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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