The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has moved to formally replace all references to the “Gulf of Mexico” with the “Gulf of America” across its regulations.

Washington, D.C. — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has moved to formally replace all references to the “Gulf of Mexico” with the “Gulf of America” across its regulations — past, present, and future — according to a final rule published on Thursday.

Sweeping Regulatory Change

As part of the regulation change, NOAA will amend existing rules to remove “Gulf of Mexico” language, effectively standardizing “Gulf of America” in all relevant regulatory contexts.

However, the change does not extend to federal statutes or bills that currently use “Gulf of Mexico” in their legal titles. Those would require Congressional action to be altered.

Background & Motivation

This regulatory shift follows President Donald Trump’s executive order “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness,” signed on his first day of the second presidency. The order directed federal agencies to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

The move by NOAA is one of the most direct applications of that order to date, ensuring that the new nomenclature will appear in regulations affecting fisheries, environmental protections, marine research, and more.

Implications & Challenges

• While NOAA’s rule changes are broad, they cannot override existing federal laws that reference “Gulf of Mexico.” Only Congress can reauthorize those references.

• The shift may affect regulatory compliance, permitting, environmental monitoring, and legal documents tied to NOAA’s jurisdiction.

• Some stakeholders may push back on the rebranding due to costs in updating maps, educational materials, and legal texts.

NOAA’s step marks a bold attempt to institutionalize a name change across federal regulations — though the full transition remains uncertain until Congress addresses the name issue in statutory language.