Open Ocean

10 Years after Deepwater Horizon: A Statement from the​ Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustee Council

Posted on April 20, 2020 | Restoration Area

Today marks ten years since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill occurred. The rig explosion led to the largest marine oil spill in American history and caused the loss of 11 men and injury to 17 others. For months, millions of barrels of oil flowed into the Gulf of Mexico. Many coastal communities were severely impacted. In these trying times, we recognize the human cost of the oil spill, and continue to extend our deepest condolences to those whose loved ones were lost or otherwise injured. 

On this day, we, the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees, want to provide an

Project Restoring Gulf Pelagic Fish Kicks Off Fourth Year

Posted on January 28, 2020 | Restoration Area

After three successful project years, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and NOAA announced the fourth year of the Deepwater Horizon Oceanic Fish Restoration Project, which began on January 1, 2020.

Twelve Florida and Louisiana fishing vessel owners are participating. They will take a voluntary break from pelagic longline fishing, and have options to use alternative gear that reduces bycatch of non-target species to continue to bring fish to market.

The pelagic longline fishery in the Gulf of Mexico targets species such as yellowfin tuna, swordfish and mackerel. Many of these

Open Ocean Draft Restoration Plan 2 Available for Public Comment

Posted on May 15, 2019 | Restoration Area

The Open Ocean Trustee Implementation Group has released the Draft Restoration Plan 2 and Environmental Assessment: Fish, Sea Turtles, Marine Mammals, and Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities (PDF, 438 pages) for public comment.

Louisiana and Open Ocean Trustees Release Draft Restoration Plan for Chandeleur Islands

Posted on June 13, 2025 | Restoration Area

The Louisiana and Open Ocean Deepwater Horizon Trustees have released their Draft Joint Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment #1: Restoring Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats, Federally Managed Lands, Fish and Water Column Invertebrates, Sea Turtles, Submerged Aquatic Vegetation, and Birds of the Chandeleur Islands for public review and comment.

$210 Million for Fish and Sea Turtle Restoration Approved in Fourth Open Ocean Restoration Plan

Posted on June 12, 2025 | Restoration Area

The Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment Open Ocean Trustee Implementation Group released its Final Restoration Plan 4 and Environmental Assessment: Fish and Water Column Invertebrates and Sea Turtles, committing more than $210 million to ten projects to help restore natural resources injured by the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf. Six projects will help restore fish and water column invertebrates, and four projects will help restore sea turtles. These ten projects will be implemented over the next 8 to 15 years. The selected restoration projects include several activities that build upon previous Deepwater Horizon restoration projects as well as new activities to meet the Trustees’ restoration goals.

Open Ocean TIG Supplemental Restoration Plan 2 - Environmental Assessment: Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities

This project will produce a draft and final supplemental restoration plan, supplemental environmental assessment, and support public engagement for the Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities (MDBC) restoration type. The supplemental restoration plan will build from the 2019 Open Ocean Restoration Plan 2 – Environmental Assessment to evaluate and seek public input on the TIG’s proposed action to allocate additional restoration funds and continue implementation of the four approved MDBC restoration projects.

Strategic Approach for Bird Restoration Evaluation

This project will contribute to a more complete understanding of the benefits to injured bird species resulting from multiple restoration efforts and the data needed to evaluate bird restoration. An important component of this work will be an inventory of available data assets to support analyses to evaluate benefits of restoration work, progress towards bird restoration goals listed in the PDARP/PEIS, and the development of updated Open Ocean bird restoration indicators.

Seabird Nesting Colony Protection and Enhancement at Dry Tortugas National Park

This project will evaluate both historic and current population size of nesting seabird colonies on Dry Tortugas National Park (DRTO) to establish an updated understanding of baseline conditions that inform the design of future restoration actions, and that actively restore seabird colonies through habitat enhancement, social attraction, and biosecurity measures. Project activities will be conducted over a five to seven-year period and implemented in two phases.

Invasive Goat Removal to Restore Seabird Nesting Habitat in St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Seabirds from the Gulf of America historically nested on the Battowia and Pillories Islands in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Those same seabirds feed throughout the Gulf. This project will increase the nesting success and productivity of seabirds on Battowia and Pillories Islands through conservation actions that improve and restore available seabird nesting habitat.

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