Explore Coastal Communities, Economy, and Ecosystems

The GULF OF MEXICO at a GLANCE:

A Second Glance
NOAA’s State of the Coast Web site, and associated products like 

this Gulf of Mexico at Glance: A Second Glance report, exist to help 

citizens gain a deeper appreciation of the connections among healthy 

coastal ecosystems, a robust U.S. economy, a safe population, and a 

sustainable quality of life for coastal residents ... and the consequent 

need to better understand, manage, and protect our Nation’s coastal 

resources. 

Visit: http://stateofthecoast.noaa.gov

This document is a publication of the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), produced by the National 

Ocean Service (NOS) Special Projects Division. 

To further explore socioeconomic attributes presented in this report, 

or to download the relevant coastal socioeconomic data sets, please 

visit NOAA’s Spatial Trends in Coastal Socioeconomics, or STICS, 

Web site at: http://stics.noaa.gov.

Suggested Citation

National Ocean Service, NOAA. 2011. The Gulf of Mexico at a 

Glance: A Second Glance. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of 

Commerce.

Cover Photo

Looking south on Bayou Heron, Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Jackson 

County, MS. Credit: Gretchen L. Grammer 

Inside Cover Photo

Black Skimmers on the coast of Ship Island. Credit: Barbara Ambrose, National Coastal Data 

Development Center, NOAA 

Back Cover Photo

Galveston Bay, TX. Credit: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Dear Readers, 

The Gulf of Mexico region provides the Nation with valuable energy resources, 

abundant seafood, extraordinary beaches and leisure activities, and a rich 

cultural heritage. At the same time, the Gulf of Mexico has endured incredible 

natural and man-made catastrophes in the last decade, including the most costly 

natural disaster in U.S. history – Hurricane Katrina in 2005 – and the largest 

accidental marine oil spill in U.S. history – Deepwater Horizon MC252 in 2010. 

All the while, coastal and ocean managers in the region continue to address 

complex ecosystem health and water quality and quantity challenges. 

Since 2004, the Gulf of Mexico Alliance has worked to increase regional 

collaboration at state, local, and federal levels, with the goal of improving the 

ecological and economic health of the Gulf region. NOAA continues as a proud 

partner in this collaborative approach where shared scientific strengths are 

matched with shared management strengths. 

One objective of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance is to build public awareness about 

the connections between healthy coastal ecosystems, a robust economy, a safe 

population, and a sustainable quality of life for coastal residents. To this end, 

the Gulf of Mexico at a Glance: A Second Glance provides highlights of what we 

know about the Gulf region’s coastal communities, coastal economy, and coastal 

ecosystems, and how climate change might impact the Gulf coast. While this 

report presents only a small selection of regional attributes within these themes, 

we hope to inspire others to increase our collective understanding about these 

connections.

Sincerely,

David Kennedy

Assistant Administrator for 

Ocean Services and Coastal 

Zone Management 

National Ocean Service 

NOAA

William W. Walker, Ph.D.

Gulf of Mexico Alliance 

Management Team 

and Executive Director

Mississippi Department of 

Marine Resources

Buck Sutter

Deputy Regional Administrator

Southeast Regional Office

National Marine Fisheries Service

NOAA
The GULF OF MEXICO

at a GLANCE:

A Second Glance

June 2011

Reprinted February 2012

This document is a product of the NOAA State of the Coast Report Series 

(http://stateofthecoast.noaa.gov), and a publication of the National Oceanic 

and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce, developed in 

partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Gulf of Mexico 

Program and U.S. Census Bureau, in support of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance. 

Table of Contents

Introduction 

Communities 

Population in the Gulf Coast Region

Characteristics of the Population

Population in the Special Flood Hazard Area

Housing and Development

Water Use

Economy

Coastal Economy

Federally-Insured Assets

Oil and Gas Production

Waterborne Commerce

Commercial Fishing

Marine Recreational Fishing

Ecosystems

Unique Habitats

Wetlands

Protected Areas

Species Diversity

Nonindigenous Aquatic Species

Coastal Vulnerability

Nutrient Pollution and Hypoxia

Chemical Contaminants

Acknowledgements

End Notes

References

1

3

4

6

8

10

12

13

14

17

18

20

22

24

25

26

28

30

32

34

36

38

40

42

43

44
The Gulf of Mexico Alliance is a partnership among the states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, 

Mississippi, and Texas, with the goal of significantly increasing regional collaboration to enhance the 

environmental and economic health of the Gulf of Mexico region. By working together on priority 

regional issues, the five Gulf states are committed to realizing the benefits of shared management 

successes and coordinated environmental monitoring and ultimately striving towards a common 

regional vision and strategy for enhancing the Gulf of Mexico region.

MEXICO CUBA

Texas Louisiana Florida

Mississippi

Alabama

Gulf of Mexico

Atlantic 

Ocean

http://gulfofmexicoalliance.org/

The Gulf of Mexico Alliance actively works to collaborate with the six Mexican Gulf states and is 

engaged in a number of ongoing activities in Mexico. Both parties acknowledge that the environmental 

and economic health of the Gulf of Mexico is contingent upon responsible management by both the 

United States and Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico waters 

touch the shores of the United 

States, Mexico, and Cuba. The 

Gulf of Mexico has an area of 

approximately 580,000 square 

miles, contains an approximate 

584,000 cubic miles of water, and 

has an average depth of 5,299 

feet (Nipper et al., 2008). The 

U.S. portion of the Gulf of Mexico 

region extends from the Florida 

Keys westward to the southern tip 

of Texas, following the coastline of 

five states. The combined coastline 

of these states, Alabama, Florida, 

Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas 

totals over 47,000 miles.1

The well-being of the Gulf of Mexico region depends on a suite 

of benefits that flow from healthy coasts: food, clean water, jobs, 

recreation, and protection from hurricanes. But the ability of the 

Gulf coast to deliver these benefits is being eroded by the extensive 

environmental alterations we 

have made to the region’s coastal 

ecosystems. In some cases, these 

benefits are being further eroded 

by changes in climate. Whatever 

the cause, these changes threaten 

to compromise the health and 

economic well-being of our coastal 

communities and the benefits 

that the Gulf region brings to the 

Nation.

I ntroduc tion

Ship Island, Gulf Islands National Seashore. MS. 

Credit: Barbara Ambrose, National Coastal Data 

Development Center, NOAA

A charter boat and a line of shrimp boats docked 

at a working waterfront in Bayou La Batre, AL. 

Credit: Melissa Schneider 

As a product of the NOAA State of the Coast Report Series, The 

Gulf of Mexico at a Glance: A Second Glance provides highlights of 

what we know about the Gulf region’s coastal communities, coastal 

economy, and coastal ecosystems, and how climate change might 

impact the Gulf coast (Figure 1). This report is an update to the 

original Gulf of Mexico at a Glance, published in June 2008 and 

includes an expanded suite of regional attributes. Information in 

this report is organized by the following interconnected themes: 

Communities, Economy, and Ecosystems.

Figure 1: The three major report themes and the significance of their connections.

THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e 1
The April 20, 2010 explosion on 

the Deepwater Horizon MC252 

drilling platform killed eleven 

people. The subsequent oil spill 

resulted in almost 4.9 million 

barrels of oil released into the Gulf

(NOAA, 2010a). During the height 

of the spill, federal fishery closed 

areas totaled as much as 88,522 

square miles (NMFS, 2010c) and 

NOAA Natural Resource Damage 

Assessment teams documented the 

presence of oil on more than 950 

miles of shoreline (NOAA, 2010d). As of early November 2010, 

response teams had documented 2,263 visibly oiled dead birds; 

2,079 visibly oiled live birds; 18 visibly oiled dead sea turtles; and 

456 visibly oiled live sea turtles (NOAA, 2010c). Additionally, 

as of August 6, 2010, approximately 1.84 million gallons of total 

dispersant had been applied—1.07 million on the surface and 

771,000 sub-sea (Deepwater Horizon Incident Joint Information 

Center, 2010).

This report presents information about a wide range of topics and 

most of the data available for those topics predates the Deepwater 

Horizon MC252 oil spill. Where possible and relevant, information 

is presented about how different aspects of the oil spill may be 

connected to various topics in the report. However, this report does 

not reflect or attempt to characterize effects of the oil spill. 

For further information regarding the oil spill, visit: 

http://www.noaa.gov/deepwaterhorizon/

Credit: NOAA, 2010

Deepwater Horizon MC252 Oil Spill and this Report

The statistics, charts, and maps presented in this report provide a 

snapshot of the most current, readily available data at the time of 

publication. All data sources are cited in references available at the 

end of the report. Data were acquired directly from several data 

originators and any subsequent manipulations were thoroughly 

verified. Representations of the coastal economy and coastal 

employment in this report are not necessarily ocean or coastal 

dependent, but rather economic production that occurs in coastal 

areas. Demographic projections presented in this report were 

derived from data generated by Woods and Poole Economics, Inc. 

The projections are intended to highlight where regional change 

might occur, and are not intended to be interpreted as actual future 

conditions.

The “Gulf Coast Region,” referenced throughout this report as a 

regional, aggregated geographic reporting unit, is a suite of 141 

NOAA Coastal Watershed Counties chosen by NOAA to represent 

a relevant geographic area for describing community, economic, 

and ecosystem attributes of the Gulf of Mexico region (Figure 2). 

In total, this area contains almost 117,000 square miles of land 

area. For maps and details about the Gulf Coast Region, and for 

further information on how NOAA Coastal Watershed Counties are 

determined, see Appendices A and B.

Data and Geography in this Report

Coastal Watershed

Coastal County 

Figure 2: Coastal watersheds and corresponding coastal counties that make up the 

Gulf Coast Region (see Appendices A and B for further information).

2
COMMUNITIES

There exists a tremendous variety of communities in the Gulf 

Coast Region, with many different assemblages of people, cultures, 

occupations, and living and settlement patterns. Vibrant communities 

provide a sense of togetherness, interdependent working relationships, 

and social cooperation and association. 

In this section, some of the more prominent factors that shape and 

influence the nature, health, and vitality of Gulf coastal communities 

are examined and discussed.

Population in the Gulf Coast Region

Examine the characteristics of this fundamental component of 

communities, including population density and historic and expected 

future population change.

Characteristics of the Population

Learn about the Gulf Coast Region’s unique population, including age 

distribution, race, education, and household income.

Population in the Special Flood Hazard Area

Explore the population residing in the Gulf coast Special Flood Hazard 

Area and those subpopulations considered to be at elevated risk to 

coastal hazards.

Housing and Development

Discover housing and development characteristics including building 

permits, housing density, and housing unit change. 

Water Use

Examine sources and consumption patterns of this critical resource.

While the spirit of 

neighborliness was 

important on the frontier 

because neighbors were 

so few, it is even more 

important now because 

our neighbors are so 

many. 

~Lady Bird Johnson

Santa Rosa Sound, FL. Credit: Kim Penn, NOAA

THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e 3

The three major report themes and the significance of their connections.
COMMUNITIES: Population in the Gulf Coast Region

Approximately 37 percent of the Gulf states’ population lives 

in the Gulf Coast Region (25 percent of the land area). Such a 

concentration of people places pressures on sensitive coastal 

ecosystems. As the region’s coastal population continues to grow, 

it is imperative to understand, manage, and protect the bounty 

and beauty that have drawn so many to the coasts.

Increase in population in the 

Gulf Coast Region since 1970. 

This is roughly equivalent to 

adding a population the size of 

Los Angeles County, CA, to the 

Region. 

Expected increase of 

population in the Gulf Coast 

Region by 2020. The U.S. 

total population is expected 

to increase by 11% in the same 

time period.

Population density of the 

Gulf Coast Region. The U.S. 

population density is 104 

persons per square mile 

(excluding Alaska and U.S. 

Territories).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011a; Woods and Poole 

Economics, Inc., 2010

10,958,081

15%

184

Population in the 

Gulf Coast Region has 

increased by 109% since 

1970, compared to a 52% 

increase in total U.S. 

population. 

