Fishing can resume along the Orange County coast Tuesday afternoon, after the California Department of Fish and Wildlife determined it is safe to eat seafood taken from the waters after an oil spill in early October.
An estimated 25,000 gallons of crude oil spilled into the ocean from a ruptured pipeline off the coast of Huntington Beach. Sticky black crude washed ashore along beaches across Southern California, and the Orange County shoreline was closed to recreational and commercial activities, including surfing, swimming and fishing.
The return of fishing is a relief for many, including Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley, whose district includes the coastal cities of Huntington Beach and Newport Beach.
“This oil spill immediately put a halt to the operations of many small businesses in our community whose livelihoods depend on the ability to fish off our Southern California coast,” Foley said in a statement. “The business owners I have had the privilege to hear from in the last few months are resilient, and my hope is that overcoming this final hurdle will finally help them get back on their feet.”
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