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*** UPDATE 07-01-2010 ***
“University scientists have spotted the first indications oil is entering the Gulf seafood chain — in crab larvae — and one expert warns the effect on fisheries could last “years, probably not a matter of months” and affect many species. ”
– McClatchy : Oil found in Gulf crabs raises new food chain fears
*** UPDATE 06-27-2010 ***
“What South Mississippi officials had been fearing for weeks came true Sunday when large, gooey globs of weathered oil, chocolate-colored oil patties and tar balls washed ashore in quantity along the Mississippi Coast.”
– McClatchy : Mississippi officials slam Coast Guard as BP oil hits shores
*** UPDATE 06-13-2010 ***
‘“We have reached the boiling point,” said Wade Blackwell, a lifelong fisherman in Pass Christian. “Those of us who are working fisherman are not being called back to work this oil spill. We only see recreational boats and retired folks being used. This is our life and nobody will call us back from BP and now the phone numbers they gave us are disconnected. We have not seen any money, either.”’
– McClatchy : Fishermen’s tempers flare at BP, national media oil spill coverage
“The Deepwater Horizon oil leak has at times been a disaster in need of some leadership.”
– McClatchy : With oilspill, the resilience of Mississippi’s Gulf is put to the test
The oil spill following the Transocean Deepwater Horizon disaster has immeasurably damaged the fishing industry, tourism and waterway commerce along the coastal states. The oil spill is polluting the delicate waters along the Gulf coast states and is making an impact on fishing and other commerce. Damages have already occurred and lawsuits have been filed. Cities in Mississippi that may be affected include Gulfport, Ocean Springs, Pascagoula and Waveland.
Federal fishing areas have now been closed due to the disaster. From the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Florida Panhandle, over 6,800 square miles of fishing waters have been closed. The fishing industry has been shut out of the waters that they rely upon for their livelihood. Fishermen got the bad news and now they realize that their livelihood has been fractured just when things started to get better. They are faced with this enormous, man-made disaster just when the prime spring season was starting to get good. The waters will probably remain closed for another 10 days but will probably remain closed for a much longer period of time.
In a news conference with the Associated Press on April 30, 2010, Mayor Tommy Longo of Waveland, Mississippi made the following comments:
“We’re preparing for what looks like a major environmental disaster with an oil spill.” He goes on to say, “Yeah our poor fishing industry can’t catch a break. They have been rebuilding since Hurricane Katrina. They were at the point of really getting back some semblance of what the fleets were pre-Katrina.
“And then at the most sensitive time – shrimp season just opened this week. Oyster season is just at its peak – an extremely good oyster season. Crab season – the crabbers have been doing extremely well and the prices finally got back to what it was pre-Katrina levels. But this is the time when the crabs lay their eggs in the Mississippi Sound and around this area.
“So to the oyster beds, the crab industry and the shrimp industry, this couldn’t be a worse possible time or disaster, environmentally, or the industry, and for our area.
“And then tourism on top of that. We’re right at Memorial Day. This is when our tourist season kicks off, really. And the beaches and, of course, you know that’s a huge part of our income. Our fisheries and tourism, and they’ll both be hit. It’s a double whammy. They’ll both be hit extremely hard by this disaster.
“We have extremely resilient people. You know they’ve been fighting for the last five years, four and a half years to rebuild their lives both physically and emotionally. Our fishing industry and our fishing fleet has been fighting to rebuild their lives both physically and emotionally and this is just a real kick in the gut, quite frankly, to our community, to our area. But we will tighten up our bootstraps and do everything possible to recover from this man-made disaster.”
Contact a Maritime Lawyer
If you have a property damage or income claim regarding the BP, Transocean Deepwater Horizon oil rig spill in the Gulf of Mexico that caused pollution and economic destruction in the Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama and Gulf coast states, please contact us. Our environment, property & income damage lawyers have over 50 years experience representing the marine, fishermen, shrimpers and oyster industries. Gordon, Elias & Seely, L.L.P. were one of the first Maritime law firms first contacted to file a lawsuit against British Petroleum, BP and Transocean on behalf of a missing Deepwater Horizon oil rig worker. For a FREE consultation concerning rights and property damage claims, call 800-773-6770.