Population Change from 1970 to 2020

Population Density

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

TX LA MS AL FL

U.S. Average 

(excluding Alaska)

Persons per Square Mile

Gulf State

Gulf Coast Region Portion of the State

Gulf State

Figure 5: Population density of the Gulf Coast Region and Gulf states in 2010. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011a

Orange Beach, AL. Credit: Melissa Schneider

4

3,348

2,402

2,029

1,463

1,205

Leading Counties in Population 

Density in the Gulf Coast Region

(Persons Per Square Mile)

Pinellas, FL

Harris, TX

Orleans, LA

Jefferson, LA

Hillsborough, FL

TX (39%)

FL (37%)

LA (17%)

AL (4%)

MS (3%)

2010 Population

Figure 4: Population change from 1970 to 2020 of the Gulf Coast Region.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011a; Woods and Poole Economics, Inc., 2010

Figure 3: Population distribution among states in 

the Gulf Coast Region. Total Gulf Coast Region 

population compared to U.S. and Gulf state totals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011a

United States

(excluding Territories)

Gulf States

Gulf Coast Region

308,745,538

56,227,276 

20,999,881

10

8

6

4

2

0

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Number of Persons

(Million)

Year

TX

FL

LA 

AL

MS
THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e

Projected Percent Population Change from 2010 to 2020

Presidential Disaster Declarations from 2004 to 2010

Leading Counties in Projected Percent 

Population Change from 2010 to 2020

79%

44%

43%

41%

38%

1. St. Bernard Parish, LA*

2. Walton, FL

3. Fort Bend, TX

4. Santa Rosa, FL

5. Wakulla, FL

Figure 6: Projected percent population change from 2010 to 2020 in the Gulf Coast Region.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011a; Woods and Poole Economics, Inc., 2010

Figure 7: Counties with hurricane related presidential disaster declarations from 2004 to 2010 and tracks of 

the costliest hurricanes within the same time period. Hurricane Ivan made landfall twice and Tropical Storm 

Bonnie struck 22 hours before Hurricane Charley, resulting in combined disaster declarations.

Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2011a; NOAA Coastal Services Center, 2010 Katrina (2005) - C5

Rita (2005) - C5

Charley (2004) - C4

Dennis (2005) - C5

Gustav (2008) - C4

Ivan (2004) - C5

Bonnie (2004) - Tropical Storm

7 - 8

6

5

4

3

30 - 79

15 - 29

1 - 14

-12 - 0

Percent Change

Number of 

Declarations

Ivan (2004) - C5

5

1

3

2 4 5

Gulf of Mexico

Gulf of Mexico

*Between 2000 and 2010, St. Bernard Parish lost 

almost half of its population. By the year 2020, 

it is anticipated that the population will return to 

approximate year 2000 numbers.

Ike (2008) - C4

Jeanne (2004) - C3

Frances (2004) - C4

Wilma (2005) - C5

Ten Costliest Hurricanes 

from 2004 to 2010

Katrina (2005)

Ike (2008) 

Wilma (2005)

Rita (2005)

Charley (2004)

Ivan (2004)

Frances (2004)

Jeanne (2004)

Gustav (2008)

Dennis (2005) 

$134 billion

$27 billion

$17 billion

$17 billion

$17 billion

$15 billion

$10 billion

$8 billion

$5 billion

$2 billion

Source: National Climate Data Center, NOAA, 2011

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011a; Woods and Poole 

Economics, Inc., 2010

Note: Events prior to 2007 are normalized to 2007 dollars.
COMMUNITIES: Charac teristics of the Population

The Gulf Coast Region is known for its unique coastal population, 

one that exemplifies diversity and a strong cultural heritage. The 

people that reside in this region help shape a thriving economy 

as well as the environment to which their quality of life is closely 

tied.

Percent of the population in the 

Gulf Coast Region that hold a 

bachelor’s degree (compared to 

17% in the total U.S.).

Percent of the foreign born 

population in the Gulf Coast 

Region that is from Latin 

America.

Annual median household 

income in the Gulf Coast 

Region (when averaged across 

counties). This is $2,259 less 

than the national average.

Percent of the population in 

the Gulf Coast Region that is of 

retirement age (65 and over) 

(compared to 13% in the total 

U.S.).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American 

Community Survey, 2010b

15%

68%

$41,203

14%

Seventeen percent of the 

population in the Gulf Coast 

Region lives below the 

poverty level (compared to 

13% nationally).

6

Age and Sex

Race

<5 6-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ 

Percent of the Gulf 

Coast Region Population

Age Groups

Male

Female

10%

8%

6%

4%

2%

0%

Figure 8: Population by age group and sex as a percent of the total population in the Gulf Coast Region, based on 

data collected from 2005 to 2009. See stics.noaa.gov for margin of error calculations.

White (including Hispanic) 

Black or African American (including Hispanic)

American Indian and Alaska Native

Asian

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander

Some other race

Two or more races

Gulf Coast

Region

United 

States

73%

17%

<1%

3%

<1%

6%

2%

74%

12%

1%

4%

<1%

6%

2%

Gulf 

States

72%

17%

<1%

3%

<1%

6%

2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2010b

Table 1: Major race categories of the population in the Gulf Coast Region, based on data collected from 

2005 to 2009. See stics.noaa.gov for margin of error calculations.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2010b

Pensacola Beach, FL. Credit: Kim Penn, NOAA

Packery Channel, TX. 

Credit: Texas Parks and Wildlife 

Department

U.S. Average
THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e

No School Completed

Completed 8th Grade

High School Graduate

Completed Some College

Associate’s Degree

Bachelor’s Degree

Master’s Degree

Professional Degree

Doctorate Degree

Gulf Coast

Region

United 

States

1%

3%

30%

21%

7%

15%

5%

2%

1%

1%

3%

29%

20%

7%

17%

7%

2%

1%

Gulf 

States

1%

3%

29%

21%

7%

16%

6%

2%

1%

Household Income

7

Education Number of Persons (Thousand)

Male

Female

2,500

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

0

No School 

Completed

Completed 

8th Grade

High 

School 

Graduate

Completed 

Some 

College

Associate’s 

Degree

Bachelor’s 

Degree

Master’s 

Degree

Professional 

School 

Degree

Doctorate 

Degree

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2010b

Table 2: Educational attainment of the population twenty-five 

years and older in the Gulf Coast Region compared to Gulf states 

and the U.S., based on data collected from 2005 to 2009. See 

stics.noaa.gov for margin of error calculations. Figure 9: Educational attainment of the population twenty-five years and older in the Gulf Coast Region, based 

on data collected from 2005 to 2009. Numbers above the bars represent margin of error.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2010b Number of Households (Thousand)

2,500

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

0 Less than 

$10,000

$10,000-

$24,999

$25,000-

$49,999

$50,000-

$74,999

$75,000-

$99,999

$100,000-

$124,999

$125,000-

$149,999

$150,000-

$199,999

$200,000 

or more

Figure 10: Household income in the Gulf Coast Region, based on data collected from 2005 to 2009. Numbers 

above the bars represent margin of error.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2010b

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2010b

Population Above the 

Poverty Level

Population Below the 

Poverty Level

Gulf Coast

Region

United 

States

83%

17%

87%

13%

Gulf 

States

84%

16%

Table 3: Percent of population above and below the poverty level 

in the Gulf Coast Region compared to Gulf states and the U.S., 

based on data collected from 2005 to 2009. See stics.noaa.gov for 

margin of error calculations.

+/-2,353 +/-2,263

+/-3,256 +/-3,214

+/-4,385

+/-4,834

+/-6,600 +/-6,408

+/-3,857 +/-3,985

+/-2,506 +/-1,946 +/-1,866 +/-1,491

+/-7,964

+/-8,134

+/-8,589

+/-8,876

+/-5,629

+/-8,626

+/-6,189

+/-4,505

+/-3,532 +/-3,146 +/-3,016

+/-8,001

+/-10,477
COMMUNITIES:

The Gulf Coast contains low lying areas that are prone to 

flooding. Assessing the growing population within these 

areas provides us a better understanding of who is at risk 

to coastal inundation from storm surge and long-term sea 

level rise.

Population in the Special Flood Hazard Area

47%

Fourteen percent 

of the population within 

the Gulf coast Special 

Flood Hazard Area is living 

below the poverty level. 

Dauphin Island, AL. Credit: Adrien Lamarre

Percent land area of counties 

containing FEMA V-Zones that 

is within the Gulf coast Special 

Flood Hazard Area.

Percent of the population of 

counties containing FEMA 

V-Zones that is within the Gulf 

coast Special Flood Hazard 

Area.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community 

Survey, 2010b

Land Area in the Gulf Coast Special Flood Hazard Area

Texas

Louisiana

Mississippi

Alabama

Florida

Gulf Coast Special Flood 

Hazard Area as a Percent of 

Area within Gulf Counties 

Containing FEMA V-Zones

31%

84%

35%

23%

37%

28%

Gulf Coast Special Flood Hazard Area

Figure 11: The Gulf coast Special Flood Hazard Area and the inland boundary of counties containing FEMA V-Zones 

(see Appendix C).

8

Gulf of Mexico

The Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) is the area 

where the National Flood Insurance Program’s 

(NFIP) floodplain management regulations must 

be enforced and where the mandatory purchase 

of flood insurance applies. Information related 

to the Gulf coast SFHA is reported for counties 

containing Federal Emergency Management 

Agency V-Zones (see Appendix C). Table 4: Land area of the Gulf coast Special Flood Hazard Area 

by state, in relation to counties that contain FEMA V-Zones.

Inland Boundary of Counties Containing 

FEMA V-Zones

D i d Yo u K n ow ?

You can further explore 

demographic attributes of the 

population in the Nation’s coastal 

Special Flood Hazard Areas. Visit:

NOAA’s Spatial Trends in Coastal 

Socioeconomics, or STICS, Web site:

stics.noaa.gov

Coastal County Snapshots: 

www.csc.noaa.gov/snapshots/
THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e

Connections to a Changing Climate

Texas

Louisiana

Mississippi

Alabama

Florida

Population in the 

Gulf Coast Special 

Flood Hazard Area

1,072,642

1,290,051

129,265

83,881

1,645,514

Gulf Coast Special Flood Hazard 

Area Population as Percent 

of Population in Gulf Counties 

Containing FEMA V-Zones

18%

49%

37%

15%

29%

Case Study: Possible Sea Level Rise Impacts 

to Transportation Infrastructure

Figure 12: The Gulf coast area roads at risk from four feet of long-term 

relative sea level rise. Source: U.S. Global Change Research Program, 2009

Texas

Louisiana

Mississippi

Alabama

Florida

Population 65 

Years and Over

Population Below 

Poverty Level

10%

11%

13%

15%

23%

17%

16%

14%

16%

10%

Population 5 Years 

and Younger

9%

7%

7%

6%

5%

Table 5: Estimated population within the Gulf coast Special Flood Hazard Area by state compared to 

population in counties containing FEMA V-Zones, based on data collected from 2005 to 2009. See 

stics.noaa.gov for margin of error calculations.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2010b

Table 6: Estimated subpopulations considered to be at elevated risk to flooding within the Gulf 

coast Special Flood Hazard Area, based on data collected from 2005 to 2009. See stics.noaa.gov for 

margin of error calculations.

Estimated Total Population

Along the Gulf coast, between Houston, TX, and Mobile, 

AL, an estimated 2,400 miles of major roadway and 246 

miles of freight rail lines are at risk of permanent flooding 

within 50 to 100 years if relative sea level rises four feet. 

The Gulf coast is particularly at risk to service disruptions 

due to the interdependent nature of a transportation 

network that relies on minor roads and other low-lying 

infrastructure. 

The Gulf coast is home to six of the ten largest commercial 

ports (by tons of traffic) in the country. The region also 

hosts a significant portion of the U.S. oil and gas industry, 

with its offshore drilling platforms, refineries, and 

pipelines. Roughly two-thirds of all U.S. oil imports pass 

through the Gulf. Sea level rise could potentially affect 

commercial transportation activity valued in the hundreds 

of billions of dollars annually through inundation of area 

roads, railroads, airports, seaports, and pipelines (U.S. 

Global Change Research Program, 2009). 

THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e 9

D i d Yo u K n ow ?

