THE GULF OF MEXICO HAS BEEN COMPROMISED Editors Note

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <IMG SRC="1c5dead0.jpg" border=0 width="222" height="173" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <I>Gulf of Mexico April 27,2010</I></div> <div> <IMG SRC="1c9a27f0.jpg" border=0 width="162" height="127" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>     <I> 10 miles from oil leak</I></div> <div> <I>             Feb. 2010</I></div> <div> <I><IMG SRC="1f0a5b40.jpg" border=0 width="165" height="180" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></div> <div> C-130 drops an oil dispersing chemical into the Gulf of Mexico as part of the Deepwater Horizon Response effort, May 5, 2010</div> <div> <I><IMG SRC="206ac9b0.jpg" border=0 width="172" height="155" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></div> <div> <I> </I><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0099FF" FACE="Arial" ><I>NEXT IS OUR BEACHES!</I></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.usm.edu/gcrl/msbeach/jacbmon.cgi" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.usm.edu/gcrl/msbeach/jacbmon."><U>LOCAL BEACH CLOSINGS</U></A>  </div> <div> <IMG SRC="237a9710.jpg" border=0 width="169" height="113" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>    Horn Island  June 25,2010</div> <div> <IMG SRC="232ac9d0.jpg" border=0 width="172" height="157" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>  Petit Bois Island  June 28,2010</div> <div> GULF ISLANDS National Seashore <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/oil-spill-response.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/oil-spill-res"><U><I><U>update</U></I></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/globalbp/globalbp_uk_english/homepage/STAGING/local_assets/bp_homepage/html/rov_stream.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet"><U><I><U>live feed from oil leak</U></I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doctype/2931/55963" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/"><U><I><U>fish and wildlife report</U></I></U></A></div> <div> <I><U><IMG SRC="21dab840.jpg" border=0 width="171" height="132" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></I></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>The Gulf Fishing Magazine</B></FONT>    |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Gulf Fishing Magazine"><U>home</U></A></div> <div>                                                   </div> <div> THE GULF OF MEXICO HAS BEEN COMPROMISED          Editors Note</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>I AM ONE SICK ANGRY FISHERMAN!!!</B></div> <div> <I>April 27,2010</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>DID YA KNOW!</I>!   THAT THE MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF OIL THAT IS GUSHING INTO THE GULF IS KILLING AND WILL CONTINUE TO <A HREF="http://sbynews.blogspot.com/2010/06/dead-fish-from-oil-spill.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://sbynews.blogspot.com/2010/06/dead"><U><I>KILL ALL THE FISH</I></U></A> AND LARVA FROM MIGRATING PELAGIC'S THAT COME TO THE VERY SPOT WHERE THE TOPPLED RIG IS GUSHING OVER 10,000 BARRELS A DAY.</div> <div> THEY ARE NATURALLY MIGRATING TO THE WEST FOR BREEDING. THEN THE HUNDREDS OF SPECIES OF LARVA HOLDS UP IN THE SARGASM THAT NATURALLY FLOATS WHERE ALL THE OIL IS. THE SEA LOONS THAT I SEEN IN THAT AREA LAST MONTH THAT WERE FEEDING ON MENHADEN. YES, NOT TO MENTION TOTALLY SHUTTING DOWN THE NORTHERN GULFS TOURIST & SEAFOOD INDUSTRY. </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <B>IT IS NOT A SPILL,</B> NOT A CRISIS, <B>IT IS NOT A SPILL,</B> NOT A CRISIS, </div> <div> <B>IT IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER!!!</B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT></div> <div> I'M TIRED OF THE SUGAR COATING!</div> <div> DO YOU THINK THAT TRANSOCEAN AND BP WERE IN OVER THEIR HEADS. <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >YES</FONT> THEY WERE ABOUT A MILE DEEP OVER THEIR HEAD!!!!  WHY  WOULD THEY KEEP SPRAYING WATER ON THE RIG UNTIL IT FILLED WITH WATER AND SANK? WHOEVER MADE THE DECISION TO <I>NOT</I> PUT A PREVENTION DEVICE THAT WOULD ACTUALLY WORK IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENED......</div> <bR> <div> SHOULD KNOW THAT RESPONSIBILITY HAS <I>NO COST</I>!!!!!</div> <bR> <div> VOLUNTEER HOT LINE #  866-448-5816  REPORT WILDLIFE  866-557-1401  </div> <bR> <div> <I>DON MYRICK / THE GULF FISHING MAGAZINE</I></div> <bR> <div> <B>              NOAA Modifies Fishing Closed Areas in Gulf</B></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>Current revisions to the closure, described below, will be effective on <B>July 13, 2010 at 6 p.m. eastern time </B>(5 p.m. central time). All commercial and recreational fishing including catch and release is prohibited in the closed area; however, transit through the area is allowed. </div> <div>                                                         </div> <div>                                                     <IMG SRC="243025e0.png" border=0 width="770" height="606" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  </div> <div>                                <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" >This is MS,AL & LA's polluted offshore fishing</FONT></div> <div>                   and it <U>was</U> the greatest fishing in the world!!