Final answer:
The 2010 disaster that damaged the Gulf of Mexico was the BP Deep Water Horizon oil spill, which caused extensive environmental and economic damage to marine wildlife, local businesses, and fisheries.
Step-by-step explanation:
The 2010 disaster that damaged the ocean, shore wildlife, and fishing industries in the Gulf of Mexico was the BP Deep Water Horizon oil spill. This event was one of the most significant environmental disasters in United States history.
The spill occurred on April 20, 2010, when an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig caused a sea-floor oil gusher to flow for 87 days, until it was capped on July 15, 2010. The massive spill resulted in extensive damage to marine and wildlife habitats as well as the Gulf's fishing and tourism industries.
Oil spread over the surface of the Gulf and reached the coastlines, causing great destruction that killed marine and land animals and devastated local businesses. The economic and environmental impacts were felt for several years following the incident.
FIGURE 20.17 and 20.16 illustrate the extensive damage caused by the BP oil spill on the Gulf shore beaches and the aerial view of the Gulf Coast, respectively. Oil spills like this one not only cause immediate ecological harm but also long-term damage that can affect ecosystems and economies for decades.
Furthermore, projects like dredging beaches to prevent coastal erosion can also have detrimental effects on the environment, such as damaging reefs and seagrass beds, ultimately threatening local fisheries and economies as well.