14 DAY TRIAL // A new section of Gulf of Mexico waters that had been close to commercial and amateur fishing has now been reopened, announce experts with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
They say that a swath of ocean surface covering some 5,628 square miles is now safe for fishermen. The area is located in Gulf waters off the coast of eastern Louisiana, and west of the Mississippi delta.
NOAA also announces that this is the seventh reopening that it operated since July 22, when a large portion of the Gulf, accounting for more than a third of the total, federally-controlled surface, was closed due to fear of contamination.
In deciding on whether to reopen this particular swath of ocean, NOAA discussed the issue thoroughly with representatives from all Gulf states, and from the US Food and Drug Administration.
“Reopening these critical fishing grounds signals progress and is important for the long-term recovery of the Gulf’s commercial and recreational industries,” explains Jane Lubchenco, PhD.
“Our tests continue to reveal that Gulf seafood is safe for consumption. We will not reopen an area until we are certain the seafood from it is safe,” adds the expert, who is the NOAA Administrator.
Lubchenco is also an US under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. She adds that the newly-opened area covers about 2 percent of federally-controlled waters in the Gulf.
It also represents about 18 percent of the previously-closed area. The last modification to the region was made on September 21. NOAA has pledged to upgrade the status of the endangered surfaces as soon as possible, and this means constantly monitoring them.
“No oil or sheen has been documented in the area since August 6. At its closest point, the area to be reopened is about 75 statute miles south of the BP Deepwater wellhead,” officials at the agency say.
“NOAA will continue to take samples for testing from the newly reopened area. The agency will also continue dockside sampling to test fish caught throughout the Gulf by commercial fishermen,” they add.
The largest closed area was recorded on June 2, when more than 88,522 square miles were off-limits to fishermen. Since, more than 52,000 square miles off that surface have been reopened.
The agency is running continuing measurements around the Deepwater Horizon disaster site, aided by the US Coast Guard and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).