Deepwater Horizon: NOAA expands GoM fishing ban

Offshore staff

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida – NOAA has expanded the extent of its closed fishing area in the Gulf of Mexico as a result of the movement of the Deepwater Horizon incident oil spill. The largest new area is in the eastern GoM off southwest Florida to west of the Dry Tortugas.

At the same time, NOAA opened an area on the western extremities of the previously closed area covering 2,637 sq mi. No oil reached this area.

With these moves, 37% of the GoM, or 88,502 sq mi (229,219 sq km), is closed to fishing, says NOAA.

The agency also says it has systems in place to test and monitor seafood safety and is working on a plan to sample seafood inside and outside the ban area as well as at dockside and at markets.

06/03/2010