BILOXI, Miss. - The executive directors of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, in an abundance of caution, are closing an additional portion of Mississippi's territorial marine waters, effective 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 23, 2010, to all commercial and recreational fishing, including all species of finfish, crabs, shrimp and oysters.
The new closure area includes newly added Mississippi territorial marine waters both south of 30 degrees 19 minutes north latitude and east of 88 degrees 56 minutes west longitude to the East Biloxi Channel; and includes previously closed Mississippi territorial marine waters lying both south and east of the southern shoreline of Horn Island; lying both south of 30 degrees 18 minutes north latitude and east of 88 degrees 39 minutes west longitude; and lying both south of the CSX Railroad and east of the Bayou Casotte Ship Channel to the Mississippi-Alabama state boundary.
Any individuals retaining any marine species from this closed area will be required to immediately return them to the waters. This precautionary closure is a result of oil sightings in this general area and the potential impacts on Mississippi's coastal marine resources. The continuous monitoring of this situation is to ensure public safety and protection of Mississippi's coastal resources.
