What distinguished marine life between Florida's western coast on the Gulf of Mexico and Florida's eastern coast on the Atlantic Ocean? The Gulf off Mexico is is bordered by the U.S. States of FL, AL, MS and LA. It is heavily impacted by the run off and sediment that empties into the Gulf of Mexico from the Mississippi River. The Gulf Coast is the fastest growing coastal economy in the U.S. today. It provides 70% of shrimp consumed in the U.S. The east coast of FL is more densely populated than Florida's western Gulf Coast. The Atlantic is impacted by the warm gulf stream that comes from easterly winds that originate from the equator. It is when cooler air and warmer water temperatures meet, that hurricanes form east of the United states. These hurricanes can thrive and even strengthen over both the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of FL. Hurricane season in Florida begins in June and ends around the beginning of Dec. We took an audio visual tour of the best beaches around the entire FL peninsula.