2. Economic Ramifications
Many of the fishing services that the Gulf provided
were severely affected by the spill.
The Menhaden fishery that provides 1/3 of the nation’s
Menhaden was hurt.
The Gulf provides for 70% of shrimp for the US.
Tourism in the Gulf would see a sharp decrease.
Panama City Beach saw a 27% drop, Miami Beach
experienced a 21% drop, and Pensacola had a 28% drop.
3. Economic Ramifications
The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund was established by
the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to fund
response, restoration, and research and development
related to oil spills.
The responsible party (BP) had to pay $75 million for
response and restoration costs.
4. Consequences to the Environment:
The Gulf of Mexico is a home to many endanger and
threatened species that were put at a greater risk because of
the spill.
Oil can clump together to form tar balls, and these balls of
tar can wash up on the beaches to impact the local wildlife.
Plumes of oil are drifting thousands of feet beneath the
ocean’s surface, which can disrupt the complex ecosystems
of the deep depths of the ocean.
It could be years, possibly even decades, before we know
the full extent of the environmental damage from the
Deepwater Horizon.
