The Keys have not been physically affected by the spill. According to officials at NOAA, the northern end of the Loop Current remains separated from the large clockwise eddy (Eddy Franklin) so there continues to be no clear path for spilled oil to enter the Loop Current from the source in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

What is the Loop Current?
The Gulf Loop Current is a dynamic, clockwise warm-water current that carries water from the Yucatan Channel north to the Gulf of Mexico, then eastward and looping back down south off Florida’s west coast, past the Dry Tortugas and into the Gulf Stream, also known as the Florida Current.

I have heard that oil will definitely hit the Keys and the impacts will be devastating. Is that true?
Southern Florida, the Florida Keys, and the East Coast are not likely to experience any effects from the remaining oil on the surface of the Gulf as the oil continues to degrade and is more than 400 mile from the loop current, according to a new NOAA analysis. This analysis assumes the Deepwater Horizon/BP wellhead will remained capped. Overflights in the past week found only scattered patches of light sheen near the Mississippi Delta – an indication that efforts to capture oil have is working and that the remaining oil is naturally dispersing and biodegrading.

What about the oil tar balls that were found in different parts of the Keys?
Since May 19, the U.S. Coast Guard has tested 74 tar ball samples and none were from the Gulf spill. It is not unusual to find tar balls in Keys waters or on area beaches. The Keys are located along a busy commercial shipping route, with some 24,000 vessels passing by annually. Commercial vessels sometimes discharge bilge water that has oil in it. Unfortunately, even though it is illegal, officials believe some vessels are now using the Gulf oil spill as an “opportunity” to empty oily bilge water into the sea. Tar balls also can drift into Keys waters from many other areas, not just the Gulf region.

What is a tar ball?
A tar ball is a blob of oil that has been weathered after floating in the ocean. Tar ball concentration and features have been used to assess the extent of oil spills, and their composition can help identify their sources of origin. They are slowly decomposed by microorganisms. While not dangerous to most people, tar balls can cause allergic reactions and should only be retrieved by trained personnel. Tar balls can occur naturally and so are not always associated with oil spills. All tar ball or other oil-related sightings should be reported to the Coast Guard at 1-800-424-8802.

Can you guarantee me that oil residue will not make its way into the Keys during my vacation?
Nobody can make a long-term guarantee that some scattered tar balls from the Gulf Coast oil spill will not reach the Keys, but experts are not forecasting any significant impacts in the future.

I hear authorities have shut down fishing in the Keys.
That is not true. No area in the Keys, from Key Largo through Key West to the Dry Tortugas have ever been under the order. That means Keys-caught seafood has not been affected and is safe to consume.

Is it safe to dive, swim and participate in other water sports in the Keys?
Yes. There have been no water-related advisories, or are there any in effect, for the Keys due to the Gulf oil spill. The Monroe County Health Department continues to monitor the situation and would issue an advisory in any event of a health-related risk.
More than 40 web cams streaming live video from the Keys’ waters, shorelines and area attractions are available for view.

I hear the Florida Keys and much of Florida are under a state of emergency
On Aug. 26, Florida Governor Charlie Crist discontinued a State of Emergency Order for Monroe County (Florida Keys) and 18 other Florida Peninsula coastal counties that had been threatened by the Transocean/BP oil spill. Even though oil has not flowed from the well site since July 15, seven Panhandle counties including Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf and Franklin are to remain under an extended state of emergency in order to qualify for economic aid under state and federal disaster guidelines.

A state of emergency is declared in advance of a potential emergency so the region can qualify for federal reimbursement funding and small business loans, if needed. Visitors continue to be welcomed to all Florida areas that are under a state of emergency.

Are there protective actions being taken to safeguard the environment, if needed?
The U.S. Coast Guard is the lead government agency responsible for oversight of any necessary cleanup and remediation activities. The Coast Guard works in conjunction with other local, state and federal authorities to enact a 725-page area contingency plan that includes oil spill response actions. Some other agencies involved are NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the Department of the Interior, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Monroe County Emergency Management. All are operating under the recently established Florida Peninsula Command Center. Assessment and cleanup crews stand by in the event of an unanticipated need to mitigate tar balls or any other unexpected effects, if needed. Currently, no protective actions are interrupting water- or land-related visitor activities in the Florida Keys.

When will this be over?
For the Florida Keys, the threat now is very, very low and will decrease to zero once the well is permanently sealed which should occur prior to the end of August.

Where can I get more information on the oil spill?
The Keys tourism council is posting information — including official NOAA oil slick trajectory maps — on its website as well as on Twitter and Facebook.

Spill-related websites include:

Florida Department of Environmental Protection
NOAA
Deep Water Horizon Response