</div> <bR> <div> <B>May 31, 2010 ( Hours before snapper season )</B></div> <bR> <div> <B> </B></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>Federal Waters Adjacent to Mississippi Close at 6:00 Tonight</B></I> </div> <bR> <div> BILOXI, Miss. – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is extending the northern boundary of the federal closure area in the Gulf of Mexico and will include all federal waters south of the Mississippi state line. This closure does not affect Mississippi state waters which are currently open. The new closure map is attached and posted online at <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov." TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov."><U><U>http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov</U></U></A></FONT><A HREF="http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov." TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov."><U>.</U></A> The closure area will go into effect at 6p.m. Eastern Time tonight. This extension coincides with the June 1 opening of the Gulf of Mexico recreational red snapper season and will affect some areas targeted by charter boat captains and private anglers.</div> <div>  </div> <div> <B>June 1, 2010 ( Hours before shrimp season ) </B></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>Precautionary Closure of Portions of Mississippi Marine Waters</B></I> </div> <div> <I><B>To All Commercial and Recreational Fishing, Effective Immediately</B></I> </div> <bR> <div> BILOXI, Miss<I>.</I> – The executive directors of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, in an abundance of caution, are closing a certain portion of Mississippi’s territorial marine waters, <B>effective immediately,</B> to all commercial and recreational fishing, including all species of finfish, crabs, shrimp and oysters. </div> <div> The closed area includes those territorial marine waters of the State of Mississippi lying east of 88 degrees 40 minutes west longitude and south of the CSX Railroad, excluding Graveline Bayou and its tributaries. Any individuals retaining any marine species from this closed area will be required to immediately return them to the waters. </div> <div> This precautionary closure is a result of the presence of oil in this general area and the potential impacts of the oil on Mississippi’s coastal marine resources. The continuous monitoring of this situation is to ensure public safety and protection of Mississippi’s coastal resources. </div> <div> The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources is dedicated to enhancing, protecting and conserving marine interests of the state by managing all marine life, public trust wetlands, adjacent uplands and waterfront areas to provide for the optimal commercial, recreational, educational and economic uses of these resources consistent with environmental concerns and social changes. Visit the DMR online at <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>www.dmr.ms.gov</U></FONT>.  </div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="24141790.jpg" border=0 width="833" height="633" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>August 6, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>  </B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>MDMR and MDEQ Reopen All Mississippi Territorial Waters</B></I></FONT></div> <div> <I><B>to Commercial and Recreational Finfish and Shrimp Fishing</B></I></div> <bR> <div> BILOXI, Miss<I>. </I>– The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) and the Mississippi Department of</div> <div> Environmental Quality (MDEQ), in coordination with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</div> <div> (NOAA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), have ordered the <B>reopening of all Mississippi</B></div> <div> <B>territorial waters, including those south of the barrier islands, to all commercial and recreational finfish</B></div> <div> <B>and shrimp fishing activities </B>that were part of the precautionary oil spill closures. This order takes effect at</div> <div> 5:00 p.m. today. <B>All commercial and recreational crab and oyster fishing will remain closed in the affected areas</B></div> <bR> <div> EPA: BP must use less toxic dispersant</div> <bR> <div> NOAA Observations Indicate a Small Portion of Light Oil Sheen Has Entered the Loop Current</div> <bR> <div> NOAA's latest observations indicate that a small portion of the oil slick has reached the Loop Current in the form of light to very light sheens.</div> <bR> <div> In the time it would take for oil to travel to the vicinity of the Florida Straits, any oil would be highly weathered and both the natural process of evaporation and the application of chemical dispersants would reduce the oil volume significantly. However, the oil may get caught in a clockwise eddy in the middle of the gulf, and not be carried to the Florida Straits at all.</div> <bR> <div> Oil entrained in the Loop Current would require persistent onshore winds or an eddy on the edge of the Loop Current for it to reach the Florida shoreline. If this were to occur, the weathered and diluted oil would likely appear in isolated locations in the form of tar balls.