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Sept. 3, 2010
Deepwater Horizon oil release update
NOAA reopens additional federal waters to fishing
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In This Issue
NOAA reopens fishery
BP officials visit Bay
Pass boom to stay, for now
Vist Bay County Web site
NOAA further opens federal waters to fishing 
 
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Thursday announced the reopening of 3,114 square miles of Gulf waters offshore of the western Florida panhandle to commercial and recreational fishing.
 
Trajectory models show the area is at a low risk for future exposure to oil, and fish caught and tested by NOAA experts have shown no signs of contamination.
 
"We are pleased to continue moving forward with reopening portions of Gulf federal waters to recreational and commercial fishing," said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. "I'd like to thank everyone for their patience throughout this process, as we work to ensure seafood safety remains our primary objective."
 
At its closest point, the area to be reopened is about 55 miles northeast of the Deepwater/BP wellhead. The total area is about 1 percent of federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico.
 
Between Aug. 20 and Aug. 24, NOAA sampled the area for finfish such as tuna, swordfish, and mahi mahi. Sensory analyses of the fish showed no detectable oil or dispersant odors or flavors and chemical analyses were well below the levels of concern. NOAA will continue to take samples for testing from the newly re-opened area, and the agency is doing dockside sampling to test fish caught throughout the Gulf by commercial fishermen. 
 
Fishery Management Council recommends reopening red snapper season
 
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council voted this week to recommend opening recreational red snapper for a supplemental season in Gulf federal waters during weekends only (Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays) from Friday Oct. 1 through Sunday Nov. 21, 2010. This supplemental Gulf of Mexico recreational red snapper season should be approved by NOAA Fisheries Service by mid September.
 
While the red snapper season was originally scheduled June 1 through July 23, only about one-third of the 3.4-million-pound quota was harvested.

At its September Commission Meeting, the FWC agreed to open a consistent supplemental recreational red snapper season in Gulf of Mexico state waters.  The supplemental season will be open weekends only (Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays) from Oct. 1 through Sunday, Nov. 21.
 
To sign up for text messages about closures, click here.
 

NOAA reopened some 3,000 square miles of federal waters to fishing Thursday.

NOAA fishery map
 
BP officials visit Bay to discuss long-term recovery plans 
 
Top BP officials visited the Bay County Emergency Operations Center this week to discuss the company's long-term plans for dealing with the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil release on Bay County.
 
Mary Shafer-Malicki, BP deputy incident commander for Florida, reiterated to county officials and reporters Wednesday BP's commitment to the area.
 
"If you leave with nothing else here today, leave with this, we are here to stay," she said, highlighting that the company would maintain a presence in Bay County as long as necessary.
 
Shafer-Malicki, along with other BP and U.S. Coast Guard brass, discussed the plan for switching efforts from recovery to response. As part of that effort, the state Emergency Management announced last week that it was moving from a Level 2 activation to a Level 3. Click here to read a news release. Florida's response headquarters will now be located in Pensacola.
 
BP will keep employees available to respond to reports of oil or tar balls on the beach, she said.  
 
In other news:
 
-- Claims for damages incurred as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil release may be made online at http://gulfcoastclaimsfacility.com.
 
-- Bay County Public Information Office updates will be scaled back to an as-needed basis. For more information about the oil spill, please visit www.baycountyfl.gov or call Public Information Officer Valerie Lovett at (850) 248-8170.
 
-- Report suspected oil sightings to (866) 448-5816, or dial #DEP from a cell phone to report oil. 
 
-- BP's local claims office is located at 7938 Front Beach Road, in the shopping plaza near the Bay Street Deli. BP advises that people filing claims should still call the toll-free number to enter their information into the claims database at (800) 440-0858. BP also has opened a community support office located at 3101 U.S. 98, across the street from Howell Marine and Tackle Supply. At this office, BP can provide information about the oil release and answer community questions.
Pass project boom to remain, for now
 
The rigid boom located in the St. Andrew Bay Pass will remain in place, for now, according to Bay County Emergency Services Chief Mark Bowen. It will be entirely removed eventually.
 
Bay County received a $3.1 million payment toward the project's construction on July 22. Additional BP funding for the project's eventual removal will be sought.
 
The pass project is comprised of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) boom pipe attached to steel pilings on either side of the pass and a 400-foot HDPE boom pipe gate in the center of the waterway.
 
Boaters, kayaks and jetskis in particular, are warned to exercise extreme caution through the now narrower pass. Boaters are also asked to adhere to a 20-meter, or 65-feet, "safety zone" on either side of the boom, as currents there are very strong.   
   
The boom system is comprised of 18 42-inch free-standing steel pilings and another eight pile "dolphins" (each consisting of three pilings attached together with a cap on them) that were driven in the center of the pass. The total of 54 pilings vary in length depending on the depth of the water, and extend at least 10 feet above the mean high tide level. About half their entire length is buried below the bay's floor. The boom is made of 30-inch diameter, two-inch thick HDPE pipe and has a 48-inch long HDPE fabric weighted skirt hanging below the pipe.  
 

The St. Andrew Pass protection plan is completed.

Pass plan
 
Visit Bay County Web site for additional information 
 
To learn more about the Deepwater Horizon oil release and Bay County's response, please view the incident action plan (IAP) posted on the county's Web site by clicking here
 
Click here to visit the Bay County Web site.
 
Click here to view archived E-mail updates.
Sincerely,
 

Bay County Public Information Officer Valerie Lovett
Bay County Board of County Commissioners
(850) 248-8170
Cell: (850) 814-6122