BP Devastated seafood?

Devastated seafood?

 

The BP oil spill has had little impact on the seafood industry. The oil floats. It has no impact on those under water creatures we love to eat.

 

But, the news reports major problems. No! Actually the reports just sound like major problems are occurring.  There is no true reporting.

 

A report will say something like "Over 30% of the seafood beds are not viable." True. But they didn't say destroyed. The fishermen can't work when the oil is over the bed to be harvested, because the boat owner doesn't want to risk igniting the floating oil and burning his boat. When the oil floats past they harvest.

 

Another report goes "Only 75% of the gulf seafood fleet is still working. Not true. Actually 100% are working, only 75% are harvesting seafood. The other 25% of boat owners have hired themselves out to deploy booms to contain the oil for skimming operations. They don't need as big a crew as for harvesting, so the reports of some fishermen are not working are true.  A boat owner's profit margin is higher when deploying booms. My guess would be the laid off fishermen are poor employees or the owners still harvesting would use them on second shift to avoid overtime.

 

About 40% of all seafood consumed in U.S. comes from the gulf.  There are no shortages. Why? Because the boats still harvesting are working extra hours to keep up with demand.  Middlemen grocers are pushing other sources because the profit margin is higher. A restaurateur may raise prices because they can blame it on the spill when their delivery price is actually unchanged. Capitalism! Don't you love it