The Gulf of Mexico, an ocean basin and marginal sea of the Atlantic, is largely enclosed by North America. Its boundaries include the US Gulf Coast to the northeast, north, and northwest; the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo to the southwest and south; and Cuba to the southeast. The southern US states bordering the gulf – Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida – are often called the "Third Coast."
July 30, 1942: Torpedoing of the Robert E. Lee
On July 30, 1942, the Robert E. Lee was torpedoed by German submarine U-166 southeast of the Mississippi River. The ship sank within 15 minutes, resulting in the loss of one officer, nine crew members, and 15 passengers. PC-566 sunk U-166 shortly after the attack.
1952: Previous Florida Earthquake
The last earthquake tremors felt in Florida before the 2006 event occurred in 1952 in Quincy, as reported by The Tampa Tribune.
1970: Start of Surface Temperature Monitoring
A period of observation on surface temperatures of the Gulf began in 1970, eventually revealing warming at twice the global ocean surface rate between 1970 and 2020.
1973: EPA Ban on Chemical Waste Dumping
In 1973, the EPA prohibited the dumping of undiluted chemical waste into the Gulf of Mexico by manufacturers, after which the military admitted to similar actions near Horn Island.
December 16, 1977: Cuba-US Maritime Boundary Agreement
On December 16, 1977, the United States and Cuba signed a maritime boundary agreement.
May 4, 1978: US-Mexico Maritime Boundaries Treaty
On May 4, 1978, a treaty on maritime boundaries between the US and Mexico was signed, covering the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
June 1979: Ixtoc I Oil Spill
In June 1979, the Ixtoc I oil platform exploded, resulting in a massive oil spill that lasted for nine months, being the largest oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico to date.
1979: Smithsonian Gulf Collection Start
Since 1979, the Smithsonian has housed specimens from the Gulf of Mexico, collected by the Minerals Management Service (now BOEM), creating a baseline for understanding future impacts like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
1985: Start of Dead Zone Measurement
The year 1985 marks the beginning of the period when the hypoxic dead zone measurements started.
June 9, 2000: US-Mexico Continental Shelf Treaty
On June 9, 2000, the US and Mexico signed a treaty on the delimitation of the continental shelf in the western Gulf of Mexico beyond 200 nautical miles.
2001: Discovery of U-166 Wreck
The wreck of the German submarine U-166 was discovered in 2001, less than two miles from where it attacked the Robert E. Lee in 1942.
2002: Discovery of the Mardi Gras Shipwreck
In 2002, an oilfield inspection crew from OGGC discovered a shipwreck, believed to be a privateer or trader, later nicknamed "Mardi Gras", located 35 miles off the Louisiana coast.
2005: Hurricane Katrina
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina demonstrated the Gulf of Mexico's potential to fuel powerful hurricanes, resulting in significant human death and destruction.
September 10, 2006: Magnitude 6.0 Earthquake
On September 10, 2006, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck approximately 250 miles west-southwest of Anna Maria, Florida, causing tremors felt from Louisiana to Florida, knocking items from shelves, creating seiches in pools, but resulting in no injuries or damage.
September 11, 2006: Reporting on the Earthquake
The Tampa Tribune reported on September 11, 2006, about the previous day's 6.0 earthquake, the largest felt in Florida in three decades and the first since one recorded in Quincy in 1952.
October 2007: Study on Atlantic Croaker
In October 2007, a study revealed a disproportioned sex ratio of Atlantic croaker in hypoxic sites in the Gulf of Mexico, indicating impaired reproductive output.
December 13, 2007: Mexico's Continental Shelf Submission
On December 13, 2007, Mexico submitted information to the CLCS regarding the extension of its continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles, based on UNCLOS and bilateral treaties with the US.
2007: Mardi Gras Shipwreck Excavation
In 2007, Texas A&M University, funded by OGGC and in agreement with the Minerals Management Service (now BOEM), led an expedition to excavate the Mardi Gras shipwreck, the deepest scientific archaeological excavation attempted at the time. This project also involved the production of a documentary and video updates.
July 2008: Dead Zone Growth
In July 2008, the size of the hypoxic dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico was reported to have roughly doubled between 1985 and 2008.
March 13, 2009: CLCS Acceptance of Mexico's Claim
On March 13, 2009, the CLCS accepted Mexico's arguments for extending its continental shelf up to 350 nautical miles into the Western Polygon. This required a bilateral agreement with the US to delimit their respective claims.
April 20, 2010: Deepwater Horizon Explosion
On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil platform exploded and sank, leading to a significant oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
2014: Discovery of a Brine Pool
In 2014, a brine pool, significantly saltier than the surrounding water, was discovered 3,300 feet below the Gulf of Mexico's surface. It is called the "Jacuzzi of Despair" due to its inability to sustain most life forms except bacteria, mussels, tube worms, and certain shrimp.
2015: BP Settlement
In 2015, BP reached an $18.7 billion settlement for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill cleanup, environmental and economic damages, and penalties, with costs eventually reaching $54 billion.
2015: Manned Exploration of the Brine Pool
In 2015, following an initial unmanned exploration using Hercules, a team of three used the deep-submergence vehicle Alvin to explore the brine pool discovered the previous year.
May 12, 2016: Shell Brutus Oil Spill
On May 12, 2016, an oil leak from Shell's Brutus oil rig released 2,100 barrels of oil, creating a substantial oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico.
2017: Largest Dead Zone Recorded
The largest ever recorded hypoxic dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico, measuring 8,776 square miles, occurred in 2017.
2020: End of Surface Temperature Monitoring
By 2020, long-term monitoring revealed that the surface temperature of the Gulf of Mexico warmed significantly, at approximately twice the rate of the global ocean surface since 1970.
January 7, 2025: Proposed Name Change
On January 7, 2025, U.S. president-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.