[StBernard] LDWF ANNOUNCES SIGNIFICANT REOPENINGS TO COMMERCIAL CRABBING IN PLAQUEMINES, ST. BERNARD AND ORLEANS PARISHES

[Westley Annis]

LDWF ANNOUNCES SIGNIFICANT REOPENINGS TO COMMERCIAL CRABBING IN PLAQUEMINES,
ST. BERNARD AND ORLEANS PARISHES

 

Today, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, in coordination
with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has ordered an emergency
reopening of commercial crabbing in areas east of the Mississippi River and
the northern shore of Pass a Loutre that were previously closed due to the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

 

Effective immediately today, August 21, all state inside and outside
territorial waters east of the Mississippi River and north of the northern
shore of Pass a Loutre and 29 degrees 12 minutes 40 seconds north latitude
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:

*	the portion of state inside and outside waters north of 29 degrees
59 minutes 30 seconds north latitude and south of the Mississippi/Louisiana
state line from the Louisiana territorial sea boundary westward to 89
degrees 15 minutes 00 seconds west longitude, and 
*	the portion of state inside and outside waters north of 29 degrees
36 minutes 30 seconds north latitude and south of 29 degrees 59 minutes 30
seconds north latitude from the Louisiana territorial sea boundary westward
to a line extending 1 mile west from the western shore of the Chandeleur
Islands, and 
*	the portion of state inside waters north of 29 degrees 45 minutes 00
seconds north latitude and south of 29 degrees 59 minutes 30 seconds north
latitude from 89 degrees 09 minutes 00 seconds west longitude westward to 89
degrees 15 minutes 00 seconds west longitude, and 
*	the portion of state inside waters north of 29 degrees 47 minutes 00
seconds north latitude and south of 29 degrees 51 minutes 00 seconds north
latitude from 89 degrees 15 minutes 00 seconds west longitude westward to 89
degrees 22 minutes 00 seconds west longitude. 
*	 

All Louisiana commercial fishing closures as detailed on the commercial
fishing maps posted to the LDWF website remain unchanged. 

For maps detailing these commercial openings, 

http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/img/maps/oil-spill/commercial-map.png
<http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/img/maps/oil-spill/commercial-map.png>  

http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/img/maps/oil-spill/commercial-map-1.png
<http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/img/maps/oil-spill/commercial-map-1.png>  

http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/img/maps/oil-spill/commercial-map-2.png
<http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/img/maps/oil-spill/commercial-map-2.png>  

http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/img/maps/oil-spill/commercial-map-3.png
<http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/img/maps/oil-spill/commercial-map-3.png>  

 

For more information contact Marianne Burke, 225-765-2917 or
mburke at wlf.la.gov <mailto:mburke at wlf.la.gov>  

For more information related to the oil spill, visit
http://www.emergency.louisiana.gov
<http://keelson.eatel.net/websites/la2.gov/action.cfm?md=communication&task=
addClick&msg_ID=6288&ID=f%60j%40k%40f%22mbmk&redirect=http://www.emergency.l
ouisiana.gov> . Connect with us on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/GOHSEP
<http://keelson.eatel.net/websites/la2.gov/action.cfm?md=communication&task=
addClick&msg_ID=6288&ID=f%60j%40k%40f%22mbmk&redirect=http://www.facebook.co
m/GOHSEP>  and on Twitter as @GOHSEP. View photos from the state's response
efforts at http://www.flickr.com/photos/lagohsep
<http://keelson.eatel.net/websites/la2.gov/action.cfm?md=communication&task=
addClick&msg_ID=6288&ID=f%60j%40k%40f%22mbmk&redirect=http://www.flickr.com/
photos/lagohsep> .