Today NOAA reopened 4,281 square miles of Gulf waters off western Louisiana to commercial and recreational fishing. No oil has been in the area since July 29th and models show this area is at a low risk for future exposure to oil. Fish caught in the area were tested by NOAA experts and showed no signs of contamination. NOAA will continue to take samples from the newly re-opened area and there is also dockside sampling to test fish caught by commercial fishermen throughout the Gulf.
The closed area now covers 48,114 square miles or 20 percent of the federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico (37% at the peak of the closures). To view the official NOAA bulletin of the reopening, click here. To view the fact sheet released on the administration-wide effort to ensure Gulf seafood safety, click here.