The ability of wetlands to store floodwaters reduces the risk of costly property damage and 

loss of life in flood prone areas. Just one acre of wetland can store 1.5 million gallons of 

floodwater. The presence of wetlands in only 15% of a watershed can reduce flooding by as 

much as 6%. Source: USDA, 2007

Estimated Subpopulations Considered at Elevated Risk

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2010b
COMMUNITIES: Housing and Development

Residential development accommodates new residents that 

are drawn to the Gulf coast. Well-planned development can 

enhance communities and preserve open space, farmland, and 

environmental areas that are critical to a healthy coastal region.

Percent increase in the number 

of housing units in the Gulf 

Coast Region from 2000 to 

2010. The number of housing 

units in the U.S. increased by 

14% in the same time frame.

Percent of homes that are 

seasonal in the Gulf Coast 

Region (based on data from 

2005 to 2009).

Approximate number of 

building permits issued from 

2006 to 2010 in the Gulf Coast 

Region.

Harris County, Texas, led 

the Nation in the number of 

building permits issued for 

single family homes from 2006 

to 2010.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010a, 2011a, 2011b

20%

6%

1,938,343

94,479

Sixteen percent of the 

Nation’s building permits 

were issued in the Gulf Coast 

Region from 2006-2010.

(single family units only)

Building Permits Issued for Construction

Figure 13: Number of building permits issued for single 

family homes in the Gulf Coast Region from 1998 to 2010.

Figure 14: Number of building permits issued for single family homes in the Gulf Coast Region from 

2006 to 2010.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010b

Construction of homes in Jefferson Parish, LA. 

Credit: Louisiana Recovery Authority

Texas

Louisiana

Mississippi

Alabama

Florida

Leading Counties in 

Building Permits Issued 

for Single Family Homes 

from 2006 to 2010

1. Harris, TX

2. Fort Bend, TX

3. Lee, FL

4. Hillsborough, FL

5. Hidalgo, TX

Gulfport, MS. Credit: George Armstrong

30,001 - 94,479

10,001 - 30,000

3,001 - 10,000

0 - 3,000

Number 

of Permits

10

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010b

1

3

4

2

5

Gulf of Mexico

Hurricane Katrina and Rita 

made landfall in 2005.

1998

Year

250

200

150

100

50

0

Building Permits Issued

(Thousand)

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010
THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e

Seasonal Homes

Housing Unit2 Change

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010a

Katrina (2005) - C5

Rita (2005) - C5

Charley (2004) - C4

Dennis (2005) - C5

Gustav (2008) - C4

Ivan (2004) - C5

Figure 16: Housing unit change in the Gulf Coast Region from 2004 to 2010 and tracks of the costliest 

hurricanes within the same time period. Hurricane Ivan made landfall twice and Tropical Storm Bonnie struck 

22 hours before Hurricane Charley resulting in combined disaster declarations.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010a, 2011a; FEMA, 2010; NOAA CSC, 2010

Number of Housing Units in 

Counties with Six or More 

Presidential Disaster Declarations

6.5

6.4

6.3

6.2

6.1

6.0

5.9

5.8

5.7

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Year

Number of Housing Units

(Million)

Counties with 6+ 

Disaster Declarations

50,001 - 300,562

25,001 - 50,000

1 - 25,000

-4,999 - 0

-9,999 - -5,000

-25,195 - -10,000

Ivan (2004) - C5

11

Bonnie (2004) - Tropical Storm

Gulf of Mexico

FL (74%)

TX (14%)

LA (7%)

AL (4%)

MS (1%)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2010b

Figure 15: Distribution of the over 500,000 seasonal homes in the 

Gulf Coast Region, based on data collected from 2005 to 2009.

Lee, FL

Collier, FL

Pinellas, FL 

Sarasota, FL

Polk, FL

Number of 

Seasonal Homes

58,730

53,458

48,329

32,940

25,124

17%

28%

10%

15%

9%

Percent of County 

Housing Unit Total

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2010b

Table 7: Leading Gulf Coast Region counties in the number of seasonal homes, based on data 

collected from 2005 to 2009.

Leading Counties in 

Seasonal Housing

Figure 17: Number of housing units in counties with six or more 

presidential disaster declarations from 2004 to 2010.

Ike (2008) - C4

Jeanne (2004) - C3

Frances (2004) - C4

Wilma (2005) - C5
COMMUNITIES: Water Use

Gulf Coast Region communities, farms, and industries 

share the need for freshwater with rivers and estuaries, 

where freshwater is necessary to sustain ecologically and 

economically important fish species and habitats. As the 

coastal population and the subsequent demand for clean 

freshwater increases, so does the risk of limited freshwater.

Percent of the total water used 

in the Gulf Coast Region that is 

freshwater (compared to 85% 

for the total U.S.)

Percent of the total freshwater 

used in the Gulf Coast Region 

that is from surface waters 

(compared to 82% for all U.S. 

coastal watershed counties 

combined and 77% for the total 

U.S.)

Percent of all saline water used 

in the Gulf Coast Region that 

is for thermoelectric purposes. 

The remaining 7% and 2% are 

used for industry and mining, 

respectively.

Source: U.S. Geological Survey, 2009

68%

80%

91%

Per capita water use in 

the Gulf Coast Region 

averages 147 gal/person/

day compared to 172 used 

nationally.

Source: U.S. Geological Survey, 2009

Water Sources and Uses Water Use Over Time

South Texas Project nuclear power plant in Bay City, TX, 

is cooled by a 7,000 acre reservoir. Credit: U.S. Nuclear 

Regulatory Commission

2005

2000

1995

1990

1985

0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 

Million Gallons Per Day

Public Supply (10%)

Domestic (1%)

Irrigation (11%)

Livestock (<1%)

Aquaculture (1%)

Industry (16%)

Mining (1%)

Thermoelectric (60%)

Figure 18b: Water uses in the Gulf Coast Region in 2005. Source: U.S. Geological Survey, 2009

Figure 19: The Gulf Coast Region’s water use from 1985 to 2005.

2005

0 5,000 10,000 20,000 

Million Gallons Per Day

Thermoelectric

Mining

Industry 

Aquaculture

Livestock 

Irrigation

Domestic 

Public

Supply

12

Fresh Groundwater (13%)

Fresh Surface Water (55%)

Saline Groundwater (1%)

Saline Surface Water (31%)

Sources

Figure 18a: Water sources in the Gulf Coast Region in 2005.

Uses
ECONOMY

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the five states of the Gulf 

Coast Region was almost 2.4 trillion dollars in 2009, representing 

17% of the Nation’s GDP (Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2011). 

The Gulf Coast Region’s economy is highly intertwined with its 

natural resource base, including oil and gas deposits, commercial 

and recreational fisheries, and waterways for ports and waterborne 

commerce.

In this section, coastal and ocean-related revenue sectors of the Gulf 

coast economy are explored.

Coastal Economy

Explore key components of the Gulf Coast Region’s economy, 

including employment, and wages.

Federally-Insured Assets

Examine basic statistics about the National Flood Insurance 

Program in the Gulf Coast Region.

Oil and Gas Production

Discover facts about oil and gas production in the Gulf region and 

the infrastructure required to support production and distribution. 

Waterborne Commerce

Learn about this critical component of the Gulf economy through 

data on major ports and the distribution of commodities shipped 

through these ports.

Commercial Fishing

Explore the weight and value of commercial fisheries landings by 

port, and state, and the top species landed.

Marine Recreational Fishing

Discover the importance of marine recreational fishing through data 

on fishing trips by state and top species caught by pounds.

The Gulf of Mexico 

region is a vital 

economic engine for 

the Nation, supplying 

trillions of dollars 

annually to the 

U.S. economy and 

providing jobs for 

millions of people. 

-Governors Action 

 Plan II, 2009 Shrimp boat in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Biloxi, MS. 

Credit: Barbara Ambrose, National Coastal Data Development Center, 

NOAA

THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e 13

The three major report themes and the significance of their connections.
ECONOMY: Coastal Economy

Total number of jobs in the 

Gulf Coast Region. 

Average annual wage in the 

Gulf Coast Region in 2008.

Wages paid out to employees 

working at establishments in 

the Gulf Coast Region.

Percent of jobs in the Gulf 

Coast Region that are in 

the tourism and recreation 

industry.3

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2011; 

Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010; Colgan, 2004

$359 billion

The U.S. Gulf states, if 

considered an individual 

country, would rank 7th 

in global Gross Domestic 

Product.

8.3 million

8%

14

Jobs and Wages by Major Economic Sector 

 $37,545 

 $31,095 

 $38,065 

 $35,078 

 $14,109 

 $45,471 

 $43,447 

 $24,353 

 $37,393 

 $37,959 

 $31,551 

Construction

Education & Health Services

Financial Activities

Information

Leisure & Hospitality

Manufacturing

Natural Resources & Mining

Other Services

Professional & Business Services

Public Administration

Trade, Transportation & Utilities

628,518

1,608,147

460,964

133,613

871,703

639,661

232,614

237,236

1,061,878

398,210

1,733,893

Average 

Annual Wage Industry Employment

The Gulf of Mexico region is a vital economic engine for the 

Nation, supplying trillions of dollars annually to the U.S. economy 

and providing jobs for millions of people. The Gulf supports 

major marine industries such as commercial seafood, oil and 

gas production, and shipping. The Gulf of Mexico is also home 

to white sand beaches, excellent seafood restaurants, and warm 

weather, creating recreation opportunities and a thriving tourism 

industry.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010

Table 8: Total number of jobs and total wages for major industry sectors in the 

Gulf Coast Region in 2008. 

Average Annual Wages 

by State 

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

TX LA MS AL FL

State

Dollars

(Thousand)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010

Figure 20: Average annual wages by state 

in the Gulf Coast Region in 2008. 

Unloading shrimp in Cameron, LA. 

Credit: Beth Bourgeois, NOAA

 $35,393 
THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e 15

TX (41%)

FL (34%)

LA (18%)

AL (4%)

MS (3%)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010

Figure 22: Distribution of the over 8.3 million jobs in 

the Gulf Coast Region by state in 2008.

Total Employment by County

500,001 - 2,059,034

100,001 - 500,000

10,001 - 100,000

506 - 10,000

Employment

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010

Figure 21: Total employment by county in the Gulf Coast Region in 2008.

Gulf of Mexico

Employment by State

Port of Corpus Christi, TX. Credit: Port of Corpus Christi Authority

Construction after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in south Louisiana. 

Credit: Louisiana Recovery Authority

Commercial fishermen unloading red snappers from the Destin 

docks, FL. Credit: June Weeks, NOAA/NMFS - Panama City 

Laboratory
ECONOMY: Coastal Economy (continued)

16

 $8,477 

$1,435 

$191 

 $138

 $117

 $70

 $27

 $20

 $13

Eating and Drinking Establishments

Hotels and Lodging

Amusement and Recreation Services

Boat Dealers

Zoos and Aquaria

Marinas

Scenic Water Tours

Recreational Vehicle Parks/Campsites

Sporting Goods

565,638

60,566

10,258

3,784

3,514

2,306

1,136

1,019

347

Total Wages Industry Employment (Million)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010; Colgan, 2004

Table 9: Tourism and recreation jobs and total wages in the Gulf Coast Region in 

2009.

Tourism and Recreation3 Employment

50,001 - 228,655

10,001 - 50,000

2,501 - 10,000

0 - 2,500

Employment

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010; Colgan, 2004

Figure 23: Tourism and recreation employment in the Gulf Coast Region in 2009.

Gulf of Mexico

Total Income from Farm-Related Sources

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2009

Figure 24: Total income from farm-related sources, gross before taxes and expenses in 2007.

Total number of farms: 108,779

Total land area of farm properties: 

48,641 square miles, or 40% of the total 

Gulf Coast Region

Market value of agricultural products 

sold: $8,617,228,000

Total income from farm-related sources, 

gross before taxes and expenses: 

$295,363,000

Gulf Coast Region Facts

1

2

3

4

Gulf of Mexico

$10,000,001 - $32,433,000

$3,000,001 - $10,000,000

$800,001 - $3,000,000

$23,000 - $800,000

No Data

U.S. Dollars
ECONOMY: ECONOMY: Federally-I nsured Assets

1

Taxpayers are responsible 

for $204 billion of insured 

assets in the Gulf coast Special 

Flood Hazard Area (compared 

to $521 billion in total U.S. 

assets insured).

