'Dead Zone' in Gulf of Mexico Large Enough to Fit Connecticut, Rhode Island Combined

This region in the water is defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as an area of low to no oxygen that can kill fish and marine life, thus affecting commercial and recreational fishing.  

These areas are also referred to as hypoxia areas and occur when there is nutrient runoff, largely due to the fertilizer used in fields near the water. This accelerates algae growth, which compromises the oxygen levels in the water when they decompose. 

In 2002, the NOAA reported that the Gulf of Mexico's dead zone spanned 8,497 square miles. Though the size of this year's dead zone is significantly smaller, it is still three times larger than the reduction goal set by the Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force.

As reported in New Orleans' Times-Picayune, the goal was set in 2007 by five federal agencies, 12 states and Indian tribes located within the Mississippi and Atchafalaya river basins. A variety of methods have since been implemented in an effort to reduce nutrients found in the water. These include new farming tactics that use less fertilizer and planting grassy buffer strips to capture nutrients before they have a chance to get into the river.

In a 2014 press release from the Louisiana University Marine Consortium (LUMCON), they report that hypoxia is a recurring environmental problem in the offshore waters of Louisiana. According to Dr. Nancy Rabalais, executive director and professor at LUMCON, this can be problematic for marine life, as it hurts biodiversity and makes food hard to come by for the fish and shrimp when they return. This can become costly for the fishing industry.

The Times-Picayune also reports that the task force has set a new goal to see a 20 percent reduction by 2025. Also, a federal judge in New Orleans announced he will consider new arguments on whether the federal Environmental Protection Agency  should increase regulation of fertilizers and other nutrient pollutants found in the river.