Gulf of Mexico

Three friends survived a shipwreck and a shark attack in the Gulf of Mexico, as detailed in the new book 'In Deep Water: A True Story of Sharks, Survival, and Courage.'

Louisiana temporarily increased the red snapper daily catch limit from four to five fish per person for the Fourth of July weekend to encourage outdoor celebration of the U.S. 250th anniversary. The adjustment applies to state coastal waters, with size restrictions requiring fish to be at least 16 inches. Louisiana manages its own red snapper fishing since 2019, with this year's recreational catch limit set at 882,000 pounds.

The Gulf of Mexico's 2023 'dead zone' is projected to exceed 7,000 square miles, larger than the four-decade average but below the 2017 record. The Mississippi River/Gulf of America Hypoxia Task Force aims to reduce the dead zone to 1,900 square miles by 2035, citing progress despite ongoing challenges from nutrient pollution linked to agriculture and urban areas.

Pemex and Brazil’s Petrobras signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on boosting oil production in the Gulf of Mexico, leveraging Petrobras’ pre-salt technology for deep-water extraction. The agreement, valid for two years, covers hydrocarbon exploration, regulatory practices, and industrial transformation, with technical teams sharing geological and operational data to identify production opportunities.

Petrobras and Pemex signed a two-year renewable cooperation pact to collaborate on deepwater drilling in Mexico's Gulf of Mexico. Brazil's Petrobras provides deepwater expertise, while Mexico's Pemex offers frontier Gulf acreage. The agreement includes no binding investment commitments.

Andrew Walker, a father from Alabama, lost his prosthetic leg in the Gulf of Mexico during a family vacation in Panama City Beach (PCB). The incident, which occurred while on what was intended to be a fun day, has resulted in a costly setback for Walker.

A storm system forming in the Gulf of Mexico is causing heavy rainfall in northern and eastern Mexico, prompting flood warnings and preventive measures. Authorities have suspended maritime activities and issued alerts for potential flooding, landslides, and waterlogging in regions like Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas.

Tropical Storm Arthur, the first named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, formed in the Gulf of Mexico near the Middle Texas coast. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and was moving northeast, prompting a tropical storm warning from High Island, Texas to Morgan City, Louisiana.

The New Orleans Land Bridge, a critical coastal marshland between Lake Pontchartrain and the Gulf of Mexico, is deteriorating due to erosion and other factors, threatening flood protection for 1.5 million residents. Louisiana is launching a $101 million restoration project funded by Deepwater Horizon settlements to rebuild marshland and enhance resilience against storms.

A narrow New Orleans marshland, the Land Bridge, protects 1.5 million people from storm surges and floods but is rapidly disappearing. Louisiana plans a $101 million project to restore the marsh, which separates Lake Pontchartrain from the Gulf of Mexico and could vanish within 50 years without intervention.

The U.S. is experiencing severe stormy weather due to cold fronts colliding with warm, humid air from the Gulf of Mexico, which could lead to dangerous conditions, according to forecasters.

The National Hurricane Center is monitoring a disturbance in the southern Gulf of Mexico with low development odds, which could become the first named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season if it forms. The system, linked to Tropical Storm Cristina in the Pacific, is expected to move inland over eastern Mexico without directly threatening the U.S. Forecast models, including Google's DeepMind, indicate minimal chances for significant development.

The US expects to complete President Donald Trump’s southern border wall by late 2027, according to Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott. The wall, made of reinforced metal beams, will run from San Diego to the Gulf of Mexico, excluding areas where officials determined it is unnecessary.

Cuba and South Florida experienced a 6.1 magnitude earthquake, which may be among the largest in the Gulf of Mexico’s history.

Iowa's water pollution from agricultural runoff and sewage threatens public health and disrupts summer recreational activities like kayaking. Over half of the state's tracked waterways fail to meet standards for swimming, drinking, or aquatic life, prompting water restrictions and lawsuits against federal policies.

Iowa's water pollution, driven by agricultural runoff containing nitrates and phosphorus, harms public health and summer recreational activities like kayaking and swimming. Algal blooms, bacteria, and soil runoff have made over half of monitored waterways unsuitable for swimming, drinking, or aquatic life.

Iowa's water pollution from agricultural runoff, including nitrates and phosphorus, threatens public health and disrupts recreational activities like kayaking. Despite voluntary measures and recent investments, over half of the state's monitored waterways fail to meet standards for safety, prompting legal challenges and ongoing environmental concerns.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered SpaceX to investigate a Starship booster mishap during a test flight, which resulted in the vehicle losing control and crashing into the Gulf of Mexico. The incident occurred during Starship Flight 12, prompting the FAA to classify the launch as a 'mishap'.

The FAA has grounded SpaceX’s Starship following a launch mishap involving the Super Heavy booster, marking the sixth such grounding in three years. The incident, which occurred during the booster’s return sequence, caused delays and forced SpaceX to cancel a planned in-space test, complicating its IPO plans as the company faces significant financial losses.

A humid air mass from the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico has triggered a rainy weather pattern in Miami and South Florida, with daily downpours and flooding risks expected through the weekend and into early next week. Temperatures remain in the upper-80s, with heat indices reaching the mid- to upper-90s.

SpaceX's Starship successfully deployed Starlink satellites during its 12th flight test but faced setbacks in its Super Heavy Booster's performance and failed to reignite a Raptor engine in space, delaying orbital and lunar mission goals. The test highlighted both achievements, like satellite deployment and controlled reentry, and challenges, including booster failure and engine issues.

SpaceX successfully conducted the first test flight of its upgraded Starship V3 rocket and Super Heavy booster, which splashed down in the Indian Ocean after a 5:30 pm CDT launch from Starbase in South Texas. The 408-foot-tall rocket, powered by 33 methane-fueled engines, outperformed previous Starship versions that failed on their inaugural flights in 2023 and 2025.

SpaceX has scheduled the next Starship launch for May 19, which will be the first flight test of a significantly redesigned vehicle. The launch will validate that there have been no inadvertent regressions and will demonstrate the vehicle's capabilities. The Starship will carry 22 mass simulators and attempt a dynamic banking maneuver.

Vitol is turning to Mexico for oil due to war disrupting the crude market. Pemex has reduced runs at its domestic refineries for the second month after an April fire. Air quality issues have also led to curtailment of runs at another plant.

New Orleans has reached a point of no return due to sea level rise and will be surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico within decades. The city's relocation process should start immediately. Ongoing sea level rise and erosion of wetlands in southern Louisiana will swallow up the New Orleans area within a few generations.

The Trump administration and congressional Republicans attempted to weaken the Endangered Species Act but faced a setback when the House canceled a vote on the legislation. Concerns from some lawmakers, including Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, contributed to the cancellation.

Environmental groups sued the Trump administration over its approval of BP's new ultra-deep oil drilling project in the Gulf of Mexico, 16 years after the company's Deepwater Horizon disaster caused the worst oil spill in US history. Advocates criticized the project for drilling deeper into the ocean bed, citing BP's past failures.

A Pemex undersea pipeline caused an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, leading to crude oil slicks on a beach in Alvarado, Veracruz state, Mexico. The incident was documented on March 24 with photographic evidence provided.

The 'God squad' has waived animal protections to expand oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, citing national security concerns. Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth defended the decision as essential for national security.