</div> <bR> <div> The Coast Guard has confirmed that the tar balls collected yesterday in the Florida Keys did not originate with the BP oil spill.</div> <bR> <div> Both the location of the Loop Current and location of the oil slick are dynamic and constantly changing. NOAA tracks the location of the surface oil daily through analysis of satellite imagery, observer over flights with helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, as well as advanced sensing technology on aircraft.</div> <bR> <div> The Loop Current is an area of warm water that comes up from the Caribbean, flowing past the Yucatan Peninsula and into the Gulf of Mexico. From there, it generally curves east across the Gulf and then flows south parallel to the west Florida Coast, as it flows between Florida and Cuba it becomes the Florida Current as it moves through the Florida Straits, where it finally joins the Gulf Stream as it travels up the Atlantic Coast.</div> <bR> <div> Fishing Restrictions Extended, Balancing Economic and Public Health Concerns</div> <bR> <div> Out of an abundance of caution, NOAA has extended the boundaries of the closed fishing area in the Gulf of Mexico into the northern portion of the Loop Current as a precautionary measure to ensure that seafood from the Gulf will remain safe for consumers. Though the latest analysis shows that the bulk of the oil remains dozens of miles from the Loop Current, the new boundaries address the possibility that a tendril of light oil has entered or will enter it.</div> <div> The closed area now represents 45,728 square miles, which is slightly less than 19 percent of Gulf of Mexico federal waters. This leaves more than 81 percent of Gulf federal waters—or nearly 195,000 square miles—still available for fishing. Details can be found at <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/</U></FONT>.</div> <div> The newly closed area is more than 150 miles from the nearest port and primarily in deep water used by pelagic longline fisheries that target highly migratory species, such as tuna and swordfish. Coastal fisheries, such as grouper, snapper and shrimp, will not be affected by the expansion of the closed area.</div> <bR> <div> COAST GUARD AND EPA APPROVE USE OF DISPERSANT SUBSEA IN FURTHER EFFORT TO PREVENT OIL FROM REACHING U.S. SHORELINE</div> <div> Agencies Reserve Authority to Stop the Use of the Dispersant At Any Time</div> <bR> <div> ROBERT, LA - The U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced they have authorized BP to use dispersants underwater, at the source of the Deepwater Horizon leak. Oil spill dispersants are chemicals that attempt to break down the oil into small drops and prevent it from reaching the surface or the U.S. shoreline. Dispersants are generally less harmful than the highly toxic oil leaking from the source and they biodegrade in a much shorter time span.</div> <bR> <div> The use of the dispersant at the source of the leak represents a novel approach to addressing the significant environmental threat posed by the spill. Preliminary testing results indicate that subsea use of the dispersant is effective at reducing the amount of oil from reaching the surface – and can do so with the use of less dispersant than is needed when the oil does reach the surface. This is an important step to reduce the potential for damage from oil reaching fragile wetlands and coastal areas. </div> <bR> <div> “We will continue our relentless efforts to secure the source of the spill. In the meantime, we will employ every available technique we can to minimize the environmental impact on coastal habitats, communities and the marine ecosystem. This requires a responsible assessment of the risks and benefits of specific tactics,” said Coast Guard Admiral Thad W. Allen, the national incident commander for the spill.</div> <bR> <div> “Based on the scientific analysis of the EPA and NOAA and review by the National Response Team, it has been determined that the use of dispersants at the subsea source is the prudent and responsible action to take along with other tactics including surface dispersant, skimming and controlled burns." </div> <bR> <div> "We believe that the underwater use of dispersants could lessen the overall impact of the spill,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Dispersants are not the silver bullet. They are used to move us towards the lesser of two difficult environmental outcomes. Until the flow of oil is stemmed, we must continue to take any responsible action that will reduce the impact of the spill, and that is what we are doing.”</div> <bR> <div> This course of action was decided upon with thorough evaluation and consideration of many factors as well as consultation with stakeholders. Because subsea use of dispersants is a novel approach, several tests were done to determine if the dispersant would be effective in breaking up the oil and helping to control the leaks.</div> <bR> <div> While BP pursues the use of subsea dispersants, the federal government will require regular analysis of its effectiveness and impact on the environment, water and air quality, and human health through a rigorous monitoring program. EPA's directive to BP, including the monitoring plan the company must adhere to in order to ensure the protection of the environment and public health, is publicly available at <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>www.epa.gov/bpspill/dispersants</U></FONT>.