Fishery Closure area is almost over the Florida Keys. This area represents "the area the oil is projected to cover two days out." Not much commentary about this in the media yet. I wonder how accurate this is? HOW MUCH or how little does it take for NOAA to close an area to fishing anyway?
NOAA animation of plume. Arrival at the Dry Tortugas forecast by June 4, 2010.
"NOAA has extended the northern and southern boundaries of the closed fishing area in the Gulf of Mexico to capture portions of the slick moving into waters off eastern Alabama and the western tip of the Florida panhandle, as well as some large patches of sheen moving onto the west Florida shelf and southward to Cuban waters.
This federal closure does not apply to any state waters. Closing fishing in these areas is a precautionary measure to ensure that seafood from the Gulf will remain safe for consumers."
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Federal Fishery Closure
Frequently Asked Questions
June 2010
Why is NOAA Fisheries Service prohibiting fishing in certain areas? NOAA Fisheries Service prohibited fishing in the area as a precautionary measure to ensure public safety and assure consumer confidence in Gulf of Mexico seafood. The goal of the closure is to encompass the area the spill has actually covered (based on a combination of satellite and overflight data) as well as the area the oil is projected to cover two days out. NOAA Fisheries Service strongly advises fishermen not to fish in areas where oil or oil sheens (very thin layers of floating oil) are present, even if those areas are not currently closed to fishing. A process to expedite modifications to the fishing closed area in the Gulf of Mexico has been established. Boundaries of the fishing closed area can be modified daily, based on dynamic oil spill conditions.
The current Roff's chart of oil spill distribution:
http://www.roffs.com/deepwaterhorizon.html
...
Barbie posted an interesting discussion of the physical and biological interaction of the spill in Gulf waters from RSMAS. It is well worth reading, could provide some insight on things to come.
http://www.rsmas.miami.edu/oil-spill...rspective.html
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