GULF COAST - Regulators have closed oil affected federal waters, in the gulf, to commercial and recreational fishing...
The fishing ban covers oil stained waters, anywhere from Pensacola Bay West, to the mouth of the Mississippi River.
Channel Three's Bill Pearson joins us from the Pensacola Beach Marina with more on the impact of this ban...
On a typical Sunday afternoon in May... This marina would be slammed with people... Waiting for countless fish to be cleaned so folks could take their catch home.
But as you can see... Its pretty much a ghost town here at Pensacola Beach Marina.
Marina managers say charter boat captains have not been spotted out here today...
But the manager did tell me the ban on fishing in oily federal waters is pretty much common sense for the captains...
Driving a boat into oil contaiminated waters would be like driving a car into a forest fire... Oil would do damage to many vital, expensive parts of the boat.
The federal ban does not include fishing from the Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier.
But pier workers say they're gonna lose all their fishing business too.
"Probably half in revenue... So, yeah. Because we get up to 200 people per day fishing... And that many or more just walking. We hope it goes quickly, but it looks like its gonna be a long, slow process. Oil is a sticky mess, sticky job."
Managers at this marina are expecting a similar ban in state waters... Saying Florida usually follows the federal government's lead when it comes to emergency fishing regulations.
Like a lot of folks in our area... Boat captains are wondering how long this oil issue is going to plague our region... And how can they survive financially with their boats parked for so long during what's supposed to be a busy time of the year.GULF COAST - Regulators have closed oil affected federal waters, in the gulf, to commercial and recreational fishing...
The fishing ban covers oil stained waters, anywhere from Pensacola Bay West, to the mouth of the Mississippi River.
Channel Three's Bill Pearson joins us from the Pensacola Beach Marina with more on the impact of this ban...
On a typical Sunday afternoon in May... This marina would be slammed with people... Waiting for countless fish to be cleaned so folks could take their catch home.
But as you can see... Its pretty much a ghost town here at Pensacola Beach Marina.
Marina managers say charter boat captains have not been spotted out here today...
But the manager did tell me the ban on fishing in oily federal waters is pretty much common sense for the captains...
Driving a boat into oil contaiminated waters would be like driving a car into a forest fire... Oil would do damage to many vital, expensive parts of the boat.
The federal ban does not include fishing from the Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier.
But pier workers say they're gonna lose all their fishing business too.
"Probably half in revenue... So, yeah. Because we get up to 200 people per day fishing... And that many or more just walking. We hope it goes quickly, but it looks like its gonna be a long, slow process. Oil is a sticky mess, sticky job."
Managers at this marina are expecting a similar ban in state waters... Saying Florida usually follows the federal government's lead when it comes to emergency fishing regulations.
Like a lot of folks in our area... Boat captains are wondering how long this oil issue is going to plague our region... And how can they survive financially with their boats parked for so long during what's supposed to be a busy time of the year.
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