The second largest fiscal liability of the U.S. Government, 

behind Social Security, is the National Flood Insurance 

Program (Beatley, et al. 2002). Insured assets in flood prone 

areas along the Gulf coast represent almost half of the U.S. 

total.

Galveston, TX. Credit: USGS

Florida Gulf coast’s rank 

among all U.S. states for total 

insurance coverage (more than 

double the coverage of any 

other state in the U.S.).

Louisiana’s rank among all U.S. 

states for total claim payouts 

from the National Flood 

Insurance Program (more than 

four times that of any other 

state).

Total claims paid out by the

National Flood Insurance 

Program within the Gulf coast 

Special Flood Hazard Area 

from 1978 to 2010. 

Average payout per claim by 

FEMA after Hurricane Katrina 

(largest average payout for a 

flood event since 1978).

Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency, 

2011b, 2011c 

Insurance Coverage Claim Payouts

Figure 25: Total coverage by the National Flood Insurance 

Program in the Gulf coast Special Flood Hazard Area in 

2010.

Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2011b

Figure 26: Total claims paid by the National Flood 

Insurance Program in the Gulf coast Special Flood Hazard 

Area from 1978 to 2010.

Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2011b

$20 billion

$97,000

Federally-Insured Assets in Gulf Coast Special Flood Hazard Area

FL (60%)

LA (24%)

TX (13%)

AL (2%)

MS (1%)

LA (63%)

TX (14%)

FL (11%)

MS (9%)

AL (3%)

1

Number of Policies

Total Premium

Total Coverage

Total Claim Payouts

(1978-2010)

Gulf Coast Special 

Flood Hazard Area

990,496

$756,113,124

$203,912,369,300

$19,802,037,380

Percent of U.S. Total

41%

42%

39%

84%

Table 10: Characteristics of federally-insured assets as a percent of U.S. totals in the Gulf coast Special Flood Hazard 

Area within counties containing FEMA V-Zones in 2010 (see Appendix C).

Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2011b

Connections to a 

Changing Climate

THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e 17
ECONOMY: Oil and G as Produc tion

Percent of leased acreage for oil 

and gas production in the U.S. 

Gulf of Mexico that is located 

in deep water (> 1,000 feet).

Source: Minerals Management Service, 2003

Approximate number of U.S. 

based Gulf of Mexico active oil 

and gas platforms.

Source: BOEMRE, 2011

Reported number of 

petroleum-related workers 

employed in the Gulf Coast 

Region in 2009.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010

Total wages earned by those 

working in the oil and gas 

industry in the Gulf Coast 

Region in 2009.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010

50%

3,701

If placed end to end, the oil 

and gas pipelines in the Gulf 

of Mexico could wrap around 

the Earth’s equator.

The Gulf of Mexico region’s oil and gas industry 

is one of the most developed in the world, 

supplying the region with jobs and the Nation 

with a valuable energy source. 

120,676

Source: BOEMRE, 2011

$15.6 billion

Offshore aquaculture cage near an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Credit: Tim Reid

18

The Gulf Region’s Contribution 

to U.S. Energy Production

Crude Oil Production

Natural Gas Production

Crude Oil Refinery Capacity

54%

52%

47%

of U.S. total based on a three year 

average from 2008 to 2010.

of U.S. total based on a three year 

average from 2007 to 2009.

of U.S. total based on a three year 

average from 2008 to 2010.

Offshore oil production is susceptible to 

extreme weather events. Hurricane Ivan in 

2004 destroyed seven platforms in the Gulf of 

Mexico, significantly damaged 24 platforms, 

and damaged 102 pipelines. Hurricanes Katrina 

and Rita in 2005 destroyed more than 100 

platforms and damaged 558 pipelines.

The Gulf Region’s Energy 

Production and Hurricanes

2.0

1.8

1.6

1.4

1.2

1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0

Crude Oil

(Million Barrels Per Day)

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 

Isidore (C3)

& Lili (C4) 

Claudette

(C1) 

Ivan

(C5) 

Katrina (C5)

& Rita (C5) 

Erin (TS)

& Dean (C5) 

Gustav(C4)

& Ike (C4) 

Ida

(C2) 

16

14

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

Natural Gas

(Billion Cubic Feet Per Day)

Source: U.S. Global Change Research Program, 2009

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2010b

Figure 28: Crude oil and natural gas production in federal 

offshore Gulf of Mexcio in relation to hurricanes, 2002 to 2009. 

Figure 27: Energy production and refining capacity of the 

Gulf of Mexico region as percentages of the total U.S. share. 

The crude oil and natural gas percentages represent the 

aggregation of federal and state offshore production in the 

Gulf of Mexico and the entire states of Florida, Alabama, 

Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. Crude oil refining capacity 

represents the entire states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, 

Louisiana, and Texas. Data is not readily available below the 

state level.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2011a, 2010a, 2011b

Year

Crude Oil

(left axis)

Natural Gas

(right axis)

Hurricanes and Associated Categories (C)
THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e

Location of Active Oil and Gas Platforms in the Gulf of Mexico

Figure 29: Oil and gas pipelines in the U.S. portion of the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.

Source: BOEMRE, 2011

Figure 30: Active oil and gas platforms in the U.S. portion of the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.

Source: BOEMRE, 2011

Status and Location of Oil and Gas Pipelines in the Gulf of Mexico

Active (26,590 mi.)

Proposed (1,054 mi.)

Out of Service (17,124 mi.)

Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig

19

Gulf of Mexico

Gulf of Mexico

The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) is the only offshore deepwater 

port in the U.S. LOOP is connected to over 50 percent of the U.S. refinery 

capacity and has offloaded over 7 billion barrels of foreign crude oil since 

its installation (http://loopllc.com). Credit: Bob Webster

Port Fourchon, LA, services approximately ninety percent of all deepwater 

rigs and platforms in the Gulf of Mexico and is host for the Louisiana 

Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) Credit: Greater Lafourche Port Commission

Active Oil and Gas 

Platforms (3,701)
ECONOMY: Waterborne Commerce

Respective state rankings of 

Louisiana and Texas in U.S. 

waterborne traffic in 2009.

Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2010b

Percent of all U.S. international 

trade tonnage passing through 

Gulf coast ports in 2009.

Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2010a

Number of miles the port of 

South Louisiana stretches 

along the Mississippi River. 

The port has been ranked first 

in the U.S. for total tonnage for 

more than a dozen years and is 

the largest tonnage port in the 

Western Hemisphere.

Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2010b

Million cubic yards of material 

dredged by the U.S. Army 

Corps of Engineers from 

30,000 square miles of south 

central and coastal Louisiana 

in 2009.

Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2010b

1 and 2

The Gulf Coast Region 

contained thirteen of the 

Nation’s 20 leading ports for 

tonnage in 2009.

The U.S. economy relies heavily on the ports in the Gulf of

Mexico region for the import and export of both foreign and

domestic goods. The Gulf of Mexico region supports many

ports that lead the Nation in total commerce.

Leading Ports in Tonnage in 2009

Table 11: In 2009, 15 of top 50 U.S. ports, by tonnage, were 

located in the Gulf Coast Region. Ports are listed individually and 

do not include port complexes. For the geographic description 

of each port, visit: http://www.ndc.iwr.usace.army.mil/wcsc/

webpub09/Part2_Ports_tonsbycommCY2009.htm.

Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2010a

 1

 2

 5

 6

 7

10

11

12

13

14

16

17

19

27

47

South Louisiana, LA

Houston, TX

Corpus Christi, TX

New Orleans, LA

Beaumont, TX

Texas City, TX

Lake Charles, LA

Mobile, AL

Baton Rouge, LA

Plaquemines, LA

Pascagoula, MS

Tampa, FL

Port Arthur, TX

Freeport, TX

Galveston, TX

213

211

 68

 68

 68

 53

 52

 52

 52

 51

 37

 35

 34

 27

 10

U.S. Rank Port

Short Tons 

(Millions)

D i d Yo u K n ow ?

The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway extends 1,109 miles, greater than the distance from Washington, DC, to Miami, FL. The 

waterway is a dredged canal spanning from Florida to Texas, linking commerce along all five U.S. Gulf of Mexico states.

50%

54

Source: USACE, 2010b

49

Source: U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers, 2010a Port of Corpus Christi, TX. Credit: Port of Corpus Christi Authority

20

Vessel Transits

Figure 31: Volume of unique vessels reported per day by the 

Automatic Information System (AIS) in the Western Gulf of 

Mexico.

Source: Ward and Gallagher, 2011

Vessel Transits from July, 2009 - July, 2010

Gulf of Mexico

Low

(0 - 10 unique vessels)

High

(17,880 - 38,240 

unique vessels)

Medium

(1,180 - 2,070 

unique vessels)
THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e

Figure 33. Primary commodity charts of the leading five Gulf ports in total tonnage in 2009.

South Louisiana 

Primary Commodities

a 2%

j 47%

i 2%

h 3%

g 2%

f 4%

e 5%

d 3%

c 23%

b 9%

Houston, TX

Primary Commodities

c 45%

b 27%

e 19%

f 1%

i 2%

j 4%

k 2%

Corpus Christi, TX

Primary Commodities

c 38%

b 41%

e 7%

f 1%

j 6%

h 7%

c 30%

Beaumont, TX

Primary Commodities

e 8% b 58%

f 2%

j 2%

New Orleans, LA

Primary Commodities

a 3%

j 30%

i 7%

h 1%

g 1%f 5% e 5% d 3%

b 9%

k 1%

c 35%

Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Navigation Data Center, 2010

21

The Location of the Gulf Coast Region’s Principal Ports and Shipping Routes

Primary Commodities of the Leading Gulf Ports

Figure 32. Location of the top 15 Gulf ports by tonnage, and principal shipping routes (blue lines) in 2009.

Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2010a

k. Manufactured Goods

a. Coal b. Crude Petroleum c. Petroleum Products d. Fertilizers e. Chemicals f. Sand

g. Iron h. Other Metals i. Metal Products j. Food

Houston, TX

Freeport, TX Galveston, TX

Port Arthur, TX

Corpus 

Christi, TX

Texas City, TX

Beaumont, TX

Baton Rouge, LA

New Orleans, LA

Plaquemines, LA

Lake Charles, LA

SouthLouisiana, LA

Pascagoula, MS

Mobile Harbor, AL

Tampa, FL

A ship arriving into the Port of Tampa, Florida’s largest port. Credit: Mike Henderson, 

NOAA

Gulf of Mexico
ECONOMY: Commercial Fishing

Commercial fishing, which has long supported the livelihood 

of many regional residents and provided the Nation with 

abundant seafood, is dependent on a healthy Gulf of Mexico 

ecosystem. This multi-billion dollar industry has traditionally 

included fin fish, shrimp, oysters, and crab. 

Most Productive Ports by Value Most Productive Ports by Poundage

3

5

6

7

26

30

31

33

36

38

Empire-Venice, LA

Brownsville-Port Isabel, TX

Dulac-Chauvin, LA

Intracoastal City, LA

Galveston, TX

Key West, FL

Bayou La Batre, AL

Port Arthur, TX

Palacios, TX

Lafitte-Barataria, LA

68

47

45

37

36

35

35

35

28

27

Empire-Venice, LA

Intracoastal City, LA

Pascagoula-Moss Point, MS

Cameron, LA

Dulac-Chauvin, LA

Brownsville-Port Isabel, TX

Lafitte-Barataria, LA

Bayou La Batre, AL

Golden Meadow-Leeville, LA

Galveston, TX

363

266

208

187

34

24

23

21

19

18

U.S. Rank Port Dollars (Million) U.S. Rank Port Pounds (Million)

Gulf of Mexico

Empire-Venice, LA

BrownsvillePort Isabel, TX

Dulac-Chauvin, LA

Intracoastal 

City, LA

Galveston, TX

Key West, FL

Arthur, TX Port 

Bayou La Batre, AL

Palacios, TX

Lafitte-Barataria, LA

Pascagoula-Moss Point, MS

Cameron, LA

Golden Meadow-Leeville, LA

Percent of total U.S. shrimp 

landings that were from the 

Gulf of Mexico region from 

2007 to 2009, a three-year 

average of 221 million pounds.

Source: National Marine Fisheries Service, 2010a

Percent of total U.S. oyster 

landings that were from the 

Gulf of Mexico region from 

2007 to 2009, a three-year 

average of 22 million pounds.

