According to the information these areas were remain closed because of the BP oil spill could be opened in two weeks, as wildlife officials begin sampling for contaminated seafood in northern Terrebonne and Timbalier bays. Before this many local interior bays have been opened since early summer.
Joe Shepard, administrator of fisheries with the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, said that they have to prove that oil is no longer a threat, and the area isn’t going to be re-oiled in the near future.
Wilma Subra, a Louisiana chemist who has been independently sampling for oil in waters across Louisiana, found evidence of oil in oysters near the Atchafalaya River just a week ago. She has tests on Terrebonne seafood pending, and expects results early next week. Andrew Blanchard, owner of Indian Ridge Shrimp Co. in Chauvin, said he trusts the federal testing.
Allen Estay, owner of Bluewater Shrimp Co. in Dulac, said fishermen have been trawling in the inner bays for weeks already. The opening of waters won’t make a significant difference for local fishermen because it represents a small part of the fishable waters in both bays. He also believes if there was contamination in Terrebonne and Timbalier bays, fishermen would have found it already.
