Marsh Island (Louisiana)
Encyclopedia
Marsh Island is an island
off the coast of southern Louisiana
in the United States
.
Marsh Island is an uninhabited low-lying marshy island in Iberia Parish
, south coastal Louisiana, lying between Vermilion Bay
and the Gulf of Mexico
. It is bordered on the south by the Gulf of Mexico and is separated from mainland Louisiana by East Cote Blanche Bay to its east, West Cote Blanche Bay to its north, Vermilion Bay to its northwest, and Southwest Pass
to its west.
Vegetation is primarily of the marsh
y types, and the island is almost tree
less. On the island is the Marsh Island Wildlife Refuge, a wild bird sanctuary for species such as the snow goose
. Other animals which inhabit the island include alligator
s, duck
s and other waterfowl
, crab
s, and shrimp
. The island is popular for recreational fishing
.
The island has a land area of 258.95 square kilometres (100 sq mi) and had no population as of the 2000 census
.
29°33′59"N 91°50′46"W
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
off the coast of southern Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Marsh Island is an uninhabited low-lying marshy island in Iberia Parish
Iberia Parish, Louisiana
Iberia Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is New Iberia. As of 2000, the population was 73,266.Iberia Parish is part of the New Iberia Micropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Lafayette–Acadiana Combined Statistical Area.Iberia, along with...
, south coastal Louisiana, lying between Vermilion Bay
Vermilion Bay
Vermilion Bay is a bay in southern Louisiana in the United States.Vermilion Bay is located in southwestern Iberia Parish and southeastern Vermilion Parish...
and the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. It is bordered on the south by the Gulf of Mexico and is separated from mainland Louisiana by East Cote Blanche Bay to its east, West Cote Blanche Bay to its north, Vermilion Bay to its northwest, and Southwest Pass
Southwest Pass (Vermilion Parish)
Southwest Pass is a narrow strait in Vermilion Parish in southern Louisiana in the United States. It connects the Gulf of Mexico to its south with Vermilion Bay to its north...
to its west.
Vegetation is primarily of the marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
y types, and the island is almost tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
less. On the island is the Marsh Island Wildlife Refuge, a wild bird sanctuary for species such as the snow goose
Snow Goose
The Snow Goose , also known as the Blue Goose, is a North American species of goose. Its name derives from the typically white plumage. The genus of this bird is disputed...
. Other animals which inhabit the island include alligator
Alligator
An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator ....
s, duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
s and other waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
, crab
Crab
True crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
s, and shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
. The island is popular for recreational fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
.
The island has a land area of 258.95 square kilometres (100 sq mi) and had no population as of the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
External links
- Marsh Island at GulfBase.org
- Marsh Island Wildlife Refuge at Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
29°33′59"N 91°50′46"W