The Gulf of Mexico is a major body of water bordered and nearly landlocked by North America. The gulf's eastern, northern, and northwestern shores lie within the United States of America. The gulf is bordered on the southwestern and southern shores with Mexico.
The total area of the Gulf of Mexico is approximately 615,000 square miles. Coastal cities along the Gulf of Mexico include Tampa, St. Petersburg, Pensacola, Mobile, New Orleans, Beaumont, and Houston in the United States,Veracruz and Mérida in Mexico, and Havana in Cuba.

The Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone
A huge "dead zone" of water so devoid of oxygen that sea life cannot live in it has spread across 5,800 square miles of the Gulf of Mexico this summer in what has become an annual occurrence caused by pollution. The dead zone lacks oxygen because of pollution in the form of excess nutrients that flows into the gulf from the Mississippi River. Animals trying to live in this smothering layer of water near the bottom of the sea must either leave or they will sufficate. To learn more about the "dead zone" please visit the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Assessment' s website. NOAA's Official Website

Have you ever thought about publishing your very own book about the Gulf of Mexico?

You Have The Talent, We Have The Resources!

Are you an author looking to publish your masterpiece? BookPublishers.com could connect talented writers like you with willing book publishers. For many talented authors, the most difficult obstacle isn’t writer’s block—it’s finding a receptive publisher to publish their books. Because publishers have to sift through so many works, they may dismiss some unfairly, or be so short-staffed that they don’t have the time to give each manuscript its fair consideration.
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For those who decide that finding a publisher isn’t the right choice for them, self-publishing can be a great alternative. With self-publishing a writer can maintain editorial control, as well as keep all proceeds from the book sales. Whatever your preference, BookPublishers.com wants to help you on your journey to become a published author! You have the talent, we have the resources.
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Gulf Of Mexico Facts & Information

Virtual Slideshows!
Take a virtual tour of famous Florida landmarks and popular destinations throughout the Sunshine State!
We invite you to enjoy our exclusive virtual slideshows and stunning color photography of Florida's beautiful scenery. If you're visiting us from the colder northern climates, sit back and enjoy the sun & surf !

Gulf of Mexico Slide Show

Florida Wildlife Slide Show

Beach & Ocean Views Virtual Slide Show

Canaveral National Seashore Park Virtual Slide Show

Fishing & Boating Virtual Slide Show

Intracoastal Waterways Virtual Slide Show

Daytona Beach Photos Slide Show

Smyrna Dunes Slide Show

We invite you to visit Florida Arts.org
Florida Arts.org is your premier online Guide to the Arts in the State of Florida. Showcasing Cultural & Non Profit organizations dedicated to the arts, music, dance, theater & education throughout the State of Florida.

This website provides comprehensive list of Florida Museums, Theaters, Dance & Music Organizations as well as Florida's many cultural venues and resources.
click here for more information Florida Arts .org

Gulf of Mexico facts:

At a depth of more than 12,000 feet, Sigsbee Deep is the deepest part of the Golf of Mexico . It is more than 300 miles long and is sometimes called the “Grand Canyon under the sea.” Its closest point to the Texas coast is 200 miles southeast of Brownsville.
Gulf of Mexico Size
The total area of the Gulf of Mexico is about 600,000 square miles
Gulf of Mexico Width
The shortest distance across the Gulf of Mexico is about 500 miles between the Mississippi Delta and the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula.
The greatest distance across the Gulf of Mexico is approximately 1,000 miles going east to west.
Gulf of Mexico Ports
The Gulf of Mexico links the ports of five southern U.S states (Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas) and six Mexican states (Tamaulipas, Vera Cruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo) with the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea.
Gulf of Mexico Shoreline
The United States and Mexico form the Gulf of Mexico's mainland shore, which extends more than 4,000 miles from the Florida Keys to Cabo Catoche, at the northwestern tip of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico.
Gulf of Mexico Sanctuaries
The Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary contains the northernmost tropical coral reefs in the U.S.
Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas is the wintering ground of most of the world's whooping cranes in the wild.
Padre Island National Seashore in Texas is the nation's longest stretch of undeveloped beach.

Federal Fishing Rules for the Gulf of Mexico

NEW GROUPER AND TILEFISH REGULATIONS EFFECTIVE JULY 15, 2004
Recreational:

Maximum of 2 red grouper allowed within the 5-fish aggregate grouper bag limit
Commercial:

Shallow-water grouper quota reduced from 9.35 mp gutted weight to 8.80 mp gutted wt.
New red grouper quota - 5.31 mp gutted wt (counts as part of shallow-water grouper quota)
Commercial shallow-water grouper fishery closes when either the shallow-water grouper or red grouper quota is reached, whichever comes first.
Deep-water grouper quota reduced from 1.35 mp gutted wt to 1.02 mp gutted wt.
New tilefish quota - 0.44 mp gutted wt

All other grouper regulations remain the same, including the minimum size limits of

red grouper - 20 inches total length
gag and black grouper - 22 inches total length recreational, 24 inches total length commercial
yellowfin grouper - 20 inches total length
scamp - 16 inches total length

Commercial closed season on red grouper, black grouper and gag - Feb. 15 to March 15

Florida Facts
Largest Cities: Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Saint Petersburg, Hialeah,
Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Tallahassee, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines

Florida Admission to Statehood: March 3, 1845
Florida Area: 65758 sq.mi, 22th
Florida Land 53997 sq. mi., 26th
Florida Water 11761 sq.mi.
Florida 3rd Coastline 1350 mi.
Florida 2nd Shoreline 8,426mi., 2nd
Florida State Bird: Mockingbird
Florida Border States: Alabama Georgia
FloridaColleges, Universities: Florida Colleges
FloridaCommunity and Technical Colleges: Florida Community Colleges
Florida Constitution: 27th State
Population: Quick facts 15,982,378; 4th, 12/00

Florida Counties
Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, Dade, De Soto, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden , Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Holmes, Indian River, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, Washington

We invite you to visit Anna Maria Island , Florida

Enjoy your visit on Anna Maria Island by relaxing on the pristine beaches or tour the island's many historic sites by bicycle. Let our Anna Maria Island Guide help you plan every aspect of your Florida vacation - from lodging & dining to local island history and weather.
Anna Maria Island is a seven mile barrier island located in the southern Gulf Coast area of Florida and is renowned for its white sand gulf beaches and gin clear water. Anna Maria is the northernmost of a string of barrier islands that extend in a southerly direction to the Florida Keys.The Island itself is surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Tampa Bay to the north and Sarasota Bay and Anna Maria Bay on its eastern shores.
Fishing abounds on Anna Maria Island. The island offers three fishing piers: Anna Maria City Pier, Rod & Reel Pier and Bradenton Beach.
White Beaches & Glorious Sunsets
Anna Maria Island is a famous for its miles of white sandy beaches with stunning sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico. Here visitors can find world class angling, boating, surfing, golf, tennis as well as a rich selection of exotic wildlife. In fact, the entire island of Anna Maria is considered a wildlife sanctuary!
click here for more information - Anna Maria Fl