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AMERICA's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has again extended the closed fishing area in the Gulf of Mexico as the impact of the BP oil spill worsens.
But it is also acting tough on fishing vessels that try to break the 'no fish zone' embargo. A few days ago it seized almost nine tons of shrimp from a vessel that it brought the catch back from a prohibited area. The catch was returned to the sea.
Meanwhile, the new closed area has been introduced to allow the authorities to capture portions of oil slick off the Florida panhandle. The NOAA says 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 80,806 square miles, which is approximately 33.4 percent of Gulf of Mexico federal waters. This leaves more than 66 per cent of Gulf federal waters available for fishing. 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.
The NOAA said it was continuing s 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.
NOAA added that it 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.
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