The closed fishing area, associated with the BP oil spill, in the Gulf of Mexico has further been extended by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Tuesday – with the area now encompassing 19 percent of the federal waters.

As a result of the move, which becomes effective from 6 p. m. EDT, the ‘no fishing’ zone will extend up to a total of 45,728 square miles, extending towards the southeast from the blowout site in the shape of a dog leg.

The southward expansion of the closed fishing area follows the trajectory of the oil spill – a part of which is reportedly heading south and has chances of becoming entrained in the Loop Current.

Noting that the expansion of the closed fishing area comes largely as a precautionary measure for ensuring that seafood from the Gulf will remain safe for consumers, NOAA administrator Jane Lubchenco said in a Tuesday news conference that though the main body of the oil spill is still dozens of miles from the loop current, the expansion address the likelihood of “a tendril of light oil” approaching the current.

Saying that the NOAA’s response to the oil spill has been “aggressive, strategic, and science-based,” Lubchenco said: “As we expand the fishing closed area, we are doing what science demands of us. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Gulf coast fishermen and their families during these challenging times.”