</div> <bR> <div> The federal government will work with caution and strong oversight and reserves the right to discontinue the use of this dispersant method if any negative impacts on the environment outweigh the benefits</div> <bR> <div> Update on Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Response - 06 May</div> <bR> <div> Work continues to attempt to bring the MC252 oil well under control, to stop the flow of oil and to contain the oil subsea. </div> <bR> <div> A valve that had been attached to the end of a broken drill pipe, one of the three points from which oil was leaking, was closed. This has stopped the flow from this point, but is not expected to affect the overall rate of flow from the well. BP continues to use remotely operated vehicles to monitor the flow of oil from the other two leak points. </div> <bR> <div> A containment dome was loaded aboard a transport vessel at Port Fourchon, Louisiana, and began its transport to the MC252 well site. The 40x24x14 feet steel vessel, which weighs almost 100 tons, is expected to be lowered to the seabed today. </div> <bR> <div> The drilling of the first relief well, which began on Sunday May 2, continues. It is estimated that it will take some three months to complete. </div> <bR> <div> May 2, 2010</div> <bR> <div> New Technology May Cut Oil Leak As Legal Actions Against BP Grow</div> <bR> <div> Experts attempting to slow the flow of oil from the Deepwater Horizon rig collapse may have found a way to slow the pace at which oil reaches the surface of the Gulf of Mexico. The NOAA <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>reports that</U></FONT> oil continues to flow into the Gulf of Mexico at an estimated to 5000 barrels (210,000 gallons) per day from three leaks in damaged piping on the sea floor.</div> <div> The new approach was suggested by Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM) which is now aiding BP plc (NYSE: BP) and the federal government in their attempts to contain the size of the spill. NOAA tested the technique which is to apply dispersants to oil at the source which is 5000 feet below the surface. The dispersants may be able to break up the crude in a way that keeps it from rising through the water.</div> <div> New drilling rigs are being sent to the area in the event that a second well needs to be made to relieve the pressure of the oil that is coming from the Deepwater Horizon leak. That process is expected to take several months</div> <div> In the meantime, the NOAA trajectory map of the area from early on May 2 shows the the oil slick has begun to reach shore.</div> <bR> <div> The direction of the wind in the area is exacerbating the problems containing the spill. The National Weather Service forecasts southeast winds through the weekend which will push surface oil towards shore and hamper surface recovery efforts until a forecast shift on Monday. Reuters reported that “coastline from Louisiana to Florida is threatened by the slick, estimated to be some 130 miles by 70 miles in size and still growing.”</div> <div> President Obama is expected to visit the site today.</div> <div> Aside from the clean-up costs which BP estimates cost its $6 million a day, several groups have filed suits against the company. News services <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>report that</U></FONT> ”At least four lawsuits naming all or some of the companies have been filed in U.S. District Court in New Orleans.” These suits include one by shrimpers in Louisiana. The Telegraph puts the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>number of suits</U></FONT> at 36.</div> <bR> <div> Gulf oil well leaking - 'a very serious spill'</div> <bR> <div> ENVIRONMENT</div> <div> April 25, 2010</div> <div>  </div> <div> The threat of a major oil spill off the coast of Louisiana grew significantly Saturday as a leak was discovered in the oil well that was the site last week of a catastrophic accident that sank a huge drilling rig and likely killed 11 workers.The spill, which a day earlier Coast Guard officials had thought was contained within a 16-square-mile area on the surface, now covers 400 square miles, and may grow as the well spews 42,000 more gallons of oil per day at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, Coast Guard Rear Adm. Mary Landry said Saturday.