Gulf of Mexico area fishery closure boundary, 31 May 2010. NOAA

By Jeff Dute
May 31, 2010, 12:38PM MOBILE, Ala. — On the eve of the opener of the 2010 red snapper season, approaching oil from the Deepwater Horizon well has prompted the NOAA Fisheries Service to expand the federal waters closed to fishing. The newly closed areas include federal waters up to state waters from Gulfport, Miss., and east across the mouth of Mobile Bay and along the Fort Morgan peninsula to just west of Gulf Shores, Ala. Federal waters due south of Orange Beach out to about 30 miles and to the southeast of Perido Pass remain open to fishermen. State waters in Mississippi and Alabama remained open as of noon today.

Approaching oil prompts closure of more Gulf areas to fishing