Robert Barham, secretary LDWF, has announced the opening to recreational and commercial fishing in portions of state inside and outside waters east of the Mississippi River effective immediately today June 9. The authority has closed this area in April although there was no trace of oil has been documented.
As per Barham the open waters of Breton and Chandeleur Sounds near Curlew Island will open effective immediately today June 9, 2010. The area south and east of Baptiste Collette Bayou will remain closed. He informed that the state’s territorial seas east of the Mississippi River south of 29 degrees 37 minutes 54 seconds north latitude near Curlew Island and north of 29 degrees 21 minutes 32.7 seconds north latitude near Baptiste Collette Bayou will open effective immediately today June 9, 2010.
Precautionary closures of recreational and commercial fishing have been implemented based on the best information the Secretary of the Department receives from field biologists, staff and trajectory models from NOAA. Barham opines that LDWF is waitin for the reports of oil then it would initiate a field survey and immediate seafood testing in the suspected areas. Closures are subsequently made with the intent to be as safe as possible, while not closing any fishing areas unnecessarily.
