A 2.4 billion dollars industry at risk – does this news sound tragic or shocking? Tragic it is for the fishermen and restaurant owners in the Gulf of Mexico who depend on the availability of seafood to sustain their livelihoods. And shocking it will soon be when seafood lovers would have to dish out soaring seafood prices a la the 130-mile long British Petroleum oil spill along the coast of Louisiana. 

In one of the biggest setbacks to the seafood industry since the 2005 Hurricane Katrina, the oil spill off the Gulf of Mexico has threatened the marine lives in that sea and with that the lives of thousands of fisher folk and seafood restaurant owners around that area.

The damage so far includes – dead turtles, which have been washed ashore in several parts of Texas; a blow to shrimp harvesting which had just began in Louisiana; and feared harm to oysters, fish estuaries, marshes and crabs. According to news reports, the oil spill, if not contained quickly, will soon contaminate the waters of Alabama and Florida, thereby endangering marine lives in those coasts. 

Significantly, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on May 5, restricted fishing along 6,800 miles of the Gulf coast to stop the spill from reaching out further. Under such circumstances, restaurant owners along the Gulf of Mexico have been left with little option other than to use stored seafood. However, for fishermen, many of whom are still grappling with the effects of Hurricane Katrina and recession, the oil spill has spelt real bad news.

With the famed New Orleans Oyster Festival slated to be held in June, the organizers are doing all they can to sustain the excitement and trust of their patrons. According to the 380,000-members strong National Restaurant Association, effects of the oil leak are sure to spill over on businesses around the Gulf coast. Fishermen along the coast of Louisiana, however, feel the situation is still not as bleak as reports are claiming it to be. 

Incidentally, Louisiana is the third largest producer of seafood in the adjoining 48 states and the largest producer of shrimp, crawfish, oysters and blue crab.

So far, people in and around the coastal areas of Mexico have stood beside their favorite seafood joints as loyal patrons. Several people are also showing willingness to buy seafood from the market if it is duly inspected and approved as safe for consumption by the US Food and Drug Administration. But fact remains, if the oil sticks around for a longer time, too many lives could be affected.  

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