal habitats, marine resources, and the communities that depend on them are maximized. We continue to identify and cultivate new opportunities for collaboration and strengthen existing partnerships with local communities, scientists, and organizations. These relationships are essential as we continue to work towards our ecosystem-level restoration goals.
