2019 Shelfwide Cruise
What is hypoxia?
Hypoxia, or low oxygen, is an environmental phenomenon where the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the water column decreases to a level that can no longer support living aquatic organisms. Hypoxic areas, or “Dead Zones,” have increased in duration and frequency across our planet’s oceans since first being noted in the 1970s.
The largest hypoxic zone currently affecting the United States, and the second largest hypoxic zone worldwide, is the northern Gulf of Mexico adjacent to the Mississippi River.
Gulf hypoxia in the news:
Tropical disturbance eyes Gulf, south Louisiana: Major rainfall possible, experts say
Mark Schleifstein / The Times Picayune 8 July 2019 National Hurricane Center forecasters believe a tropical depression or storm is very likely to form later this week in the Gulf of Mexico, but they're hedging their [...]
All 21 of Mississippi’s beaches are closed because of toxic algae
Michelle Lou / CNN 7 July 2019 (CNN)Summer's the perfect time to hit the beach -- unless you live in Mississippi. Along the state's Gulf Coast, all 21 of the state's beaches have been shut [...]
PRECAUTIONARY CLOSURE OF MOLLUSCAN SHELLFISH GROWING WATERS IN LOUISIANA
Justin Gremillion / LDH/OPH Sanitarian Services 3 July 2019 Pursuant to the provisions of LSA RS 40:5.3, as amended and re-enacted by Act 1 of the First Regular Legislative Session of 1988, and RS 40:5, [...]
Lake Pontchartrain water concern prompts North Shore beach, fishing pier closures
Bob Warren / The Times-Picayune 25 June 2019 The poor quality of the water in Lake Pontchartain has prompted authorities on the North Shore to close beaches and the popular fishing pier near Slidell. The [...]
Louisiana Inshore Shrimp Season to Close June 28 in State Inside Waters
Trey Iles / Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries June 25, 2019 The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced the 2019 spring inshore shrimp season will close at 6 p.m. on Friday (June [...]
State Health Department warns about possible toxic algae bloom developing in Lake Pontchartrain
Christina Watkins / BRProud.com 24 June 2019 The Louisiana Department of Health issued an advisory Friday for a potentially large algal bloom developing in Lake Pontchartrain. The department is advising people to avoid contact, including [...]
Wet spring linked to forecast for big Gulf of Mexico ‘dead zone’ this summer
Rebecca Lindsey / Climate.gov 18 June 2019 The extremely wet 2019 spring that brought terrible flooding to large parts of the Missouri and Mississippi River watersheds has also set the stage for a very large ‘dead zone’ [...]