NOAA Expands Fishing Closed Area in Gulf of Mexico
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- NOAA has expanded some boundaries of the closed fishing area in the Gulf of Mexico to capture portions of the slick moving beyond the current boundaries – the most significant expansion includes an area off southwest Florida that covers waters just to the west of the Dry Tortugas.
Additionally, the agency reopened a 2,637 square mile area of the western-most boundary south of Louisiana. Oil was projected to be in this area, but was never actually observed there.
This federal closure does not apply to any state waters. Closing fishing in these areas is a precautionary measure to ensure that seafood from the Gulf will remain safe for consumers.
The closed area now represents 88,502 square miles, which is approximately 37 percent of Gulf of Mexico federal waters. This leaves more than 63 percent of Gulf federal waters available for fishing. The closure will be effective at 6:00 p.m. EDT. Details can be found at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/. The last closed area modification was June 1, when 75,920 square miles were closed to fishing, or roughly 31 percent of federal waters of the Gulf.
The federal and state governments have systems in place to test and monitor seafood safety, prohibit harvesting from affected areas, and keep oiled products out of the marketplace. NOAA continues to work closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the states to ensure seafood safety, by closing fishing areas where tainted seafood could potentially be caught, and assessing whether seafood is tainted or contaminated to levels that pose a risk to human health. NOAA and FDA are working to implement a broad-scaled seafood sampling plan. The plan includes sampling seafood from inside and outside the closure area, as well as dockside- and market-based sampling.
According to NOAA, there are approximately 5.7 million recreational fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico region who took 25 million fishing trips in 2008. Commercial fishermen in the Gulf harvested more than one billion pounds of fish and shellfish in 2008.
Fishermen who wish to contact BP about a claim should call 800-440-0858.
NOAA will continue to evaluate the need for fisheries closures based on the evolving nature of the spill and will re-open closed areas as appropriate. NOAA will also re-evaluate the closure areas as new information that would change the boundaries of these closed areas becomes available.
NOAA has a number of new methods for the public to obtain information or be notified when there is a change to the closed area:
Sign up to receive Southeast Fishery Bulletins by email at SERO.Communications.Comments@noaa.gov
Call 1-800-627-NOAA (1-800-627-6622) to hear a recording of the current coordinates
Listen to NOAA Weather Radio for messages about the closure
Receive text messages on your cell phone about changes to the closed area by texting fishing@gulf to 84469 (visit http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doc/2931/558107 for more information)
Follow us on Twitter: usnoaagov to get a tweet when the closed area changes
NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Visit us at http://www.noaa.gov or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/usnoaagov.
For information about the response effort, visit www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com
Key contact numbers
Report oiled shoreline or request volunteer information: (866) 448-5816
Submit alternative response technology, services or products: (281) 366-5511
Submit your vessel for the Vessel of Opportunity Program: (281) 366-5511
Submit a claim for damages: (800) 440-0858
Report oiled wildlife: (866) 557-1401
Deepwater Horizon Incident
Joint Information Center
Phone: (985) 902-5231
(985) 902-5240
Contact: Kim Amendola, 727-403-6533