Source: National Marine Fisheries Service, 2010a

Percent of total U.S. 

commercial fishery landings 

that were from the Gulf of 

Mexico region between 2007 

and 2009 (Alaska accounts for 

55% of all landings).

Source: National Marine Fisheries Service, 2010a

Average number of pounds of 

commercial landings per year 

in the Gulf of Mexico region 

from 2007 to 2009, yielding a 

value of $660 million.

Source: National Marine Fisheries Service, 2010a

78%

62%

16%

1.4 billion

In 2009, 

three of the top six 

commercial fishing ports in the 

U.S. by pounds landed were in 

the Gulf Coast Region.

Source: National Marine 

Fisheries Service, 2010d

Table 12: Average annual value of commercial landings from 

2007 to 2009 in the Gulf Coast Region’s most productive 

commercial fishing ports.

Source: National Marine Fisheries Service, 2010d

Table 13: Average annual pounds of commercial landings 

from 2007 to 2009 in the Gulf Coast Region’s most productive 

commercial fishing ports.

Source: National Marine Fisheries Service, 2010d

Pass Christian Harbor shrimp boats.

Credit: Barbara Ambrose, NOAA National Coastal Data 

Development Center. 

22

6

11

12

15

16

18

19

20

29

30
THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e

Commercial Fishing Landings

Landings by Poundage Landings by Value

Source: National Marine Fisheries Service, 2010a

Figure 34: Distribution of the 1.4 billion pounds of 

commercial fishing landings by state. An average annual 

number from 2007 to 2009. 

Figure 35: Distribution of the $660 million of 

commercial fishing value by state. An average annual 

value from 2007 to 2009. 

Top Commercial Species

Species Landings by Poundage

Menhaden

Brown Shrimp

White Shrimp

Blue Crab

Eastern Oyster

Oil has the potential to impact fish 

directly through uptake by gills, 

ingestion of oil or oiled prey, effects on 

eggs and larval survival, or changes in 

the ecosystem that support the fish.

The Deepwater Horizon MC252 oil 

spill forced the temporary closure 

of up to 88,522 square miles or 36 

percent of federal Gulf waters, and 

more in state waters, to fishing. In 

2010, the majority of state and federal 

waters had been reopened based on 

joint efforts of NOAA, the EPA, the 

Food and Drug Administration and 

the states in developing a reopening 

protocol that includes sensory and 

chemical testing of seafood for 

components of the oil (Mabus, 2010). 

As of April 2011, all federal waters of 

the Gulf once closed to fishing due to 

the spill are now open (NOAA, 2011).

1

2

3

4

5

978

106

104

55

22

Rank Species

Pounds

(Million)

Table 14: The top five species landings by poundage in the 

Gulf of Mexico, a three-year average from 2007 to 2009. 

Source: National Marine Fisheries Service, 2010a

LA (71%)

MS (16%)

TX (6%)

FL (5%)

AL (2%)

LA (43%)

TX (25%)

FL (19%)

AL (7%)

MS (6%)

Source: National Marine Fisheries Service, 2010a

Figure 36: Geoplatform.gov provided current 

information on fisheries closures in the Gulf of 

Mexico that were a direct result of the Deepwater 

Horizon MC252 oil spill. 

Fishing Closures and the 

Deepwater Horizon 

MC252 O il Spill

23

Species Landings by Value

White Shrimp

Brown Shrimp

Eastern Oyster

Menhaden

Blue Crab

1

2

3

4

5

176

152

67

62

43

Rank Species

Dollars

(Million)

Table 15: The top five species landings by value in the 

Gulf of Mexico, a three-year average from 2007 to 2009. 

Source: National Marine Fisheries Service, 2010a
ECONOMY: M arine Recreational Fishing

Percent of total U.S. marine 

recreational fishing trips taken 

in the Gulf of Mexico in 2009. 

Number of marine recreational 

fishing trips taken in the Gulf 

of Mexico during 2009.

Number of Gulf Coast Region 

residents who took part in 

marine recreational fishing in 

2009.

Percent of fish that were 

released out of a total catch of 

173 million fish in the Gulf of 

Mexico during 2009 (harvest 

value does not include Texas).

Source: National Marine Fisheries Service, 2010c

31%

23 million

2.8 million

47%

The Gulf of Mexico 

accounted for over 44% of 

all U.S. marine recreational 

fishing catch in 2009.

From fly fishing in shallow-water flats for red drum to fishing 

artificial reefs for grouper, the Gulf of Mexico offers a variety 

of diverse habitats and species for those seeking a recreational 

fishing adventure. Both residents and tourists alike are drawn 

to the Gulf for extraordinary fishing opportunities. 

Top Six Species Caught in 2009

1

2

3

4

5

6

Spotted seatrout

Red drum

Sheepshead

Red snapper

King mackerel

Black drum

14.5

11.9

4.4

3.6

3.3

2.9

Rank Species

Pounds

(Million)

Figure 37: Distribution of the 23 million Gulf of Mexico 

marine recreational fishing trips by state in 2009. 

Note: Marine recreational fishing in Texas is monitored by 

the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and has not been 

surveyed by the National Marine Fisheries Service’s survey 

program since 1985.

Source: National Marine Fisheries Service, 2010c

Table 16: Top six marine recreational fishing species in the 

Gulf of Mexico by pounds harvested (harvest numbers do not 

include Texas).

Source: National Marine Fisheries Service, 2010c

Recreational Fishing Trips Recreational Fishing Species

Fishing Trips by State

Recreation fishing trip along the Florida Gulf coast. 

Credit: Russell Dunn

FL (67%)

LA (17%)

AL (7%)

MS (5%)

TX (4%)

A recreational fisherman in Nueces County, TX.

Credit: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

24

Father and son catch a red drum along the Florida Gulf coast. 

Credit: Russell Dunn
ECOSYSTEMS

The Gulf of Mexico region boasts a wide range of ecosystems with 

unique features and habitats, and Gulf waters are home to a rich 

diversity of species. Its coastal areas contain half of the coastal 

wetlands in the United States, and are home to vital natural resources, 

including nesting waterfowl, colonial waterbird rookeries, sea turtles, 

and fisheries. National, local, and state protected areas have been 

established to conserve many of these unique places. However, these 

ecosystems have been both under pressure by human uses and stressed 

by natural processes over time.

In this section, explore unique habitats in the Gulf of Mexico region 

and the threats facing those habitats.

Unique Habitats

Explore the Gulf coast’s many different natural habitats.

Wetlands

Discover the current extent of wetlands in the Gulf of Mexico coastal 

watershed area and how wetland coverage has changed over time.

Protected Areas

Learn about both land based and marine protected areas and collective 

protection level and conservation focus. 

Species Diversity

Investigate the rich diversity of species associated with marine aquatic 

environments by types of organisms and by species richness at varying 

depths in the Gulf of Mexico.

Nonindigenous Aquatic Species

Explore nonindigenous plants and animals in the Gulf Coast Region and 

some of their impacts on ecosystems and economies.

Coastal Vulnerability

Gain an appreciation for the vulnerability of coastal areas to sea level 

rise, and current rates of change in local sea level.

Nutrient Pollution and Hypoxia

Gain insight about hypoxic “Dead Zones” and other problems 

associated with nutrient pollution.

Chemical Contaminants

Explore chemical contamination in natural environments through 

a look at contaminants in oysters, as well as EPA’s National Priority 

List of Superfund sites.

THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e 25

The three major report themes and the significance of their connections.
ECOSYSTEMS: Unique Habitats

Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPC) represent only a 

subset of particularly important areas along the Gulf coast that 

are recognized by conservation entities. They are designated 

to focus conservation priorities on specific areas that play a 

particularly important role in the life cycles of federally managed 

fish species. HAPC are designated within areas identified as 

Essential Fish Habitat4 and are based on one or more of the 

following considerations:

the importance of the ecological function provided by the 

habitat;

the extent to which the habitat is sensitive to human-induced 

environmental degradation;

whether and to what extent development activities are or will 

be stressing the habitat; and,

the rarity of the habitat type (Dale and Santos, 2006).

The Gulf of Mexico is home to 

diverse habitats, some unique to the 

Nation and the world. These habitats 

provide a rich mosaic of features that 

support not only the large marine 

ecosystem but its sensitive and 

commercially important species.

A giant anemone (Condylactis gigantea) at 

the Flower Garden Banks National Marine 

Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA

Red mangroves found in Florida. 

Credit: U.S. Geological Survey

26

Habitats of Particular Concern

Turtle Grass in the Florida Keys National Marine 

Sanctuary. Credit: Paige Gill

Gulf of Mexico:

Habitat Areas of 

Particular Concern

Figure 38: Habitat Areas of Particular Concern in the Gulf of Mexico in 2006.

Source: Dale and Santos, 2006
THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e 27
ECOSYSTEMS: Wetlands

108

Thirty-one percent 

of the Gulf of Mexico coastal 

watershed area is comprised 

of wetlands, a total of 28,372 

square miles. 

Source: NOAA Coastal 

Services Center, 2006

Wetlands are among the Gulf region’s most ecologically and 

economically important habitats, and provide a host of benefits 

for fish, wildlife, and coastal communities. Wetlands are valuable 

because they help remove pollutants from the water, recharge water 

supplies, provide flood and storm surge protection, prevent soil 

erosion, and provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat. In addition, 

wetlands provide people with an abundance of aesthetic qualities 

and recreational opportunities, and also serve as exceptional sites 

for scientific research and public education.

Wetland Change

Wetlands on St. Vincent Island, FL were restored by 

removing water flow blockages by many miles of roads. 

Credit: NOAA

Whooping Cranes. Credit: Texas Parks and Wildlife 

Department

Open Water

Bare Land

Agriculture/Pasture/Hay

Development

Land Cover Types that Wetlands have been 

Lost To or Gained From, 1996 to 2006

Wetlands Loss To: Wetlands Gain From:

Square Miles

 150 100 50 0 50 100

Figure 39: Changes in wetlands land coverage in the Gulf of Mexico 

coastal watershed area from 1996 to 2006. See Appendix B for the 

extent of the coastal watershed area.

Source: NOAA Coastal Services Center, 2006

272 square miles of wetlands 

were converted to open water, 

bare land, agriculture, and 

developed area between 1996 

and 2006 in the Gulf of Mexico 

coastal watershed area (See 

Appendix B for the extent of the 

coastal watershed area). 

Square miles of wetlands lost 

to development between 1996 

and 2006 in the Gulf coastal 

watershed area. 

Source: NOAA Coastal Services Center, 2006

Value of annual commercial 

shellfish harvest in the Gulf of 

Mexico’s coastal wetlands in 

2009. This is approximately 

355 million pounds of shellfish.

Source: National Marine Fisheries Service, 2010a

Amount of marsh (in square 

miles) that was transformed 

into open water in coastal 

Louisiana as a result of 

Hurricanes Rita and Katrina.

Source: Barras et al., 2008

The amount of Louisiana’s 

coastal wetlands that will be 

lost by the year 2050 at current 

rates of loss.

Source: America’s Energy Coast, 2009

$474 million

1/3

28

198
THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e

Estuarine (or Saltwater) Wetlands

Gross Loss and Gain in Saltwater and Freshwater Wetlands, 1996 to 2006

Wetlands Loss To: Wetlands Gain From:

Square Miles

Figure 40: Changes in saltwater and freshwater wetlands in the Gulf of Mexico coastal watershed area from 1996 to 2006.

Source: NOAA Coastal Services Center, 20o6

Palustrine (or Freshwater) Wetlands

2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 500 1,000 1,500

The effect of the Deepwater 

Horizon MC252 oil spill on coastal 

wetlands will be determined 

by how much oil reaches these 

habitats, and how long it stays 

there. 

Ninety-seven percent (by weight) 

of the commercial fish and 

shellfish landings from the Gulf 

of Mexico are species that depend 

on estuaries and their wetlands at 

some point in their life cycle.

Oil resting on vegetated coastal 

shorelines could cause the 

vegetation to become stressed and 

die, increasing the vulnerability of 

marsh soils to accelerated erosion 

from waves and storms.

