More of the Gulf of Mexico is closed to fishing because of oil spill

More of Gulf closed to fishing because of spill

NEW ORLEANS — Federal officials have expanded an area that is off-limits to fishing because of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Friday an area from the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River to south of Pensacola, Fla., is now closed.

The federal agency says the area was enlarged about 50 percent but is still only about 4.5 percent of the Gulf.

Late Thursday, Louisiana officials closed shrimping in state waters from South Pass of the Mississippi to the eastern shore of Four Bayous Pass just east of Grand Isle.

Earlier, state waters east of the Mississippi were closed to seafood harvesting.