Huge Fish Kill in Louisiana: Is it Linked to the BP Oil Spill?

A huge fish kill has occurred in Plaquemines Parish in Louisiana. Hundreds of thousands of fish are dead. The fish kill occurred in a bayou close to the Mississippi River, reports CBS.

Fish Kill Contains Variety of Fish

The fish kill contains many different types of fish, including flounder, trout, and redfish. This incident occurs just shortly after there was there was a sighting in Barataria Bay of a kill of starfish. Also, this week a baby whale was found dead in the area of Venice, Louisiana.

Could all of the deaths of fish and starfish be due to the BP oil spill or the dispersant used to try to clean the water of oil? Or is the large fish kill simply due to a low oxygen level in the water? Does the public really know what damage has been done to the ecosystem of the waters of the Gulf Coast?

The fish kill is an astonishing sight. Seeing so many dead fish is just tragic. Could the ocean and bays just be adjusting to the oil in the water or are there going to be long-term problems to the water quality and wildlife population in the Gulf Coast?

Is Gulf Coast Seafood Safe to Eat?

Is seafood from the Gulf Coast safe to eat? President Obama has assured the country that Gulf Coast seafood is currently safe to eat. Is that true? Have enough tests been done to ensure that the oil or dispersant did not somehow taint the fish, crabs, shrimp and other seafood to a level that they are not safe for humans to eat?

Seeing the large fish kill in Louisiana certainly leaves an unpleasant thought in the mind that perhaps it is best to avoid seafood from the Gulf Coast for a bit. However, there have not yet been any reports of anyone getting sick from eating seafood from the Gulf Coast. So buyer beware. Eat Gulf Coast seafood at your own risk.

BP certainly won't release the news if they find that the oil has somehow made the fish in the Gulf Coast a hazard to eat. BP has just been trying to put a positive spin on the oil spill. The company has not done enough to reassure the public that the Gulf Coast water is free of contamination and that another oil spill will never occur.

The Hazards of Offshore Oil Drilling

While the fishing and shrimping industries in Louisiana are trying to recover, it is certainly disheartening to see such a large fish kill occur. When oil drilling occurs in Louisiana there is always the chance of an accidental oil spill. What will the long-term impact of this recent BP oil spill be on the income levels of those in the fishing industry?

Louisiana is now like a warning to the rest of the nation of the hazards of offshore oil drilling. The nation continues to closely watch how the BP oil spill will impact Louisiana and its wildlife.

Let's hope the waters of the Gulf Coast will slowly return to normal as the oil dissipates. The photos of all the birds covered in oil will forever be burned into the minds of anyone who saw them. Let's hope big companies like BP will be more careful and work to ensure that their business operations do not destroy the environment of the area where they are working.

Sources:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/09/15/national/main6868602.shtml?tag=cbsContent;cbsCarousel