OIL SPILL COULD HAVE DEADLY EFFECTS ON GULF
A Texas A&M marine biology professor says the oil spill in Galveston Bay last week is now drifting towards the south in the Gulf of Mexico and this could have lasting effects on the undersea ecosystem.
Dr. Antoinette Quigg says, based on the previous studies, the oil has been found toxic. That means fish in the polluted water get a double hit from oil both in their physical environment and food sources.
The oil from a barge was released into the water March 22nd when the barge and a ship collided in the Houston Ship Channel. Over 168,000 gallons of oil spilled as a result.
While cleanup efforts have been continuing since then, some of the oil pickup up sediment could have sunk to the seabed and could smother or poison animals like shrimp and crab. Their demise, in turn, affects the food chain of the bay, although Quigg believes the short life span of some animals could help mitigate the damage.
State officials last week issued a seafood consumption advisory for Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico that recommends fish, shrimp or crab from water where oil is present not to be eaten.