Back in April a British Petroleum (BP) oil rig exploded 5,000 feet below the ocean in the Gulf of Mexico. Considered the greatest environmental catastrophe in the nation's history, some reports suggest the rig is hemorrhaging over a million gallons of oil a day.
According to Greenpeace, a non-profit created almost 40 years ago to raise public awareness about environmental issues, the spill is estimated to be more than 130 miles long and 70 miles wide. How big is that? Long Island is approximately 118 miles west to east and approximately 23 miles wide. This oil leak is so big it would cover all of Long Island – from Manhattan to Montauk.
With multiple failed attempts to stop the leak, environmentalists, fishermen and citizens alike want to know how this fiasco is going to affect the Gulf, its shorelines, its eco-systems and its wildlife. The coastlines of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida have already suffered damage. The Gulf of Mexico is known for its desirable waterfront communities and vast fishing industry. How is this environmental disaster affecting that fishing industry? Is it affecting prices here on Long Island?
Steven Park has owned Natural in Garden City for two years. A specialty food store, he sells fresh fish daily. Park heads over to the famed 180-year-old Fulton Fish Market several times a week to carefully purvey the large selections of fish from around the world, including the Gulf of Mexico.
"The fish I was getting was from the Gulf – white wild jumbo shrimp," says Park. He prefers the shrimp from the Gulf Coast because they hold the best and have a flavor edge but says it's presently non-existent and is now buying from Panama.
"Prices are up 40 percent. Nobody is really talking about it, the long-term effect," Park adds. Right now jumbo shrimp at Natural are going for approximately $18 per pound and Park says it's still selling quite well.
Head Chef Steven De Bruyn of Rein at The Garden City Hotel uses approximately five different types of shrimp on his menu. "I like the ones from Vietnam for the price," says De Bruyn. "Right now the future is a huge unknown. I do feel a lot of the pricing is going up (on all fish) but we don't know what the final result is going to be."
Garden City's Waterzooi Belgian Bistro was voted as having the best mussels on Long Island served dozen of ways. The oil spill, however, will not affect their menu. Manager Alex says, "We get our mussels from different places but we get most of our mussels from Prince Edward Island." Jason over at Legal Sea Foods says the oil spill will not affect them either as they don't use any fish from warm waters.
Fulton Fish Market is the oldest fish market in the country and they collect data tracking various fish markets and fish imports. Looking back at July 2009, the United States imported shrimp from 48 countries around the globe, including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Monaco. Weighing in at 88,362 metric tons, Thailand was our biggest supplier one year ago.
The Gulf of Mexico is known for its shrimp. Prior to the BP leak, there was a huge campaign aimed at getting Americans to buy wild American shrimp from the Gulf. In addition to shrimp, the region provides almost all the oysters served in this country.
According to the Louisiana Shrimp Association, methane levels in the affected area are 100,000 times their normal levels. This is creating oxygen-depleted areas which are essentially dead zones. Larry Crowder is a marine biologist at Duke University: "The animals are already voting with their fins to get away from where the oil spill is and where potentially there is oxygen depletions," he said.
According to BP's website, as of June 28, 80,00 claims have been filed and 41,000 payments have been made totaling $128 million. Many of these initial claims are being made by Gulf fisherman who are presently unable to work do to these dead zones and closed fishing areas. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has the authority to close federal waters; it's already shut down a large area of the Gulf to commercial fishing.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently targeting oysters, crabs and shrimp because they have the potential to retain contaminants longer than fin fish. Fisherman will not be able to harvest the waters until the oil is no longer present and the seafood samples from the area pass various tests.
In addition to the closed areas, a new concern regarding dispersants has arisen. As of May 14, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted approval for BP to use subsea dispersants, which aid in the oil's separation and help it sink rather than flow on the surface. Dispersant proponents feel this will protect shoreline habitats. However, scientists and fishermen are going public with their concerns.
John Williams is executive director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance: "The EPA is conducting a giant experiment with our most productive fisheries by approving the use of these powerful chemicals on a massive, unprecedented scale after just three subsea tests."
Who's working to ensure the safety of the fish that makes it to market? That's the job of the FDA, which is presently working with several agencies including the EPA to monitor the impact on the seafood coming from the region. According to an FDA-issued press release, "although crude oil has the potential to taint seafood with flavors and odors caused by exposure to hydrocarbon chemicals, the public should not be concerned about the safety of seafood in stores at this time."
Up and down Seventh Street and Franklin Avenue, Garden City residents are enjoying chowders, sushi, raw-bar specialties and grilled seafood as 39,000 people assist the Gulf's clean up utilizing 5,000 vessels and 110 aircraft. The Gulf Coast fiasco has already trickled up to Long Island with rising seafood prices.
To track the latest observations, tar balls, oil slicks and fishing closures, visit www.geoplatform.gov, which provides a map of the affected areas. To volunteer with the cleanup, visit
gardencity.patch.com
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