Overall, the presence of discharged 

oil in the environment may cause 

decreased habitat use in the area, 

altered migration patterns, altered 

food availability, and disrupted life 

cycles.

Gross Loss and Gain in Wetlands by Vegetation Type, 1996 to 2006

Wetlands Loss To: Wetlands Gain From:

 1,500 1,000 500 0 500 1,000 

Figure 41: Changes in different types of wetland vegetation in the Gulf of Mexico coastal 

watershed area from 1996 to 2006. The percentages to the right of the chart represent the 

estuarine and palustrine make-up of each wetland category.

Source: NOAA Coastal Services Center, 20o6

Emergent 

Forested 

Scrub/Shrub 

An example of forested wetlands in Grand Bay 

National Estuarine Research Reserve, MS.

Credit: P. R. Hoar, NOAA/NESDIS/NCDDC

An example of scrub/shrub wetlands in Grand 

Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, MS.

Credit: P. R. Hoar, NOAA/NESDIS/NCDDC

An example of emergent wetlands in Grand 

Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, MS.

Credit: P. R. Hoar, NOAA/NESDIS/NCDDC

Typical oiling in wetland areas on May 21, 2010, near the 

mouth of South Pass, LA. The oil forms a ‘bathtub ring’ 

marking the high tide line from a previous week’s storm 

tide. Credit: NOAA

Estuarine (9%)

Palustrine (91%)

Estuarine (1%)

Palustrine (99%)

Estuarine (<1%)

Palustrine (99%)

29

Square Miles

Wetlands and the Oil Spill
ECOSYSTEMS: Protec ted Areas

Protected Areas in the Gulf Coast Region and Marine Waters of the Gulf of Mexico

Flower Garden Banks National Marine 

Sanctuary. Credit: G.P. Schmahl, NOAA

30

99%

70% of all 

marine protected areas are 

state managed, whereas 92% 

of the total area protected is 

federally managed.

Percent of spatial area 

in marine protected 

areas where fishing and 

other extractive uses are 

allowed.

 

Percent of land based 

protected area that is 

managed for multiple use 

(including extractive uses) 

of natural resources.

67%

Source: USGS National Gap Analysis 

Program, 2010

Land Based Protected Areas

Marine Protected Areas 

Federal, state, local and private forests, parks, preserves, wildlife refuges and other similar areas.

Uniform and Zoned Multiple Use - Fishing and other extractive uses are allowed with restrictions. These tend to 

be very large fishery management areas where the focus is on sustainable production of commercial fish stocks. 

Zoned With No Take Areas - Fishing and other extractive uses are allowed with variable levels of restrictions. 

Contains at least one management zone within the protected area where extractive uses are prohibited. 

No-Take - The extraction or destruction of natural or cultural resources is prohibited in the entire protected area.

Protected areas in the Gulf Coast Region and Gulf of Mexico 

waters vary widely in purpose, legal authorities, managing 

agencies and levels of protection provided. They are meant to 

provide greater protection for natural or cultural resources within 

a specific geographic area. 

Gulf of Mexico

Source: National Marine Protected Areas Center, 2008; USGS National Gap Analysis Program, 2010

Figure 42: Location of land based and marine protected areas and their use categories.

Everglades National Park. Credit: National 

Park Service

Goose Island State Park, TX. Credit: Chase Fountain

Gulf Coast Region Boundary

Source: National Marine Protected Areas 

Center, 2008

Source: National Marine Protected 

Areas Center, 2008
THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e

Land Based Protected Areas

Marine Protected Areas

Source: USGS National Gap Analysis Program, 2010

Management Protection Level Conservation Focus

Number of Areas Surface Area

(sq. mi.)

Surface Area

(sq. mi.)

Surface Area

(sq. mi.)

Federal land

State land

Local and regional

NGO

Private

Not subject to extractive use: ecological disturbance 

events allowed to proceed

Not subject to extractive use: ecological disturbance 

events suppressed

Subject to extractive or off highway vehicle use

Strict nature reserves and wilderness

National parks, natural monuments and features

Habitat/species management areas

Permanently protected and managed for multiple

uses

9,084

68%

2,887

22%

562

4%

746

6%

541

74%

134

19%

30

4%

22

3%

467

65%

186

26%

64

9%

8,925

67%

2,834

21%

1,521

12%

481

68%

139

19%

70

10% 13

9 2%

1%

5,484

41%

7,027

53%

530

4%

225

13 2%

<1%

Source: National Marine Protected Areas Center, 2008

Management Protection Level Conservation Focus

Surface Area

(sq. mi.)

Federal

State

Federal/state partnership

Sustainable production

Natural heritage

141,633

87%

21,107

13%

149

88%

21

12%

145

85%

9

5%

5

3%

155,685

96%

6,568

4%

113

<1%

119

70%

46

27%

5

3%

150,440

92%

884

1% 11,456

7% 11

7%

No access/no take

Zoned with no take areas

Zoned multiple use

Uniform multiple use

374

<1%

Surface Area

(sq. mi.)

Surface Area

(sq. mi.)

31

Figure 43: Management, protection level, and conservation focus of land based protected areas in the Gulf Coast Region.

Figure 44: Management, protection level, and conservation focus of marine protected areas in the Gulf of Mexico.

Number of Areas Number of Areas

Number of Areas Number of Areas Number of Areas
ECOSYSTEMS:

Figure 45: Total number of plant and animal species reported for each region. Sizes of circles are 

proportional to species numbers within each depth range of the Gulf of Mexico.

Source: Brenner and Moretzsohn, Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, 2010. 

Known Species Richness at Varying Depths within the Gulf of Mexico

The west coast of 

Florida and the Florida 

panhandle areas 

are relatively rich in 

species diversity in the 

Gulf of Mexico. As the 

water depth increases, 

the number of species 

decreases, indicating 

the importance of 

coastal areas to species 

richness.

Adult Nassau grouper. Credit: C. Dahlgren

Species Diversit y 

64%

Over 15,000 species are found 

in Gulf of Mexico waters. Marine biodiversity helps the Gulf of Mexico’s 

ability to produce seafood, resist diseases, filter 

pollutants, and rebound from stresses such as 

overfishing and man-made and natural disasters. 

From the smallest microbe to the largest mammal, 

each species plays an important role in how the Gulf 

of Mexico functions. Baby loggerhead sea turtles on Santa Rosa Island, FL. Credit: Airman 

Anthony Jennings, U.S. Air Force Percent of fishes in the Western 

Central Atlantic Ocean that 

occur in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Percent of marine mollusks in 

the Western Central Atlantic 

Ocean that occur in the Gulf of 

Mexico. 

Source: Felder and Camp, eds., 2009

38%

This hermit crab (Paguristes hernancortezi) was 

found scuttling across the sea floor in deeper 

areas of Flower Garden Banks National Marine 

Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA

A red night shrimp (Cinetorhynehus manningi) 

perched on the reef. Credit: NOAA

32
THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e 33

Diversity of Species in Gulf of Mexico Waters

Selected Species Associated with 

Marine and Aquatic Environments

Source: Felder and Camp, eds., 2009

Table 17: Select Gulf of Mexico species (of the more than 

15,000 species) associated with marine and aquatic 

environments. 

Crabs and shrimp

Clams, snails, and octopi

Boney fish

Corals, anemones, and jellyfish

Red, green, and brown seaweeds

Sea stars and urchins 

Birds

Sponges

Sharks, skates, and rays

Whales and dolphins

Sea turtles

Snakes

Crocodiles

Manatees

2,638

2,455

1,413

792

673

522

395

339

123

28

5

2

1

1

Types of Species Species Count

Invertebrate (63%)

Plants/Fungi/Algae (24%)

Vertebrate (13%)

Species Associated with Marine and 

Aquatic Environments

Source: Felder and Camp, eds., 2009

Figure 46: Gulf of Mexico species (of the more than 15,000 

species) associated with marine and aquatic environments. 

The present inventory of 15,419 species 

covers roughly 80% to 85% of all known 

(or described) organisms in the entire 

Gulf Region.5

Source: Felder and Camp, eds., 2009

An oil spill in 1990 (the Mega Borg spill) 

off Galveston, TX, showed that bottlenose 

dolphins do not know how to avoid 

extensive oil-covered areas, and were seen 

resurfacing in fresh areas of the spill.

Source: Smultea and Wursig, 1995

Bottlenose dolphin in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Credit: NOAA

Dense swarm of jellyfish in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Credit: Monty Graham, Dauphin Island Sea Lab

Brown pelicans fly over Plover Island, near 

the mouth of the Mississippi River, joined by 

laughing gulls. Credit: Doug Spinks, USACE 

New Orleans
ECOSYSTEMS:

W h a t a r e t h e m a j o r e co l o g i ca l i m p a c t s o f n o n i n d i g e n o u s s p e c i e s ?

1. Decline of native species due to alteration of food webs and habitat, competition for food and space, and predation.

2. Changes in ecosystem structure and function, such as nutrient availability and water movement.

3. The introduction of virulent plant and animal diseases and parasites. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000

Nonindigenous Aquatic Species

Approximate amount Florida 

spends to control hydrilla, a 

submersed plant with rapid 

growth rates.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 

2000; Pimentel, et. al, 2005

Estimated annual recreational 

losses in just two Florida lakes 

due to infestation of hydrilla.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 

2000; Pimentel, et. al, 2005

Percent of counties in the Gulf 

Coast Region where nutria 

have been sighted.

Source: U.S. Geological Survey, 2010

Estimated U.S. damage and 

control costs per year from 

zebra and quagga mussels. 

Source: Pimentel, et. al, 2005; U.S. Geological

Survey, 2010.

$14.5 million

59%

Over 331 nonindigenous aquatic 

species have been found in the 

Gulf Coast Region.

6

Most nonindigenous aquatic organisms are transported into 

aquatic ecosystems beyond their historic or native range as a result 

of human activities. They have the ability to adversely impact local 

economies, fisheries, sensitive coastal ecosystems, and human 

health, and are second only to habitat destruction as the greatest 

cause of biodiversity loss. The cost to manage this problem in the 

U.S. is estimated at $137 billion annually (Pimentel et. al. 2000).

$10 million

$1 billion

Source: U.S. Geological Survey, 2010; 

Froese and Pauly, 2010; Steves et al., 

2003; NEMESIS, 2011

Figure 47: Proportions of nonindigenous 

aquatic species that have been introduced 

into the Gulf Coast Region and Gulf of 

Mexico.

Source: U.S. Geological Survey, 2010; Froese and 

Pauly, 2010; Steves et al., 2003; NEMESIS, 2011

Species Introduced Marine and Freshwater 

Introductions

Figure 48: Proportion of over 331 species introduced 

to either freshwater or marine areas, including those 

species that did not become established. Estuarine 

species are included as marine.

Source: U.S. Geological Survey, 2010; Froese and Pauly, 2010; 

Steves et al., 2003; NEMESIS, 2011

Zebra Mussel. Credit: National Park Service

Freshwater (70%)

Marine (27%)

Freshwater/Marine

(Anadromous) (3%)

34

Invertebrates

Vertebrates

Fishes (40%)

Reptiles (5%)

Amphibians (2%)

Mammals (1%)

Plants

Plants (18%)

Algae (1%)

Crustaceans (11%)

Mollusks (9%)

Arthropods (3%)

Cnidarians (3%)

Annelids (2%)

Tunicates (2%)

Echinoderms (<1%)

Bryozoans (<1%)

Platyhelminthes (<1%)

Protozoans (<1%)

Plants

Ve

r

t

e

b

r

ates

nI

ver tebrate

s
THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e

Some Nonindigenous Species in the Gulf Coast Region

Means of Introduction: Imported to Louisiana for fur farming.

Status: Feral populations reported in 83 counties in the Gulf Coast Region.

Impact: Over-grazing and destruction of wetland habitats, burrowing into 

flood protection levee. 

Nutria, Myocastor coypus 

Large semi-aquatic rodents indigenous to South America.

Means of Introduction: Sold as an ornamental plant for fish ponds.

Status: Reported in 68 counties in the Gulf Coast Region.

Impact: Grows at explosive rates – leading to clogged waterways, altered 

water temperature and chemistry, and the exclusion of native plants and 

wildlife. 

Water-Hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms

Floating perennial plants native to Brazil.

Means of Introduction: Ballast water exchange (most likely).

