NOAA opens fishing lanes in Gulf of Mexico

WASHINGTON, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- More than 5,000 square miles of the Gulf of Mexico has been reopened to commercial and recreational fishing, a U.S. agency said.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it was opening 5,144 square miles in the gulf to fishing. NOAA and the U.S. Coast Guard said they haven't observed any oil from the BP spill in the area since July 3.

"We are confident that gulf fish from this area is safe to eat and pleased that recreational and commercial fisherman can fish these waters again," said NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco in a statement.

NOAA said testing of fish in the reopened area uncovered no detectable oil or dispersants. Closed fishing areas in the Gulf of Mexico cover 52,395 miles, or around 22 percent of the U.S. federal waters.

The reopened fishing lanes are within 115 miles of the BP oil disaster.

The agency said trajectory models for the oil spill show the area is at a low risk of future contamination.

Efforts to drill a relief well to seal the well at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico were suspended Tuesday because of weather, National Incident Commander Thad Allen, a retired U.S. Coast Guard admiral, said.

The National Hurricane Center said a tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico could develop into a tropical storm.