The U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday announced that it seized approximately 19,000 pounds of shrimp harvested from an area in the Gulf of Mexico closed to fishing due to the oil spill.
The Coast Guard nabbed the F/V Little Andrew fishing in a closed area 13 miles south of Belle Pass, La., on Sunday. After receiving a tip, the Coast Guard dispatched a 33-foot response vessel, and its crew boarded the Little Andrew. After an inspection, the crew ordered that the 19,000 pounds of illegally caught white shrimp found onboard be returned to sea.
Little Andrew was then issued a written warning.
“The Coast Guard is working closely with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement and the affected fishing communities to prevent the harvesting of any adulterated seafood,” said Lt. Bryan Harrell, a Coast Guard law enforcement duty officer in New Orleans.
On Monday, President Obama reassured the public that Gulf of Mexico seafood is safe to eat, emphasizing that his administration, led by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and NOAA, are taking a multi-pronged approach to protecting the U.S. seafood supply, including precautionary fishing closures and increased seafood inspections.
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