Officials Announced Fishing May Resume On Orange County Coast After Oil Spill
HUNTINGTON BEACH (CBSLA) — Officials announced on Monday that fishing may resume after an oil spill forced authorities to close the coast nearly two months ago.
Since Oct. 3 fishing on much of the Orange County coast was banned following an oil spill on Oct. 2. It spanned 650 square miles of marine waters and about 45 miles of shoreline from Seal Beach to San Onofre State Beach. State officials said the ban on fishing will be lifted at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 30.
Authorities tested seafood near the spill from Oct. 14 to Nov. 3 and alerted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife that the seafood was safe for eating.
Investigators believed that at least one ship caused the rupture of the pipeline during an "anchor dragging" incident. According to the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board, a cargo ship named "Beijing" was the vessel likely involved in the anchor dragging incident on January 25. Federal authorities confirmed that a part of the pipeline moved nearly 100 feet and was bent like a bow. The incident caused the pipeline to eventually rupture.
Officials initially estimated as much as 144,000 gallons of oil may have leaked but eventually said that the actual amount may be much lower, closer to 25,000. An actual amount of oil released into the ocean has not been determined.
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