DEEPWATER HORIZON: LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF
BP OIL SPILL ON SHRIMPING Whitney Canton
Advisors: Dr. Jean Lavigne and Dr. Richard Bohannon
CSB/SJU Environmental Studies Spring 2013
Abstract
On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon (better known as
the BP oil spill) spewed large amounts of crude oil into the Gulf
of Mexico, harming entire ecosystems. The spill had large effects
on shrimp environments, shrimp sales, shrimpers’ livelihood and
also on human health through consumption of shrimp. The one
mile depth at which the oil spill occurred is different from any
previous oil spill so many of the long-term effects are unknown. I
believe that continued monitoring of Gulf ecosystems is needed,
that BP should continue to compensate large businesses and
small shrimp farmers until they are fully paid and lastly, that the
FDA needs to reevaluate their acceptable levels of contamination
within shrimp to make them specific to the Deepwater Horizon
oil spill.
Conclusion
Since the oil spill is unique, continued testing needs to occur for many years to come to protect the health of the ecosystems, the live-lihoods of the fishermen and also the overall health of consumers.
Resources, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural. "Outdoor Alabama: Share the Wonder." Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Methods
A majority of the information was collected
through the following:
Literature reviews
Florida, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana state
department websites
The National Ocean and Atmospheric Administra-
tion (NOAA) official website
Additional research was done through inter-
views with environmental activists and local food
suppliers.
PROBLEMS SOLUTIONS
Environmental
Contamination
Continued testing, especially in the deep water column where
the spill occurred and in the sediment in environmentally vulner-
able areas such as wetlands on the coast
Suffering Fisheries
(Economically)
BP needs to continue to pay all businesses and
individual fishermen that lost revenue or livelihood are paid back
fully.
Human Health
(Consumption)
The FDA should create age-specific levels of concern (LOCs) for
this particular oil spill and also include vulnerable populations.
Additional contamination sampling should also occur.
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http://rachels-carson-of-today.blogspot.com/2012/05/canadian-government-axes-national-ocean.html
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