Fishing Industry in the Gulf of Mexico is Possibly Irreparably Ruined

            I am a student attending the University of Alaska, Anchorage.  I have a desire to fish for the rest of my life.   I do not fish commercially but I eat fish that was commercially caught.  It makes me angry that the BP oil spill has caused harm to the fishing industry and the fish.

            My concern with the BP oil spill is that it's effect on the fish has only begun.  We can see from the Exxon Valdez oil spill that the effect that oil has on fish is slow working.  I am afraid of what will happen in ten years after the oil spill.  I am concerned about the lives of the fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico.  They have already lost a whole fishing season, and I do not know how much more they can take.  People do not want to buy seafood from the Gulf anymore because they are scared that it may be tainted with oil.  The Gulf of Mexico used to be responsible for 30 percent of the seafood sales in the U.S. (Levy, 2010, p.297 - 315).

            Most of the fishing areas have been re-opened --- for now.  However, on November 6, 2010, the U.S. Coast Guard had to check out an area that appeared to have an oil slick.  Because of this possibility the government almost closed down fishing in this area.  In addition, the area right above the spill is still closed to fishing; and I wonder if it will ever be open to fishing again.