By Chris Rosa

The oil spill is getting closer and closer to Vermilion Parish, which is bad news for businesses along the coast.

On Tuesday oil was located on the east end of Marsh Island. Now on Wednesday, oil was located on the beach of Cheniere Au Tigre - located in Vermilion Parish.

Cheniere Au Tigre is a small island located west of Southwest Pass. Southwest Pass is a channel between Marsh Island and the coast of Vermilion Parish.

Boats leaving Vermilion Bay travel through Southwest Pass to enter into the Gulf of Mexico.

Becky Boffy, owner of Maxie Pierce Grocery in Intracoastal City, has already been financially hurt by oil floating around in the Gulf of Mexico.

The grocery store is located on Hwy. 333 and located in front of the public boat ramp. The ramp is used by fishermen who fish in the marshes, Vermilion Bay and out in the Gulf of Mexico.

Fishermen purchase food, bait and gas for their boats at the grocery store.

Large private fishing boats, that normally entertain clients, have remained docked.

“It is not going good,” said Boffy. “It has shut down some big boats.”

It may get worse before it improves for Maxie Pierce and other businesses who rely on the gulf coast as a livelihood.

The Louisiana departments of Health and Hospitals (DHH), and Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced late Tuesday the closure of recreational and commercial fishing activities, and oyster harvesting near Marsh Island and in harvesting bed Area 28 due to confirmed reports of oil associated with the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

LDWF Secretary Robert Barham announced the following closure to recreational and commercial fishing activities effective sunset today, May 18, due to confirmed reports of oil. LDWF staff documented oil on the Marsh Island beach, east of Southwest Pass.

Wednesday morning, oil was located on the west end of Marsh Island near South West Pass.

While fishing inside the Vermilion Bay is still open for now, fishing along the coast of the Parish from South Pass (east side of Marsh Island near Iberia Parish) up until the Freshwater City is closed.

Three miles out, in federal water, is still available to fish.

Boffy said there are still a handful of boats that are venturing into federal waters to fish.

Southwest Pass, which is about 100-yards wide, separates the Gulf of Mexico and Vermilion Bay. It is also a hot spot for fishing Reds and trout.

Fishing is allowed inside the Pass but not on the Gulf of Mexico side.

DHH Secretary Alan Levine and State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry signed the closure order for Area 28, which will took effect Tuesday.

Area 28, which is south of Vermillion Bay, is west of the Mississippi River in Iberia Parish.

Areas 2 through 4, 8, 14, 15 and 17 also are closed. Areas 5, 6, 7, 9 and 13 were recently reopened. Closures will remain in effect until officials have determined that environmental conditions are within the requirements specified by the National Shellfish Sanitation Program.