Status: Reported in 65 counties in the Gulf Coast Region.

Impact: Forms dense mats that crowd out native species and impedes 

recreational activities such as boating, swimming, and fishing. 

Alligatorweed, Alternanthera philoxeroides

Floating perennial plants native to South America.

Means of Introduction: Source of first introduction unknown, although believed 

to be introduced as a food item by Chinese immigrants.

Status: Reported in 59 counties in the Gulf Coast Region. 

Impact: Large numbers, either dead or alive, clog water intake pipes, costing 

about $1 billion annually for removal. 

Asian Clam, Corbicula fluminea

Small freshwater clams native to southern and eastern Asia and Africa.

Source: U.S. Geological Survey, 2010; U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2010

Source: U.S. Geological Survey, 2010

Source: U.S. Geological Survey, 2010

Source: U.S. Geological Survey, 2010

Credit: Alabama Department 

of Conservation and Natural 

Resources

Credit: John M. Randall, 

The Nature Conservancy

Credit: Noel M. Burkhead

35

Lionfish in the Gulf of Mexico

Indo-Pacific Lionfish (Pterois volitans/

miles) have become widely established 

in the Southeast U.S. and Caribbean in 

less than a decade. These fish pose a 

significant threat to the Gulf of Mexico as 

they are capable of permanently impacting 

native reef fish communities. Lionfish are 

known to eat native fish and crustaceans 

in large quantities, and once established, 

lionfish are very difficult to control. 

Lionfish have now been sighted in multiple 

locations in the Gulf of Mexico. Figure 49 

shows the northward movement of lionfish 

into this region. It is anticipated that 

this species will continue their expansion 

and spread throughout the entire Gulf of 

Mexico (Schofield, 2010).

Figure 49. Map showing time lines indicating when lionfish were 

first sighted in the region. The star represents an anomalous lionfish 

sighting from 2006 (Schofield, 2010)

c

Credit: Alabama Department 

of Conservation and Natural 

Resources

Credit: Paula Whitfield
ECOSYSTEMS: Coastal Vulnerabilit y

3.03

Fifty-nine percent of 

the U.S. Gulf of Mexico 

shoreline is considered very 

vulnerable to sea level rise.

Source: Thieler and Hammer-Klose, 2006

It is certain that Gulf coastal communities will continue to 

experience significant, destructive coastal storms, as well as longterm sea level rise. By becoming more “resilient,” communities can 

increase their ability to “bounce back” after hurricanes and flooding. 

More resilient communities, with the ability to quickly recover both 

economically and socially, will be critical to the region’s long-term 

viability and success. Flooding in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. 

Credit: NOAA

100-year projected local sea 

level rise (in feet) at Grand 

Isle, LA, one of the highest 

projected in the U.S. 

Source: NOAA Tides & Currents, 2010

Percent of Texas, Louisiana, 

and Mississippi coasts that are 

at high or very high risk to sea 

level rise.

Source: Thieler and Hammer-Klose, 2006

100%

Figure 50: Local sea level trends along the U.S. Gulf coast.

Source: NOAA, 2010e.

0 to 3 (0 to 1) 3 to 6 (1 to 2) 6 to 9 (2 to 3) 9 to 12 (3 to 4)

Sea level Trends

mm/yr (feet/century)

Global sea level rise is currently estimated as 1.7-1.8 mm/year. Local sea level change, which is 

of more direct concern to coastal communities, is a combination of the global rise in sea level and 

local changes in land elevation. While some areas of the country (for example, areas of Alaska) are 

actually experiencing a lowering of local sea level due to the land rising faster than the sea level is 

rising, the Gulf Coast is experiencing land subsidence at varying rates and thus local sea level rise. 

St. Charles, LA tide gauge, one component of the 

St. Charles Parish Water Level Monitoring System. 

This system will provide critical information 

to save lives, protect property, and restore the 

environment in this community.

Credit: NOAA

Sea level Rise along the Gulf Coast

36

Gulf of Mexico
THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e

Shoreline Erosion Rate

Geomorphology

(erodibility of shoreline)

Historic Sea Level Rise Rate

Regional Coastal Slope

(steepness or flatness)

Tide Range

Wave Height

TX

LA

MS

AL

FL

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000

Miles

Figure 51: Coastal vulnerability index rating for the U.S. Gulf of Mexico coastline.

Source: Thieler and Hammer-Klose, 2006

Low

Moderate

High

Very High

Low

Moderate

High

Very High

Risk Ranking

Coastal Vulnerability Index 

Awareness of the relative vulnerability (physical change) of coastal areas to sea level 

rise will help communities consider the longer-term costs of protecting or relocating 

themselves. The preliminary assessment presented here, conducted by the U.S. 

Geological Survey, describes how vulnerable the Gulf of Mexico region might be to 

long-term sea level rise.

What is Considered When 

Determining Coastal Vulnerability 

Index Ratings?

Changes in Mean Sea level (MSL), 

either a sea level rise or sea level fall, 

have been computed at 128 long-term 

water level stations around the country 

using a minimum span of 30 years of 

observations at each location. These 

measurements have been averaged 

by month to remove the effect of high 

frequency phenomena, such as waves 

and tides, to compute an accurate local 

sea level trend. For more information, 

visit: http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov

How Sea Level Trends are Determined

Connections to a Changing Climate

THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e 37

Source: Thieler and Hammer-Klose, 2006

Source: NOAA, 2010e.
ECOSYSTEMS: Nutrient Pollution and H ypoxia

The Gulf of Mexico “Dead Zone”

Hypoxia refers to lower levels of oxygen in the water column. 

Levels can be so low that fish and shellfish might not have 

enough oxygen to survive. Hypoxia can occur naturally, 

however, it often indicates a human-caused oversupply of 

nutrients, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus, from urban, 

agricultural, and other sources. This oversupply of nutrients 

in the water can cause intensive unnatural growth, or blooms, 

of algae. When these blooms of algae die, they sink to the 

bottom and decompose, a process which consumes oxygen.

Figure 52: The Mississippi River watershed and general location of the hypoxic 

“Dead Zone” in the Gulf of Mexico.

Source: EPA, Mississippi River Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force, 2011

Figure 53: Dissolved oxygen concentration in bottom-water across the 

Louisiana-Texas shelf from July 25 to 31, 2010. The black line outlines values 

less than 2 mg/L, or hypoxia.

Source: Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium; Funded by NOAA, Center for Sponsored Coastal 

Ocean Research, 2010

Facts

The Mississippi River begins in northern Minnesota, 

and flows 2,350 miles to the Gulf of Mexico, capturing 

runoff from 41% of the continental United States.

Since the 1970s, scientists have documented a large area 

of hypoxia off the coast of Louisiana and Texas called 

the “Dead Zone.” It occurs in the middle of a nationally 

important commercial and recreational fishing area, 

forms every year starting in late spring, and reaches its 

greatest extent by midsummer. 

Since systematic measurement began in 1985, the 

hypoxic “Dead Zone” has averaged about 5,000 square 

miles, roughly the size of the state of Connecticut. 

In 2010, the size of the “Dead Zone” was one of the largest on record at 7,722 square miles (its largest known 

size of 8,494 square miles occurred in 2002). 

1

2

3

4

38
THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e

Nutrient Pollution in Gulf Estuaries Harmful Algal Blooms

The “Dead Zone” is not the only area in the Gulf region to 

have problems with nutrient pollution, and hypoxia is just 

one of many problems that can result from nutrient pollution. 

Other manifestations include increasing occurrence and 

severity of harmful algal blooms, loss of desirable sea grass 

beds, and longer term loss in ecological ability to support high 

abundance of desirable fish species.

Facts

There are 37 major estuarine systems in the Gulf 

region and many of these diverse and productive water 

bodies are susceptible to the negative effects of nutrient 

pollution. 

Sixteen of these estuaries (43%) have experienced at least 

moderate problems with nutrient pollution. The problem 

could actually be worse since there were insufficient data 

to make a determination of nutrient pollution impact for 

11 Gulf estuaries. 

Hypoxia is now known to occur in at least 105 distinct 

locations within these estuaries (some estuaries 

experience it in more than one location) (Committee on 

Environment and Natural Resources, 2010). 

1

2

3

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) occur when a few algae species 

undergo rapid population growth and cause negative impacts to 

human health, coastal economies, and coastal ecosystems. Algal 

blooms of Karenia brevis, commonly referred to as red tide, are 

currently most problematic in Florida and Texas, but HABs can 

occur in the coastal waters of any of the Gulf states. 

Facts

HABs in the Gulf region have caused acute human illness 

from ingestion of contaminated shellfish, massive fish kills, 

sea bird mortality, and deaths of marine mammals such as 

manatees and bottlenose dolphins. 

HABs can cause major economic damage. It has been 

estimated that such costs are up to $19 to $32 million per 

year in Florida (NOAA, 2010b). 

In Texas, just one event in 2000 cost the oyster industry $10 

million in lost revenue due to closure from harvest to protect 

public health (NOAA, 2010b).

1

2

3

NOAA’s Harmful Algal Bloom Operational Forecast System

(HAB-OFS) provides alerts to coastal managers about developing 

blooms and changes in the 

location and extent of existing 

blooms. Managers can use this 

system to design more precise 

and selective shellfish harvesting 

closures, thereby minimizing 

economic impacts on local 

communities while protecting 

human health. For information 

visit: http://tidesandcurrents.

noaa.gov/hab/ Figure 54: The varying colors represent the expression of nutrient pollution 

indicators in the major Gulf estuaries as of 2004. For information on this 

index, visit: http://stateofthecoast.noaa.gov/hypoxia/welcome.html

39

Gulf of Mexico

TX

FL

LA MS

AL

Source: Bricker et al., 2007
ECOSYSTEMS: Chemical Contaminants

Percent of Louisiana’s cleaned 

up or remediated Superfund 

sites that are located in 

Louisiana’s coastal region. 

Source: EPA, 2011a 

100%

Fourteen percent of all

Superfund sites nationwide

that have been cleaned up or

remediated are located in the

Gulf Coast Region.

Source: EPA, 2011a

Hazardous Waste Sites

Superfund is the name given to the

environmental program established to address 

abandoned hazardous waste sites. It is also 

the name of the fund established by the 

Comprehensive Environmental Response, 

Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) 

of 1980 (as amended). It allows the EPA to 

clean up such sites and to compel responsible 

parties to perform clean-ups or reimburse the 

government for EPA-led clean-ups.

Superfund sites, which are recorded on the 

EPA’s National Priority List, are divided into 

three categories: 

Proposed sites: Undergo a determination if 

they qualify for Final Listing 

Final Listing sites: Undergo active clean-up 

and remediation. 

Deleted sites: Have been cleaned up and 

remediated and no longer pose a threat to 

human health or the environment.

Table 18: EPA Superfund sites in the Gulf Coast Region and Gulf states compared to the number of sites nationwide.

Source: EPA, 2011a

Chemical contaminants of natural environments are explored 

through an examination of data on contaminants in oysters and 

mussels as well as a look at the Environmental Protection Agency’s 

National Priority List of Superfund clean-up sites.

Lavaca bay, TX. Credit: NOAA

Seventy acres of salt marsh were created as 

a result of the Lavaca Bay Superfund site 

remediation. As part of the Aransas National 

Wildlife Refuge, this new marsh adds to the 

foraging area of endangered whooping cranes. 

Credit: NOAA

Oyster reef in the Gulf of Mexico. Oysters can act 

as indicators of pollution in the surrounding area. 

Credit: NOAA

40

Number of Superfund Sites in the Gulf Coast Region
THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e

At the Lavaca Bay Superfund site (a Final Listing site), on Point 

Comfort, Texas, 64 square miles of the estuary were contaminated 

by chronic mercury releases from processes at Alcoa’s Lavaca Bay 

facility. High levels of mercury released from the facility contaminated 

sediments, oysters, and several species of fish and crabs. Eventually, 

the Texas Department of Health closed a portion of the bay to fishing 

in 1988.

Oysters and Mussels as Indicators of Pollution

Since bivalves (oysters and mussels) filter their food from the water 

and can store contaminants in their tissues, they are good indicators 

of contaminants in the water. Two NOAA Mussel Watch sites are 

located adjacent to the Lavaca Bay Superfund site (Figure 55). Oysters 

tested at one of these sites, Dredge Island, have shown high levels of 

mercury, exceeding FDA limits for consumption over a several year 

period (Figure 56).

