Four months after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill began April 20 in the Gulf of Mexico, the federal government has re-opened waters, and the Louisiana shrimping season has officially begun. Still, some individuals are uneasy at the thought of eating seafood from a part of the ocean where about 205.8 million gallons of oil have gushed into the water, along with more than a million gallons of chemical dispersants.
Approval for fishing in the Gulf came after extensive testing by the Food and Drug Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These agencies were particularly concerned with two safety risks associated with oil: the presence of the oil itself in shrimp, as well as the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, which are carcinogens linked to cancer.
Testing starts when there is no visible oil in an area. At least six half-pound samples of shrimp are then taken for testing from different parts of that area.
Researchers first use scent and taste, before and after cooking, to determine if petroleum is present in a sample of shrimp. If no petroleum is detected, the sample is then sent on to the lab, where it is tested for the presence of 12 PAHs commonly found in oil. The FDA has established levels of PAH concentrations in seafood called Levels of Concern. If a shrimp sample tests at too high a level, it is deemed unsafe for human consumption.
Another concern is that seafood may be contaminated with chemical dispersants, which were used during the immediate aftermath of the spill to help break up oil slicks and make it easier for bacteria and other micro-organisms to consume the petroleum. The FDA and NOAA have not yet developed a test for chemical dispersants, although one is in development.
Still, the possibility that shrimp could come into contact with oil and dispersants causes some individuals to wonder if those shrimp avoid encountering the toxins.
Such a scenario could be possible, said Biology Prof. Ray Bauer of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
"They're micro-grazers, combing the bottom for very small invertebrates and carrion, so they can certainly avoid those kinds of compounds if given a choice," Bauer said. "They have chemoreceptors that can determine very fine concentrations of chemicals."
Nevertheless, Bauer said he does not know whether enough testing has been done to see if shrimp have avoided harmful chemicals.
In light of these issues, some students may still be hesitant to eat shrimp from the Gulf area.
"I don't think I would, not right now," third-year College student Christa Poindexter said. "Maybe in six months."
Others, however, are not as worried.
"I still would," eat the shrimp, third-year College student Kevin Nguyen said. "The cleaning system is pretty efficient."
Third-year Architecture student Kelsey Vitullo agreed. "I've heard the news and read the paper; [the cleanup] is pretty thorough," she said.
Others say they trust the FDA's statements that the shrimp are safe to eat.
"I would eat [shrimp] if it's been approved; It will help businesses and the economy," fourth-year College student Becky Reiter said.
In fact, shrimp fishing is a $318 million-a-year business and supports a large part of Louisiana's economic infrastructure. Even with the progress that the cleanup has made, however, many shrimpers are still working for BP as members of cleanup crews, and the first hauls of the season have not been very large.
"You still see more boats with booms hanging on them than you do nets," fisheries activist Margaret Curole said in Agence France-Presse. "The fishermen aren't going to jeopardize that BP check to go out and look for shrimp that isn't there."
Acy Cooper, vice president of the Louisiana Shrimpers association, echoed her statement when asked by National Public Radio about his shrimp catch last week.
"It was poor," Cooper said. "We don't know what happened, but it wasn't as plentiful as we thought there was."
In response, the federal government is working to help shrimpers, fishermen and others whose livelihood depend on the health of the Gulf. BP was ordered to put aside a $20 billion relief fund for those who were financially affected by the spill, and last week President Obama visited the Gulf to encourage tourism. In a public statement, Obama promised to "keep up our efforts until the environment is cleaned, polluters are held accountable, businesses and communities are made whole, and the people of the Gulf Coast are back on their feet."
As cleanup continues, the full impact of the Gulf oil spill on the environment, Gulf communities and businesses is not yet known. Still, many see the reopening of closed waters and the start of the shrimping season as a step toward recovery.
"It feels good," Cooper said to NPR about being back on the water. "It's something you don't forget"
Read More
U.Va. Health sees a spike in COVID-19 cases
By Emily Horn | September 4, 2023U.Va. Health ended their vaccination requirements in August, and masks were made optional in most hospital areas in early April.
U.Va. Cancer Center harnesses $12 million grant to support opportunities for undergraduates, ongoing research and new center
By Ellen Wu | January 12, 2023The grant provides an opportunity to establish the Center for Systems Analysis of Stress-Adapted Cancer Organelles, which seeks to find the cause of cancer in individual organelles.
U.Va. Health's rural neurology clinics receive a $500,000 grant to fund research and patient care
By Shrinidhi Kittur | January 12, 2023Established in the rural towns of Tazewell, Abingdon and Wise, the clinics have been providing patient care to otherwise underserved populations for decades.
