The commercial fishermen of the Gulf Coast face a tough choice. BP's settlement czar Kenneth Feinberg has offered them compensation of double their 2010 loss. He thinks the fish suffered little. Here we see a great day of fishing in the Bayou. What does it mean for the long term? Chris Santella reports from the Gulf:
“I think that the reason fishing has been great is related to the spill. First, many of the species that make up the marine ecosystem here have had an entire spawning period to reproduce and grow without being harvested, thanks to commercial fishing moratoriums. That puts more bait in the water, which supports more and bigger fish.
“I also believe that redfish habitat in other parts of the Gulf of Mexico has been damaged, and that some of the displaced fish have come here. I have not personally seen any oil residue around these marshes, but I can’t say it’s not there. We just don’t know for sure. One thing that’s certain; the long-term effects of the spill have not played out.”
Year After Deepwater Horizon Spill, a Perfect Day for Redfish - NYTimes.com
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