The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Monday added more than 6,000 square miles to the area of the Gulf of Mexico closed to fishing due to the oil spill.
The closed area now covers 86,985 square miles, or about 36% of Gulf federal waters. That is a three-point expansion from the previous week and closer to the 37% of federal waters put off-limits three weeks ago.
NOAA said Monday the oil slick was moving beyond the current boundaries off of the Florida panhandle and south of Mississippi. The federal closure does not apply to state waters.
On Sunday NOAA predicted that the oil slick would continue moving slowly east, toward coastal regions, with a potential for oil to reach the shore between Dauphin Island, Ala. and Panama City, Fla. by Wednesday. Southeasterly winds later this week could increase the threat of oil reaching the shore at the Chandeleur Islands and the Mississippi Delta later this week, NOAA said.
NOAA has banned fishing in areas where oil has been observed to ensure that Gulf seafood will remain safe for consumers. The agency is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to implement a broad seafood-sampling plan, which includes testing seafood from inside and outside the closure area and at docksides and markets.
The spill began in April when the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that BP PLC ( BP, BP.LN) leased from Transocean Ltd. (RIG, RIGN.EB) exploded and sank, killing 11 workers. BP has had limited success in collecting the oil spewing from a broken well, after multiple attempts at containing the leak failed.
