Hypoxia zone east of the Mississippi River is 2,455 square miles

For the first time in many years, the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium expanded their annual hypoxia cruise east of the Mississippi River, thanks to funding from GOMA’s Water Resources Team. Results show a 6,356 square kilometers, or 2,455 square mile hypoxic zone off Mississippi and Alabama in addition to this year’s larger than average 6,705 square mile zone off Louisiana. Knowing when and where coastal dead zones occur helps coastal policymakers, commercial and recreational fishers, and tourism officials prep for impacts and plan for the future. This project is supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.