Gulf Coast, Transport, plus Our Devotion to the Environment

The Gulf Coast of the United States of America constitutes one of the richest fisheries on earth. Over a billion dollars annually in shrimp, shell-fish, as well as other marine species are picked within the coastal waters of this region. Unfortunately, both the wetlands and offshore waters of the zone face multiple environmental threats. A large dead zone covering millions of acres is located off the mouth of the Mississippi River as chemical fertilizers wash downstream from farms. The nutritional elements in the plant foods spawn alga blooms, whose decay depletes oxygen, rendering a huge area void of life. Millions of acres of marshlands have disappeared into the ocean on account of erosion. Channels are dredged through the wetlands for gas and oil drilling, and other varieties of developments, such as marinas. This cause large areas of land to clean away, and the sediment had a need to replenish them is to a big extent being flushed out to sea from the Mississippi due to a system intended for river transportation and flood control. The oil spill also devastated the local fishing and tourism sectors along Gulf Coast beaches. Efforts are now being designed to help restore wetlands and get a handle on fertilizer runoff. Dredging is now being done not merely to cut pathways through wetlands, but to restore them by creating beams to hold back the waves and enable the sea grass to regain footing. Some of the cost of this will be borne by BP, which will be held liable for a few of the harm to the place. The alternatives to the vexing issues of pollution and erosion will have to be long term in nature. rise in sea levels in the coming years just makes the demand for actions more acute. While higher and stronger levees can help protect New Orleans, the large expanse that is the Gulf Coast needs continuing commitment from the shipping industry to succeed. It is in their desires to get thriving port cities which are protected by great expanses of marsh land.