TY - JOUR
T1 - Potential Impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill on Commercial Fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico
AU - Mccrea-Strub, Ashley
AU - Kleisner, Kristin
AU - Sumaila, U. Rashid
AU - Swartz, Wilf
AU - Watson, R.
AU - Zeller, D.
AU - Pauly, D.
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Given the economic and social importance of fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico large marine ecosystem (LME), it is imperative to quantify the potential impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. To provide a preliminary perspective of the consequences of this disaster, spatial databases of annual reported commercial catch and landed value prior to the spill were investigated relative to the location of the fisheries closures during July 2010. Recent trends illustrated by this study suggest that more than 20% of the average annual U.S. commercial catch in the Gulf has been affected by postspill fisheries closures, indicating a potential minimum loss in annual landed value of US$247 million. Lucrative shrimp, blue crab, menhaden, and oyster fisheries may be at greatest risk of economic losses. Overall, it is evident that the oil spill has impacted a highly productive area of crucial economic significance within the Gulf of Mexico LME. This study draws attention to the need for ongoing and thorough investigations into the economic impacts of the oil spill on Gulf fisheries.
AB - Given the economic and social importance of fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico large marine ecosystem (LME), it is imperative to quantify the potential impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. To provide a preliminary perspective of the consequences of this disaster, spatial databases of annual reported commercial catch and landed value prior to the spill were investigated relative to the location of the fisheries closures during July 2010. Recent trends illustrated by this study suggest that more than 20% of the average annual U.S. commercial catch in the Gulf has been affected by postspill fisheries closures, indicating a potential minimum loss in annual landed value of US$247 million. Lucrative shrimp, blue crab, menhaden, and oyster fisheries may be at greatest risk of economic losses. Overall, it is evident that the oil spill has impacted a highly productive area of crucial economic significance within the Gulf of Mexico LME. This study draws attention to the need for ongoing and thorough investigations into the economic impacts of the oil spill on Gulf fisheries.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79960347543&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/03632415.2011.589334
DO - 10.1080/03632415.2011.589334
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:79960347543
SN - 0363-2415
VL - 36
SP - 332
EP - 336
JO - Fisheries
JF - Fisheries
IS - 7
ER -