Management Success

A cooperative, integrated approach is used to address both the cleanup of contaminated areas and to plan the on-the-ground restoration 

needed to resolve natural resource damages liability. As a result, 

at the Lavaca Bay Superfund site, over eleven acres of oyster reef 

and seventy acres of salt marsh have been built, over 700 acres of 

coastal prairie habitat is recovering from overuse by cattle and is 

being permanently preserved, and three lighted fishing piers and boat 

ramps are now in place to restore the fishing opportunities the public 

had lost. Clean-up measures should eventually result in the Texas 

Department of Health removing the fish closure order. 

Case Study: Chemical Contamination in Oysters

Figure 55: Location of the Lavaca Bay Superfund site and nearby 

NOAA Mussel Watch sites.

Source: EPA, 2011; NOAA’s Mussel Watch Program, 2010

Figure 56: Mercury levels found in oysters at Dredge Island near 

the Lavaca Bay Superfund site.

Source: NOAA’s Mussel Watch Program, 2010

Mercury Levels

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 

Year

Concentration

(Parts Per Million (ppm)- dry weight basis)

FDA Limit (1 ppm)

Source: EPA, 2011b; NOAA’s Mussel Watch Program, 2010.

NOAA Mussel 

Watch Sites

41
Ack nowledgements

This document was compiled by the following 

individuals of the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration:

Brent Ache

Christopher Clement

Kristen Crossett

Susan Holmes

Don MacDonald

Kevin Watkins

The authors would like to thank the following 

individuals for their contributions to The Gulf of 

Mexico at a Glance: A Second Glance report:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration

Jeff Adkins

Becky Allee

Rebecca Arenson

Michael Bailey

Heather Blough

Jean Cowan

David Dale

Erick DiFiore

Theresa Goedeke

Kate Haber

Alison Hammer

John Hayes

Nate Herold

Ed Johnson

William Kiene

Alan J. Lewitus

Terence Lynch

John McCombs

Kate Nielsen 

Troy Kitch

Tim Osborn

Percy Pacheco

Susan Pasko

42

Tony Penn

Chris Plaisted

John Rapp

Heidi Recksiek

Rusty Swafford

Mike Travis

Nancy Wallace

Kyle Ward

Peter Wiley

Dauphin Island Sea Lab

Lee Yokel

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Timothy Scoville

Florida Department of Environmental 

Protection

Rebecca Prado

Heather Ritchie

Linda Sedlacek

Steven Wolfe

Gulf of Mexico Foundation

Quenton Dokken

Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative

Michael Carron 

Harte Research Institute for Gulf of 

Mexico Studies

Larry McKinney

Fabio Moretzsohn

John W. Tunnell, Jr.

Institute for Marine Mammal Studies

Sharon Walker

Louisiana Office of Coastal Protection 

and Restoration

Michele Deshotels

James W. Pahl

Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant 

Consortium

LaDon Swann

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Chase A. Fountain

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Amy Tujague

U.S. Census Bureau

Thomas Fischetti

Marc Perry

Steven Wilson

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Phil Bass

U.S. Geological Survey

Amy J. Benson

Lisa Duarte

Pam Fuller

Joan Kenny

Pam Schofield

Smithsonian Environmental Research 

Laboratory

Paul Foronoff

Gregory M. Ruiz

Texas General Land Office

Jim Weatherford

Valente Strategic Advisers, LLC

Mickie Valente
End Notes

1 - The Gulf of Mexico shoreline length presented in the Introduction, 

47,000 miles, was developed using the mean high water line digitized 

from NOAA’s nautical charts at 1:80,000 scale, also referred to as 

NOAA’s medium resolution shoreline. To view this or other recognized 

shorelines, visit http://shoreline.noaa.gov/. Note, there are many 

documented shoreline length calculations, and figures can vary greatly 

depending on the level of cartographic generalization. For example, 

The Coastline of the United States (US Department of Commerce 

publication NOAA/PA 71046 1975) states that the shoreline of the U.S. 

portion of the Gulf of Mexico is 17,141 miles. The shoreline length 

measured for that report was measured in 1939-1940 by hand tracing 

charts, and measurements stopped where tidal waters narrowed to 

a width of 100 feet. As a result, the shoreline from The Coastline of 

the United States is much more generalized, not including all inland 

bays, wetlands, and barrier islands included in the medium resolution 

shoreline measurement.

2 - A housing unit is a house, an apartment, a mobile home, a group of 

rooms, or a single room that is occupied (or if vacant, is intended for 

occupancy) as separate living quarters. Separate living quarters are 

those in which the occupants live and eat separately from any other 

persons in the building and which have direct access from the outside 

of the building or through a common hall.

3 - The Tourism and Recreation data is a grouping of specific sectors 

in the North American Industry Classification System’s Leisure and 

Hospitality supersecter that are descriptive of the ocean (Colgan, 

2004). NAICS is the standard used by Federal statistical agencies 

in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, 

analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business 

economy.

4 - The Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) provisions of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require NOAA’s 

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the regional Fishery 

Management Councils to describe and identify an EFH in the 

respective Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for each managed fish 

species. 

THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e 43

5 - The present inventory of about 15,419 species is distributed over 40 

phyla. This present inventory covers roughly 80% to 85% of the known 

(described) Gulf eukaryotic taxa. 

6 - The nonindigenous aquatic species numbers found in this report 

were compiled from four sources and do not include pathogens. As a 

result, numbers may be an underestimation of actual nonindigenous 

aquatic species found in the Gulf of Mexico waters and the Gulf Coast 

Region. 
44

Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. 2010. Scientific 

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Dale, David, and Kim Santos. 2006. Gulf of Mexico Habitat Areas of 

Particular Concern Poster. National Marine Fisheries Service, Gulf 

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nmfs.noaa.gov/hcd/pdfs/efhdocs/gom_efhhapc_poster.pdf

Deepwater Horizon Incident Joint Information Center. 2010. 

The Ongoing Administration - Wide Response to the Deepwater 

BP Oil Spill. Available from: http://www.restorethegulf.gov/

release/2010/08/06/ongoing-administration-wide-responsedeepwater-bp-oil-spill

Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration. 2010. MPA Inventory Database (3/2010): NOAA’s 

Ocean Service, National Marine Protected Areas Center (MPAC), 

Monterey, CA. Available from: www.mpa.gov (accessed November 12, 

2010)

Federal Emergency Management Agency. 2011a. Disaster Declarations 

Summary. Available from http://www.fema.gov/help/rss.shtm

___. 2011b. Policy and Claim Statistics for Flood Insurance. Obtained 

via personal communication March 3, 2011.

___. 2011c. Significant Flood Events, 1978-February 28, 2011. 

Available from: http://www.fema.gov/business/nfip/statistics/

sign1000.shtm.

Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp, eds. 2009. Gulf of Mexico. Origins, 

Waters, and Biota. Vol. 1-Biodiversity. Texas A&M University Press, 

College Station, Texas. 1,393 pp.

Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2010. FishBase. World Wide Web 

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of vital national interests. Released in conjunction with: America’s 

Energy Coast National Policy Forum, November 4, 2009. http://www.

americasenergycoast.org/110409-AEC-RegionatRisk4.pdf 

Barras, J.A., S. Beville, D. Britsch, S. Hartley, S. Hawes, J. Johnston, 

P. Kemp, Q. Kinler, A. Martucci, J. Porthouse, Dr. Reed, K. Roy, S. 

Sapkota, and J. Suhayda. 2003. Historical and projected coastal 

Louisiana land changes: 1978-2050: USGS Open File Report 03-334.

Beatley, Timothy, David Brower, and Anna Schwab. 2002. An 

Introduction to Coastal Zone Management. Island Press. 285 p.

Brenner, Jorge and Fabio Moretzsohn. 2010. Example of BioGoMx 

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county summary totals and absolute and percent change.
APPENDIX A: Coastal Watershed Counties that Comprise the Gulf Coast Region

Coastal County 

TEXAS

LOUISIANA

MISSISSIPPI ALABAMA

FLORIDA Houston 

New Orleans 

Gulfport 

Mobile 

Tampa 

St. Petersburg 

48
Florida

Bay

Calhoun

Charlotte

Citrus

Collier

DeSoto

Dixie

Escambia

Franklin

Gadsden

Gilchrist

Glades

Gulf

Hardee

Hendry

Hernando

Hillsborough

Holmes

Jackson

Jefferson

Lafayette

Lake

Lee

Leon

Levy

Liberty

Madison 

Manatee

Marion

Monroe

Okaloosa

Pasco

Pinellas

Polk

Santa Rosa

Sarasota

Sumter

Suwannee

Taylor

Wakulla

Walton

Washington

Alabama

Baldwin

Clarke

Covington

Escambia

Geneva

Mobile

Monroe

Washington

Mississippi

Amite

George

Hancock

Harrison

Jackson

Lamar

Marion

Pearl River

Pike 

Stone

Walthall

Wilkinson

Louisiana

Acadia

Ascension

Assumption

Avoyelles

Beauregard

Calcasieu

Cameron

East Baton Rouge

East Feliciana

Evangeline

Iberia

Iberville

Jefferson

Jefferson Davis

Lafayette

Lafourche

Livingston

Orleans

Plaquemines

Point Coupee

Rapides

Sabine

St. Bernard

St. Charles

St. Helena

St. James

St. John the Baptist

St. Landry

St. Martin

St. Mary

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

St. Tammany

Tangipahoa

Terrebonne

Vermilion

Vernon

Washington

West Baton Rouge

West Feliciana

Texas

Aransas

Austin

Bee

Brazoria

Brooks

Calhoun

Cameron

Chambers

Colorado

DeWitt

Duval

Fayette

Fort Bend

Galveston

Goliad

Harris 

Hidalgo

Jackson

Jasper

Jefferson

Jim Hogg

Jim Wells

Kenedy

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108

109

110

111

112

113

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

Kleberg

Lavaca

Liberty

Live Oak

Matagorda

Newton

Nueces

Orange

Refugio

San Patricio

Starr

Tyler

Victoria

Waller

Washington

Webb

Wharton 

Wilacy

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

133

134

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e 49
How Coastal Watershed Counties are Determined

The Gulf of Mexico coastal watershed counties were chosen to 

represent what is referred to in this report as the “Gulf Coast 

Region.” To be included as a “coastal watershed county” one of 

the following criteria must be met: (1) at a minimum, 15% of the 

county’s total land area is located within a coastal watershed or 

(2) a portion of or an entire county accounts for at least 15% of 

a U.S. Geological Survey coastal cataloging unit. The Gulf Coast 

Region contains a total of 141 coastal counties across the five 

U.S. Gulf States. For more detailed information visit: http://

stics.noaa.gov/coast_defined.html.

APPENDIX B:

50

Coastal Watershed Area

Coastal County

TEXAS

LOUISIANA

MISSISSIPPI

ALABAMA

FLORIDA
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Special Flood 

Hazard Area (SFHA) is the area where the National Flood Insurance 

Program’s floodplain management regulations must be enforced and 

the area where the mandatory purchase of flood insurance applies. The 

SFHA includes Zones A, AO, AH, A1-30, AE, A99, AR, AR/A1-30, AR/

AE, AR/AO, AR/AH, AR/A, VO, V1-30, VE, and V. For the purposes of 

this document, the data related to the SFHA are reported for counties 

APPENDIX C: Gulf Coast Special Flood Hazard Area

THE GULF OF MEXICO AT A GLANCE: A S e c o n d G l a n c e 51

Special Flood Hazard Area

Counties Containing FEMA V-Zones

TEXAS

LOUISIANA

MISSISSIPPI

ALABAMA

FLORIDA

that have a coastline bordering the Gulf of Mexico or contain velocity 

zones (V-Zones) or coastal high hazard areas. V-Zones are areas where 

wave heights more than 3 feet and/or high velocity water can cause 

structural damage in a 100-year flood, a flood with a 1-percent chance 

of occurring or being exceeded in a given year. In this report, this suite 

of Gulf counties are referred to as “counties containing FEMA 

V-Zones.” 


stateofthecoast.noaa.gov