The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill released 134 million gallons into the Gulf of Mexico, making it the largest marine oil spill in U.S. history. See how we’re working with partners and Gulf communities to restore its fisheries and habitats.
The largest oil spill in U.S. history impacted coastal beaches and marshes, all the way to the deepest parts of the Gulf of Mexico, as well as the fish and wildlife that call those habitats home.
From the coastal marshes to the deepest parts of the Gulf of Mexico, the entire ecosystem was impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Now, NOAA and federal and state partners are leading the largest environmental restoration effort ever there.
NOAA was on the scene within hours of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill crisis, and we’re continuing to lead large-scale efforts to restore natural resources and communities in the Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico).
Among many efforts in 2019, we made progress on restoring corals, opened up rivers and tide channels for fish, and worked with communities to restore habitat across the U.S. and territories. Here are some highlights.
The third year of NOAA’s conservation corps program in the Gulf of Mexico recently kicked off, creating jobs and training the next generation to restore coastal habitat, fisheries, and wildlife.
