State Gets 500 More Acres of Cat Island from BP

Nearly 500 acres of Cat Island is back in the hands of our state.
Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann announced Mississippi’s acquisition of the Gulf’s western-most barrier island in Gulfport this morning. The portion of Cat Island was acquired from BP, valued at over $13 million.
Besides being a spot for camping, fishing, hiking and swimming, some endangered species of animals and plants call the island home, living within Cat Island’s marshes, forests, and beaches.
A natural treasure is what Hosemann called the barrier island. State Senator Sean Tindell tells News 25 he agrees. “It’s great for the Coast. It’s great for the state of Mississippi. I can remember as a child going out to Cat Island and it was owned by private individuals. So, now this gives an opportunity for all citizens to go out there and enjoy it and not just this generation, but generations to come,” said Tindell.
The U.S. Corps of Engineers plans to restore the east beach of Cat Island and add about 40 acres to Goose Point, which is a portion eroded below sea level.
Cat Island is almost 2,000 acres in full. Mississippi now owns just over 700 acres.