BILOXI, Miss. – The executive directors of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality are opening Mississippi’s territorial marine waters to licensed live bait shrimping and recreational catch-and-release hook and line fishing in areas previously closed. This will take effect and be in force at 12:01 a.m., July 20, 2010.
The area includes all Mississippi waters enclosed by the following described boundary; starting at a point at the mouth of the Pearl River on the Mississippi/Louisiana State line; thence running easterly, following the southern boundary of Mississippi territorial waters, to the intersection with the Mississippi/Alabama State line; thence running due north, along the Mississippi/Alabama state boundary, to the CSX railroad; thence running southwesterly, along the CSX railroad, to a point due north of the Bayou Casotte Ship Channel; thence running due south to 30° 21’ north latitude; thence running due west, following the 30° 21’ north latitude line, to a point of intersection with the mainland shoreline on the east side of Bellefontaine Point; thence westerly and northerly, following the meandering of the shoreline, to the tip of Marsh Point; thence running due north, to a point on the mainland shoreline; thence running westerly and northerly, following the meanderings of the shoreline, to the eastern abutment of the CSX railroad bridge; thence running southwesterly, following the CSX railroad bridge across Biloxi Bay, to a point on the mainland shoreline at the western abutment of the CSX railroad bridge at Biloxi Bay; thence running westerly following the meanderings of the shoreline to the eastern abutment of the CSX Railroad Bridge over St. Louis Bay; thence running westerly along the CSX railroad bridge to the western abutment of the CSX Railroad Bridge over St. Louis Bay; thence running southwesterly following the meanderings of the shoreline to the mouth of Bayou Caddy; thence running due West to the mouth of Bayou Caddy; thence running southwesterly following the meanderings of the shoreline to the Mississippi-Louisiana state boundary at the mouth of the Pearl River.
• The area described above shall not be open to any commercial harvesting activities.
• Live bait shrimp is not allowed for human consumption.
• Recreational catch-and-release hook and line fishing prohibits the harvesting, possession and/or transport of fish in the area described above.
• Fish must be immediately returned to the water to increase the chance of survival.
All fishing remains prohibited in Federal waters adjacent to Mississippi. All other regulations will remain in full force and effect.
Anglers are encouraged to use their best judgment, avoid disturbing booms, and remain vigilant for possible new incursions of hydrocarbons from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
In the event new incursions occur, the following protective measures are advised:
• Avoid direct skin contact with the oil.
• If you get oil or tar balls on your skin, wash with soap and water.
• Launder clothing as usual if you get oil on it.
• There is no need to use harsh detergents, solvents or other chemicals to wash oil from skin or clothing, and it is discouraged.
Some people also may be sensitive to any change in air quality, which could cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting or headaches. If you have these symptoms, we recommend that you leave the area. If these symptoms do not improve, you should then consider contacting your primary care physician or other health care provider for medical advice. If you have pre-existing medical conditions, such as asthma or other respiratory illness, you should consider communicating with your physician if you feel symptomatic. If you come into contact with an area of strong odor, it is recommended that you move to another location.
Source: Mississippi Department of Marine Resources