Supplemental environmental assessment for emergency action to prohibit fishing in waters in the southeastern United States in response to the Deepwater Horizon MC252 oil spill Emergency action to prohibit fishing in waters in the southeastern United States in response to the Deepwater Horizon MC252 oil spill Deepwater Horizon MC252 oil spill

"NOAA Fisheries Service proposes this action to amend the emergency regulations published on May 14, 2010 (75 FR 27217) in response to the evolving nature of the Deepwater Horizon MC252 oil spill. This emergency action would continue to allow NOAA Fisheries Service to make timely revisions to the area closed to all fishing, and would extend the area to allow NOAA Fisheries Service to prohibit U.S. registered vessels from fishing in the EEZ, and the adjacent high seas that have been affected by the oil spill. This emergency action would also revise the protocol for opening areas previously closed to fishing by exempting fishing vessels that fish for non-consumptive species such as sponges, liverock, and octocoral from the testing protocol. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration concurs with the implementation of these fisheries closures in oil affected areas as one appropriate public health measure to prevent potentially unsafe seafood from being harvested and reaching consumers. The intent of this emergency action is to prohibit harvest of adulterated seafood while promoting public safety and consumer confidence in seafood products regarding areas affected by the oil spill"--Cover letter summary.