</div> <div> You may have heard the news in the last two days about the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig which caught fire, burned for two days, then sank in 5,000 ft of water in the Gulf of Mexico. There are still 11 men missing, and they are not expected to be found. The rig belongs to Transocean, the world’s biggest offshore drilling contractor. The rig was originally contracted through the year 2013 to BP and was working on BP’s Macondo exploration well when the fire broke out. The rig costs about $500,000 per day to contract. The full drilling spread, with helicopters and support vessels and other services, will cost closer to $1,000,000 per day to operate in the course of drilling for oil and gas. The rig cost about $350,000,000 to build in 2001 and would cost at least double that to replace today. The rig represents the cutting edge of drilling technology. It is a floating rig, capable of working in up to 10,000 ft water depth. The rig is not moored; It does not use anchors because it would be too costly and too heavy to suspend this mooring load from the floating structure. Rather, a triply-redundant computer system uses satellite positioning to control powerful thrusters that keep the rig on station within a few feet of its intended location, at all times. This is called Dynamic Positioning.The rig had apparently just finished cementing steel casing in place at depths exceeding 18,000 ft. The next operation was to suspend the well so that the rig could move to its next drilling location, the idea being that a rig would return to this well later in order to complete the work necessary to bring the well into production.It is thought that somehow formation fluids – oil /gas – got into the wellbore and were undetected until it was too late to take action. With a floating drilling rig setup, because it moves with the waves, currents, and winds, all of the main pressure control equipment sits on the seabed – the uppermost unmoving point in the well. This pressure control equipment – the Blowout Preventers, or ‘BOP’s” as they’re called, are controlled with redundant systems from the rig. In the event of a serious emergency, there are multiple Panic Buttons to hit,and even fail-safe Deadman systems that should be automatically engaged when something of this proportion breaks out. None of them were aparently activated, suggesting that the blowout was especially swift to escalate at the surface. The flames were visible up to about 35 miles away. Not the glow – the flames. They were 200 – 300 ft high. All of this will be investigated and it will be some months before all of the particulars are known. For now, it is enough to say that this marvel of modern technology, which had been operating with an excellent safety record, has burned up and sunk taking souls with it.</div> <div> The well still is apparently flowing oil, which is appearing at the surface as a slick. They have been working with remotely operated vehicles, or ROV’s which are essentially tethered miniature submarines with manipulator arms and other equipment that can perform work underwater while the operator sits on a vessel. These are what were used to explore the Titanic, among other things. Every floating rig has one on board and they are in constant use. In this case, they are deploying ROV’s from dedicated service vessels. They have been trying to close the well in using a specialized port on the BOP’s and a pumping arrangement on their ROV’s. They have been unsuccessful so far. Specialized pollution control vessels have been scrambled to start working the spill, skimming the oil up.</div> <div> In the coming weeks they will move in at least one other rig to drill a fresh well that will intersect the blowing one at its pay zone. They will use technology that is capable of drilling from a floating rig, over 3 miles deep to an exact specific point in the earth – with a target radius of just a few feet plus or minus. Once they intersect their target, a heavy fluid will be pumped that exceeds the formation’s pressure, thus causing the flow to cease and rendering the well safe at last. It will take at least a couple of months to get this done, bringing all available</div> <div> technology to bear. It will be an ecological disaster if the well flows all of the while; Optimistically, it could bridge off downhole.It’s a sad day when something like this happens to any rig, but even more so when it happens to something on the cutting edge of our capabilities. The photos that follow show the progression of events over the 36 hours from catching fire to sinking.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1c7086d0.png" border=0 width="776" height="621" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Class Action Lawsuit Filed Over Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill</B></div> <bR> <div> The plaintiffs bar is starting to circle the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. And one of the first lawyers to court is Daniel Becnel Jr., who is also caught up in Toyota's unintended-acceleration litigation. </div> <div> Becnel, who has several cases pending against Toyota and <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>is vying for the job of lead plaintiffs counsel</U></FONT> in that multidistrict litigation, filed a class action on Thursday over damages caused by the drilling rig that exploded on April 20. </div> <div> The suit, <I>Cooper v. BP plc</I>, was filed in the Eastern District of Louisiana on behalf of Louisiana shrimpers, fishermen and commercial boaters who claim the oil spill is hurting their livelihood. The class, however, may grow. Becnel said he's been bombarded with phone calls from commercial boaters and fishermen in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Texas -- all of them saying the oil has spread to their locations and it's shutting down their businesses. </div> <div> "Every hour, it's going to get bigger," Becnel said of the class, noting high winds are pushing the oil slick. "They don't know where the hell it's