Gulf Of Mexico Dead Zone Grows To 6,000 Square Miles

Facebook Tweet LinkedIn

The Gulf of Mexico’s “dead zone” will cover 6,705 square miles this year. According to NOAA, this section of the Gulf is “an area of low to no oxygen that can kill fish and marine life.”

The dead zone’s five-year average size is 4,298 square miles, which is twice the target size for 2035. “It’s critical that we measure this region’s hypoxia as an indicator of ocean health, particularly under a changing climate and potential intensification of storms and increases in precipitation and runoff,” commented Nicole LeBoeuf, assistant administrator of NOAA’s National Ocean Service.

The dead zone runs from the Mississippi delta to Texas south of Houston.

The dead zone is not just a climate change issue. It also runs much of an industry that depends on fishing in the area. According to Pulitzer, America’s largest river is the primary cause. “Upstream, agricultural fertilizer from 31 states washes into the Mississippi River. Like a topological funnel, the river directs 41% of America’s water toward the Delta and some of America’s most productive fishing grounds.”

The fishing industry in parts of the dead zone is badly crippled during part of the year. It is another example of how the climate crisis affects the economy.