Updated Closure
Current revisions to the closure, described below, will be effective on May 12, 2010 at 6 p.m. eastern time (5 p.m. central time). All commercial and recreational fishing including catch and release is prohibited in the closed area; however, transit through the area is allowed.
The revised closed area is bounded by rhumb lines connecting, in order, the following coordinates: From the point where 30°01′ N. lat. intersects with the 3 nautical mile Louisiana state boundary; proceeding southeasterly to the point 29°50′ N. lat. and 88°14′ W. long.; thence, easterly to the point 29°50′ N. lat. and 87°28′ W. long.; thence, southeasterly to the point 29°27′ N. lat. and 86°31′ W. long.; thence southwesterly to the point 27°56′ N. lat. and 87°53′ W. long.; thence, westerly to the point 27°56′ N. lat. and 88°23′ W. long.; thence, northwesterly to the point 28°33′ N. lat. and 89°00′ W. long.; thence, northwesterly to the point 28°39′ N. lat. and 90°25′ W. long.; thence northwesterly to the point 29°07′ N. lat. and 91°35′ W. long.; thence northerly to the point where 91°35′ W. long. intersects with the 3 nautical mile Louisiana state boundary; thence along the seaward limit of Louisiana’s waters.
Modeling and mapping the actual and projected spill area is not an exact science. NOAA Fisheries Service strongly advises fishermen not to fish in areas where oil or oil sheens (very thin layers of floating oil) are present, even if those areas are not currently closed to fishing.