going." </div> <div> Becnel filed his lawsuit hours after U.S. Coast Guard officials announced that the now-sunken rig was likely leaking 5,000 barrels of oil a day, not 1,000 barrels as was initially reported. </div> <div> The lawsuit alleges that the defendants "knew of the dangers associated with deep water drilling and failed to take appropriate measures to prevent damage." </div> <div> The defendants include BP, which holds the lease permitting drilling at the site of the accident, and Transocean Ltd., which owned and operated the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig. </div> <div> The lawsuit also named Halliburton Energy Services Inc. and Cameron International Corp. Halliburton was engaged in "cementing operations of the well and well cap." The suit alleges that Halliburton was negligent in performing that work, increasing pressure at the well and contributing to the fire. Cameron manufactured and/or supplied the rig's blow-out preventers that should have stopped the oil spill but allegedly failed to operate when the explosion occurred. </div> <div> Officials with BP, Transocean, Halliburton and Cameron were not available to comment on the suit. BP Group Chief Executive Tony Hayward has said in a statement, "We are determined to do everything in our power to contain this oil spill and resolve the situation as rapidly, safely and effectively as possible. ... There should be no doubt of our resolve to limit the escape of oil and protect the marine and coastal environments from its effects." </div> <div> Other plaintiffs firms jumped into the oil rig class action with Becnel. Ten firms were listed on the initial complaint, including The Cochran Firm in Dothan, Ala.; Kennedy & Madonna in Hurley, N.Y.; and Pensacola, Fla.'s Levin, Papantonio, Thomas, Mitchell, Echsner, Rafferty & Proctor.</div> <bR> <div> NO MORE DEEP WATER DRILLING!</div> <bR> <div> For comments or to add to this page pictures and editorial.   Email   <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:don@thegulfmagazine.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:don@thegulfmagazine.com"><U><U>don@thegulfmagazine.com</U></U></A></FONT>   </div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1f5cecd0.jpg" border=0 width="206" height="205" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>Recreational Red Snapper Season Opens June 1</B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><I><B> </B></I></FONT></div> <bR> <div> BILOXI, Miss<I>.</I> – Recreational fishing season for red snapper (<I>Lutjanus campechanus)</I> opens in Mississippi territorial waters on <B>June 1, 2010, at 12:01 a.m.</B> and closes July 24, 2010, at 12:01 a.m. This coincides with the opening and closing of red snapper season in federal waters. </div> <div> Current Mississippi state regulations for red snapper are: </div> <div> · 16-inch minimum size </div> <div> · Two-fish possession </div> <div> <B>Charter vessel crew and captain are prohibited from retaining the recreational bag limit.</B> </div> <div> The opening of the recreational red snapper season is issued under the authority of Section 49-15-15 (1) (a) of the Mississippi Code of 1972. </div> <div> The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources is dedicated to enhancing, protecting and conserving marine interests of the state by managing all marine life, public trust wetlands, adjacent uplands and waterfront areas to provide for the optimal commercial, recreational, educational and economic uses of these resources consistent with environmental concerns and social changes. Visit the DMR online at <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>www.dmr.ms.gov</U></FONT>. </div> <bR> <div> Red snapper survey called "fatally flawed"</div> <bR> <div> Each year, the number of red snapper anglers can keep rests on a series of phone calls.</div> <div> "Their survey has been called 'fatally flawed' by the chairman of the committee that reviewed it for Congress, yet they still use it," said Bob Shipp, president of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council.</div> <div> The survey consists of random calls to people living in coastal counties, asking if they've been fishing in saltwater within the last two months. If the answer is 'yes,' they are asked to recall what they caught during that two-month period.</div> <div> The phone survey information is coupled with data collected during interviews with fishermen returning to boat ramps and marinas to get an estimate of how many red snapper and other fish were caught.</div> <div> Congress banned the National Marine Fisheries Service from using the phone survey as of last January, citing the poor quality of data it yields.</div> <div> Despite that -- and despite a lawsuit -- the fisheries service will once again rely on the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey to set the 2010 snapper limits.</div> <div> Gordon Colvin, the fisheries official in charge of revising the survey method, said the congressional review found that the data from the survey wasn't strong enough for "setting very detailed catch limits, size limits and such."</div> <div> Those are precisely the things the fisheries service has been doing with it, Colvin acknowledged.</div> <div> "Management wants much more finely tuned data," he said.