Today, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced the immediate reopening of state waters in the Gulf of Mexico that were previously closed due to oiling from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.
The following waters will re-open immediately to all commercial and recreational fishing:
- The 100-yard buffer from any shoreline in a portion of the upper Barataria Basin centered near Bay Jimmy and Bay Batiste.
Prior to today’s annoucement, these waters were closed to all commercial and recreational fishing except for recreational and charter boat angling. LDWF will continue monitoring conditions to determine whether conditions require discontinuance of these openings or if new closures are warranted. Reports of oil, tarballs or tar mats should be reported to the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802 and the La. State Police at 1-877-925-6595.
State rules, regulations and seasons for individual saltwater species are still effective within these areas. To view current regulations click here: http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/regulations
To view maps detailing these modifications and the latest updates on the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill please visit: www.wlf.louisiana.gov/oilspill
The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana's abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.louisiana.gov, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ldwffb, or follow us on Twitter @LDWF.
For press inquiries, contact Rene LeBreton at rlebreton@wlf.la.gov or 504-286-8745.