NOAA Reopens More than 5,000 Square Miles in the Gulf to Fishing

NOAA reopened 5,130 square miles of Gulf waters Thursday, stretching from the far eastern coast of Louisiana, through Mississippi, Alabama, and the western Florida panhandle to commercial and recreational fishing. This area was reopened after consultation with FDA and under a re-opening protocol agreed to by NOAA, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the Gulf states. NOAA reports that fish caught in the area and tested by NOAA experts showed no signs of contamination.

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How Can I (Get) Help?

Last update: 09 July 2010 @ 7:30PM

IRS hotline for taxpayers affected by the Gulf oil spill: 866-562-5227, open weekdays 7AM - 10PM.

Text "restore" (without the quotes) to 50555 to donate $10 to local charities assisting oil spill efforts (will be charged to your cell phone bill).

Help the America's WETLAND Campaign: text "Isupport wetlands" (without the quotes) to 22202. A one-time donation of $10 will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. All donations support the work of the America's WETLAND Conservation Corps - an AmeriCorps youth program in cooperation with LSU AgCenter. Click here for more information, or to donate online.

BP Oil Spill Claims Hotline: 800-573-8249

WhiteHouse.gov Deepwater Oil Spill Page: click here

"spOILed: Save Our Coast & Wildlife" T-Shirts & Onsies: click here

Report fraud to the Attorney General's Oil Spill Reponse Team: 800-351- 4889

St. Bernard resident call center: 504-277-4911 or 877-902-4912 (M-F 8AM-10PM, Sat 8AM-1PM)

Federal Disaster Loans Available To Small Businesses Affected By BP Oil Spill: click here

Donated blood = Dawn for oiled wildlife: click here

Audubon Institute Sea Turtle and Marine Mammal Response Fund: click here

Audubon Institute Oil Spill Resources: click here

St. Tammany Humane Society: click here

Louisiana Bucket Brigade: click here

Fleurty Girl 'Rescue Me' t-shirts: click here

To contribute an idea or offer resources to the cleanup efforts: horizonresponse@piersystem.com

Search oil spills since 2000: Click here for the database

Report oil on the coastline via web, text, e-mail or twitter: click here.

To donate to the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund via the Greater New Orleans Foundation: click here.

BP's 'Vessels of Opportunity' program: 281-366-5511

Statewide Coastal Protection Plan: click here

To volunteer for cleanup duty: click here

Sierra Club volunteer signup: click here

EPA environmental impact website: click here

Transocean Drilling Incident website: click here

To report oiled or injured wildlife: 1-866-557-1401

To discuss spill related damage claims: 1-800-440-0858

To report oil on land, or for general Community and Volunteer Information: 1-866-448-5816

To volunteer your boat: Vince Mitchell, 425-745-8017

St. Bernard Parish residents: to volunteer your boat, click here. Please include the following information: Vessel name, Owner/Captain name, Contact Number or Email if available, Length of Vessel, Horse Power and Draft.


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