</div> <div> Colvin said the survey is too big and complicated to change overnight, but will be revised in phases over the course of the next year.</div> <div> In coming years, it will poll only people who<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > have </FONT>purchased saltwater fishing licenses, he said.</div> <div> Until then, government regulators will rely on the "fatally flawed" survey and the data it yields.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" >RECREATIONAL FISHERMEN</FONT> ( <A HREF="mailto:don@thegulfmagazine.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:don@thegulfmagazine.com"><U>CLICK SEND</U></A> ) <U>update</U></div> <div> To ADD your name & address to a petition to revise the survey process and keep regulations reasonable until data can be gathered correctly.</div> <div> I encourage everyone to write your Senator and Congressmen and join The Gulf Fishing Magazine in fighting to save our recreational offshore fishing.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I>Current Snapper Regulations</I></div> <bR> <div> In the Gulf of Mexico, red snapper is managed by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (GMFMC) through the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>Reef Fish FMP</U></FONT>, implemented in 1984. Since the late 1980s, Gulf red snapper has been considered overfished and undergoing overfishing. Mortality of juvenile red snapper caught in shrimp trawls has hindered the rebuilding of the red snapper stock. High fishing mortality and bycatch in the directed commercial and recreational fisheries for red snapper also constrain rebuilding. Gulf red snapper is under a rebuilding program to restore the stock by 2032. Recreational fishing regulations include a daily bag limit of 2 fish per person, a season closure, an annual quota of 2.45 million pounds, a 16-inch (total length) minimum size limit, and a limited access program for for-hire vessels. Commercial fishing regulations include a 13-inch minimum size limit, an annual quota of 2.55 million pounds, gear restrictions, closed areas, and an individual fishing quota (IFQ) program. The IFQ program allocates individual shares of the commercial quota to fishermen. The fishermen may harvest their quotas whenever they choose to do so and must report their harvest. </div> <bR> <div> In January 2008, NOAA Fisheries Service implemented long-term regulations to address overfishing and bycatch in the Gulf of Mexico red snapper and shrimp fisheries. These measures include revising the rebuilding plan, reducing the total allowable catch (TAC) of red snapper to 5 million pounds, limiting recreational harvest with a 2 fish daily bag limit and shorter fishing season, prohibiting for-hire (charter) captain and crew from having a bag limit, modifying the commercial minimum size limit, establishing gear requirements to reduce bycatch, and implementing measures to constrain shrimp harvest should red snapper bycatch reduction targets not be met.</div> <bR> <div> For more information from NOAA   <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Trebuchet MS" ><A HREF="http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/species/red_snapper.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/speci"><U>http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/species/red_snapper.htm</U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Recovering</B></div> <bR> <div> <I>Science-based management has helped end overfishing for iconic fish</I></div> <bR> <div> A recent scientific update on Gulf of Mexico red snapper shows that fishermen may be able to catch more fish next year. This news shows that when fishermen follow management measures based on science, they lead to rebuilding of fish populations and increased opportunities to fish.</div> <div> “The update showed harvest levels were still a bit too high in 2008; however, scientific projections are promising for 2009, indicating that the stock may improve enough to support higher harvest levels,” said Dr. Bonnie Ponwith, Southeast Fisheries Science Center director for NOAA’s Fisheries Service. “This is very exciting news and is evidence of how science and management can work together to protect our natural resources.”</div> <div> Historical records indicate fishermen have targeted red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico since the late 1800s as a subsistence fishery. However, fishing pressure became too great throughout the mid-1900s as coastal populations increased and saltwater sport fishing became more popular. Heavy fishing since then brought this population to a level that could not be sustained or reproduce as much as it could. </div> <div> In response to the poor condition of this once prolific population, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council began to address the issues in the mid-1980s. The actions taken by the council have ranged in variety and degree, from adjusting recreational size limits to implementing a catch share program for commercial fishermen in 2007. </div> <div> “This has been our most challenging fishery issue in the Gulf of Mexico to date,” said Dr. Roy Crabtree, southeast regional administrator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service. “The Gulf Council deserves a lot of credit for making some very difficult decisions and commercial and recreational fishermen deserve equal credit for complying with the regulations to help this species recover.”