Fishing closed off Florida Panhandle

MOBILE, Alabama (WALA) - Fishing is closed in Federal waters south of Mobile County, Baldwin County, and now off the Florida Panhandle. The line extends from areas due south of Navarre, FL west to Louisiana. All fishing, including catch and release fishing, is prohibited in the closed area.

The Alabama Department of Marine Resources reports that state waters are closed to fishing on the Gulf side of Dauphin Island from Ft. Gaines to the AL/MS line. This emergency closure prohibits all commercial and recreational fishing along and off of the beaches of Dauphin and Sand Island. Additional closures are expected in the coming days.

The Alabama Department of Public Health is discouraging swimming along the Dauphin Island Beaches. A swimming advisory is in effect for the area.

Hundreds of tar balls washed ashore ashore from Sand Island to Dauphin Island’s West End on Tuesday. Fewer globs were found on the east end of the Island Wednesday, but an oil sheen was reported near the west end.

Oil projections from NOAA show that the oil slick could impact the beaches of Mobile and Baldwin counties Thursday and Friday. Tar balls and small globs of oil are possible anywhere from Dauphin Island to Ft. Walton Beach by the end of the week.