By IANS,
Washington : The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Sunday closed commercial and recreational fishing for 10 days in waters affected by the huge oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
“NOAA is restricting fishing for a minimum of 10 days in federal waters most affected by the BP oil spill, largely between Louisiana state waters at the mouth of the Mississippi river to waters off Florida’s Pensacola Bay,” Xinhua reported quoting a NOAA statement.
“NOAA is working closely with the US Food and Drug Administration and the States to ensure seafood safety, by assessing whether seafood is tainted or contaminated to levels that pose a risk to human health,” the statement said.
The oil spill started April 22, two days after a British Petroleum (BP) oil rig exploded and sank.
The oil slick spewed by the ruptured oil rig is moving fast toward the US shorelines, and experts fear it may spell a major ecological disaster in the country’s history.