Deepwater Horizon/BP Oil Spill:
100 Days — A Snapshot of NOAA's Response

As the nation’s experts on oceanic and atmospheric science, the lead science agency for oil spills — and the nation's steward for our oceans, coasts and Great Lakes — NOAA has been on the scene from day one, providing coordinated scientific, weather and biological information and products when and where they are needed most.

We have mobilized personnel from across the agency to contain and predict the spreading oil, ensure human health and safety, including the safety of seafood, and protect the Gulf of Mexico’s many marine mammals, sea turtles, fish, and other imperiled sea creatures. Here's a brief snapshot of some of NOAA's efforts and achievements in the first hours — and the first 100 days — of this aggressive and sustained federal response.

NOAA Science Informs

Video of an overview of NOAA's role in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill response.

From the very beginning, NOAA has provided extensive scientific expertise and monitoring capabilities to inform daily response operations and to help quantify and better understand the impacts of the spill on the Gulf ecosystems — including its effects on the undersea world. NOAA’s information enables responders to anticipate where the oil is going and predict what areas could be impacted. More

Assessing Ecosystem Damage

Florida coastline.

NOAA is the lead agency for the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process helping identify and quantify short- and long-term impacts to the Gulf of Mexico’s thriving ecosystems. NOAA continues to collaborate with various federal and state agencies, industry, and citizens to collect data in the Gulf of Mexico and across the affected states to determine which natural resources have been harmed, which remain in jeopardy and which human uses have been lost.

Keeping Seafood Safe

NOAA personnel testing seafood.

NOAA’s Fisheries Service is closely monitoring conditions in the Gulf and working with States and local fisherman to ensure that the seafood that is sold at market and served on America’s dinner plates remains safe. NOAA is working with the FDA, EPA and Gulf states to ensure that fish and shellfish harvested from the Gulf of Mexico are safe to eat and of the same high quality people have come to expect. These measures benefit both consumers and the families who make their living from the Gulf’s bounty.

Protecting Wildlife and Habitats

Coastal habitat.
From microscopic organisms to sperm whales to marshes to the deep ocean, Gulf Coast wildlife and habitats are better protected from the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon/BP disaster because of our efforts. As stewards of our nation’s coasts, oceans and marine wildlife, NOAA is vitally concerned about the short-term and long-term impacts of the oil spill on the ecological health of the Gulf of Mexico and the marine life it supports.