</div> <div> The red snapper population is still a long way from making a full recovery, but reducing fishing pressure has expedited the recovery process and continues to provide long-term benefits to the fish, as well as to those dependent upon it for business and recreation. As the species’ condition continues to improve, fishermen are reporting red snapper in areas where they haven’t been seen in many years, such as off of Tampa Bay, Fla., and southward.</div> <div> The scientific update was completed by a panel of experts selected by the Gulf Council and comprised of academic, state, and federal scientists. This panel presented their results to the Gulf Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee in early December.</div> <div> The Gulf Council may review this information at their next meeting in February in Mobile, Ala., and make a recommendation to NOAA’s Fisheries Service to increase the current red snapper catch levels. The update suggests the current catch level can be increased from five million pounds to slightly more than 6.9 million pounds.</div> <div> While this is good news, an increase to the total allowable catches may not support an increase to the length of the recreational fishing season. Preliminary data indicate the recreational fishery exceeded its annual quota by more than one million pounds in 2009. Any decision regarding the length of the 2010 recreational fishing season will need to take into account final information on the extent of that overage. NOAA's Fisheries Service will determine the length of the recreational season early next year; however, the season will begin on June 1.</div> <div> NOAA is committed to responding as quickly as possible to any Gulf Council proposals to reward fishermen for their sacrifice while ensuring continued success in rebuilding this population.</div> <div> It is important to note that red snapper are managed separately in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic (North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida’s east coast). Earlier this month, NOAA’s Fisheries Service announced a temporary rule to protect red snapper in the South Atlantic as its population is in poor condition, much like the Gulf of Mexico population once was. The temporary measures for the South Atlantic become effective on Jan. 4, 2010, and will not apply in Gulf of Mexico waters.</div> <div> NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources. Visit <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>http://www.noaa.gov</U></FONT>.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> – 30 –</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#3366FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.gulfconservationcoalition.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.gulfconservationcoalition.com"><U><U>www.gulfconservationcoalition.com</U></U></A></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3366FF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT> <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gulf Conservation Coalition Update"><U><U>update</U></U></A></div> <bR> <div> The Gulf Conservation Coalition has been organized to voice <A HREF="http://www.topix.com/hobbies/2007/12/salt-dome-project-could-harm-river-ocean-life" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.topix.com/hobbies/2007/12/sal"><U><U>AGAINST</U></U></A> </div> <div> drawing too much (millions of gallons) water from the Pascagoula River AND</div> <div> dumping Brine just south of Horn Island into the Gulf of Mexico<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >. </FONT></div> <div> I encourage everyone to write your Senator and Congressmen and join G.C.C. </div> <div> Let the Government know that we all like the way God gave Us The Mississippi Sound and the Pascagoula river.</div> <bR> <div> Don Myrick / The Gulf Fishing Magazine </div> <div>                      www.thegulfmagazine.com             <FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><I>           </I></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><I>                                                                                                                         </I></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <I>   </I></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#111111" FACE="Arial" ><I> </I></FONT><A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gulf Conservation Coalition Update"><U><I>UPDATE</I></U></A><I>..</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#111111" FACE="Arial" ><I>. Because of the efforts of all:</I></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/reserves/spr/spr_eis_determination.pdf " TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/re"><U><U>http://www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/reserves/spr/spr_eis_determination.pdf</U></U></A></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/reserves/spr/spr_eis_determination.pdf " TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/re"><U> </U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>