Fifty miles off the Louisiana coast, the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig explodes, killing 11 people and spewing oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Two days later, the burning rig sinks 5,000 feet to the bottom of the ocean.

Ocean Conservancy jumps into action, establishing our Gulf Restoration Program with a team of our experts from the Gulf Coast, as well as scientists who worked on the Exxon Valdez oil spill, to begin working with Gulf leaders to respond to the disaster.

Scientists onboard the R/V Pelican, a Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium research vessel, find enormous plumes of oil under the surface of the ocean. Oxygen levels near some of the plumes dropped 30 percent, putting ocean wildlife at high risk.

The world sees the first shocking underwater video from the Macondo oil well, which is gushing an estimated 60,000 barrels of oil into the Gulf every day.

President Barack Obama talks with local fishermen about recovery efforts along the Gulf coastline in Venice, La. He calls for a national commitment to restore the Gulf not just from the BP oil disaster but past environmental issues.

Philippe Cousteau, Ocean Conservancy Board member, dives into the Gulf to show an unfolding “nightmare” under the waves to millions of Americans.

BP commits $500 million over 10 years to support research to understand the fate, distribution and impact of oil and gas on the Gulf ecosystem and communities.

Oil from Deepwater Horizon has travelled over 100 miles to Pensacola Beach, a tourism hotspot.

Efforts to rescue and rehabilitate wildlife continues. Here brown pelicans are released on an unoiled beach in Texas.

Shrimp landings are down as much as 60 percent in some states. The total loss of public recreational activities such as boating, fishing and beach-going is estimated at nearly $700 million.

After 87 days and many failed attempts, BP finally caps the blown-out oil well.

An estimated 210 million gallons of oil and 1.8 million gallons of chemical dispersants are now in the open ocean and polluting coasts along the Gulf of Mexico.

A federal lawsuit begins that will ultimately hold BP and other responsible parties accountable for the disaster. The litigation will last nearly 5 years.

“A culture of complacency.” The National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling releases their investigation of the disaster and important recommendations for oil drilling safety reforms.

BP agrees to a $1 billion down payment towards “early restoration.” This will jump-start the process of restoring the Gulf before a full damage assessment can be completed.

“If we act with wisdom and courage, we have the opportunity to chart a new future.” Ocean Conservancy releases a framework for restoring the Gulf, including lessons learned from the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

The RESTORE Act will send 80 percent of BP’s Clean Water Act fines back to the Gulf’s environment and economy. The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council forms to create a comprehensive restoration plan.

Deepwater Horizon Trustees, state and federal leaders who are charged with restoring oiled wildlife and habitats, announce the first early restoration projects. The restoration plan includes sea turtles, thanks to more than 30,000 Ocean Conservancy advocates who spoke up for sea turtle conservation.

As planning for restoration projects get underway, Ocean Conservancy publishes a comprehensive Gulf atlas to serve as an important decision-making tool.

New findings on the impacts of the oil disaster on marine wildlife are not good. Dolphins in Louisiana’s Barataria Bay are sick and dying.

Ocean Conservancy releases Restoring the Gulf Beyond the Shore, outlining how we can restore the Gulf’s marine life and habitats.

Ocean Conservancy works with Gulf Coast residents to share our hope for the place we call home in Postcards from the Gulf. 

Deepwater Horizon Trustees announces the first early restoration project to restore one of the Gulf’s most vulnerable fish, bluefin tuna. Nearly 50,000 Ocean Conservancy supporters spoke up in support of the bluefin tuna project, which was featured in Restoring the Gulf Beyond the Shore.

BP finally agrees to pay a $20 billion settlement over 15 years. More than $1 billion is earmarked to restore the Gulf’s offshore marine life and $700 million for adaptive management and unknown conditions.

Deepwater Horizon Trustees release a Draft Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan. Ocean Conservancy and National Wildlife Federation summarize the key findings on what we now know about the impacts from Deepwater Horizon.

With limited BP funds available for monitoring the Gulf, Ocean Conservancy outlines how decision-makers should monitor what matters most with Charting the Gulf: Analyzing the Gaps in Long-Term Monitoring of the Gulf of Mexico.

Thanks to over 13,000 of Ocean Conservancy advocates, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council updates its Comprehensive Plan  and includes steps toward coordination and inclusion of science.

Deepwater Horizon Trustees call for project ideas to restore the Gulf’s open ocean. Ocean Conservancy has a few: Restoring the Gulf Beyond the Shore – Part II.

The Deepwater Horizon Trustees release the Monitoring and Adaptive Management Manual. This will guide and coordinate monitoring across all restoration projects. It is a critical tool to help measure and report on how restoration is making an impact on the Gulf ecosystem.

Take action now – tell our Gulf leaders to continue to help the Gulf’s marine life recover from the BP oil disaster.

Deepwater Horizon Trustees will release a draft restoration plan including proposed projects to restore the Gulf’s sea turtles, fish, dolphins, whales and the deep sea.

BP will make its final payment of the $20 billion Deepwater Horizon settlement.

Our vision? A future where the Gulf of Mexico is healthy and thriving.