[StBernard] LDWF Announces the Opening of Commercial Crab Fishing in Significant Areas West of the Mississippi River

[Westley Annis]

LDWF Announces the Opening of Commercial Crab Fishing in Significant Areas
West of the Mississippi River - Effective August 20, 2010

 

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, in coordination with the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, ordered an emergency reopening of
commercial crabbing in areas west of Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River
that were previously closed because of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

 

Effective Friday August 20th, all state inside and outside territorial
waters west of Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River and 89 degrees 25
minutes 00 seconds west longitude are open to the commercial harvest of
crabs. 

 

LDWF Secretary Robert Barham ordered these reopenings following the
completion of comprehensive testing by the FDA. The FDA advised that,
following extensive sensory testing and analytical chemistry results, the
crab samples tested from previously closed areas are safe for consumption.

 

The following areas remain closed to all commercial fishing, including
commercial crabbing, until further notice:

All Louisiana commercial fishing closures including commercial crab closures
east of Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River remain unchanged. LDWF does
anticipate FDA approval to reopen commercial crabbing in this area within
days.

 

The portion of state inside waters north of 29 degrees 23 minutes 00 seconds
north latitude and south of 29 degrees 30 minutes 00 seconds north latitude
from 89 degrees 50 minutes 00 seconds west longitude westward to the eastern
shore of the Barataria Waterway, and

The portion of state inside and outside waters north of 29 degrees 18
minutes 00 seconds north latitude and south of 29 degrees 22 minutes 00
seconds north latitude from 89 degrees 48 minutes 00 seconds west longitude
westward to 89 degrees 52 minutes 00 seconds west longitude, and

The portion of state inside and outside waters bounded by the following
coordinates:

1.	29 degrees 18 minutes 00 seconds north latitude
	89 degrees 48 minutes 00 seconds west longitude 
2.	29 degrees 20 minutes 00 seconds north latitude
	89 degrees 48 minutes 00 seconds west longitude 
3.	29 degrees 13 minutes 40 seconds north latitude
	89 degrees 33 minutes 00 seconds west longitude 
4.	29 degrees 15 minutes 00 seconds north latitude
	89 degrees 32 minutes 30 seconds west longitude 

The portion of state inside and outside waters bounded by the following
coordinates: 

1.	29 degrees 18 minutes 00 seconds north latitude
	89 degrees 52 minutes 00 seconds west longitude 
2.	29 degrees 21 minutes 00 seconds north latitude
	89 degrees 52 minutes 00 seconds west longitude 
3.	29 degrees 15 minutes 40 seconds north latitude
	89 degrees 56 minutes 00 seconds west longitude 
4.	29 degrees 17 minutes 10 seconds north latitude
	89 degrees 57 minutes 30 seconds west longitude 

The portion of state inside and outside waters north of 29 degrees 08
minutes 15 seconds north latitude and south of 29 degrees 11 minutes 40
seconds north latitude from 90 degrees 03 minutes 00 seconds west longitude
westward to 90 degrees 07 minutes 00 seconds west longitude, and

The portion of state inside waters north of 29 degrees 09 minutes 00 seconds
north latitude and south of 29 degrees 12 minutes 50 seconds north latitude
from the western shore of Bayou Lafourche westward to 90 degrees 17 minutes
50 seconds west longitude, and

The portion of state inside and outside waters north of 29 degrees 03
minutes 00 seconds north latitude and south of 29 degrees 09 minutes 00
seconds north latitude from 90 degrees 13 minutes 30 seconds west longitude
and the western shore of Bayou Lafourche westward to 90 degrees 34 minutes
00 seconds west longitude, and

The portion of state inside and outside waters north of 29 degrees 02
minutes 00 seconds north latitude and south of 29 degrees 05 minutes 00
seconds north latitude from 90 degrees 37 minutes 00 seconds west longitude
westward to 90 degrees 58 minutes 00 seconds west longitude.

 

*	For maps detailing these commercial openings, click here
<http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/img/maps/oil-spill/commercial-map.png> . 
*	For detail sheet one, click here
<http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/img/maps/oil-spill/commercial-map-1.png> . 
*	For detail sheet two, click here
<http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/img/maps/oil-spill/commercial-map-2.png> . 
*	For detail sheet three, click here
<http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/img/maps/oil-spill/commercial-map-3.png> .