2010 Tournament Information
“On April 20, 2010, the DeepWater Horizon drilling rig exploded killing 11 platform workers and injuring 17 others. The result of the explosion also caused a leak that resulted in a release of about 4.9 million barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico.”(*)
“The spill is causing extensive damage to marine and wildlife habitats as well as the Gulf’s fishing and tourism industries.”(*)
“On May 2 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration closed commercial and recreational fishing in affected federal waters between the mouth of the Mississippi River and Pensacola Bay. The closure initially incorporated 6,814 square miles (17,650 km2). By June 21 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had increased the area under closure over a dozen times, encompassing by that date 86,985 square miles (225,290 km2), or approximately 36% of Federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico, and extending along the coast from Atchafalaya Bay, Louisiana to Panama City, Florida. On May 24 the federal government declared a fisheries disaster for the states of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Initial cost estimates to the fishing industry were $2.5 billion.”(*)
This closure caused the MGCBC Tournament to be initially postponed until August and then finally cancelling the Tournament for the 2010 year.
NOAA is expected to open the majority of the closed areas back up to fishing before 2011. This will allow the Tournament to be held on it’s currently scheduled dates of June 8-12, 2011.
*
“Deepwater Horizon oil spill”
Wikipedia. 18 August 2010. Web
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill.