42,000 gallons of oil a day being dumped in the Gulf

[helm]

42,000 gallons of oil a day is spewing into the Gulf of Mexico from the oil platform that blew up and sunk Tuesday evening 44 miles off the Louisiana coast. Does anyone know how all that oil in the water will affect the fishing in the Tampa area in the future?

[Big Daddy]

check the "Heavy" thread. Or Google Gulf Loop current.

[crashmister]

BD's right. At this point there are doing everything humanely possibly to play down the damage. Truth is it's all speculation at this point. It won't be capped until monday night at the very earliest. That is an additonal 210.000 gallons. Experts in the industry who deal with cleanup's say it could take over a year to clean up. So far the loop wash has kept it off shore. Like water swirling around a drain. Only because it has not actually reached the loop. it's inside it which means it's only a matter of time before it actually reaches it. once it does it's anybodies guess. They are going to drop the cap in a few hours so we will see.

[Big Daddy]

Florida Fishing Report last nite-Destin/Ft Walton area the inlets and estuary are being "boomed"-no boat traffic allowed inshore; the coast guard is also beginning to put oil booms on the outside; All the Emergency Management types are beginning work in the Big Bend and moving South.

They have to prepare for worst case scenario; like Crash noted on the Heavy thread-if/when the loop catches it-the damage will move very quickly down Florida and could reach Fl Bay and up the East coast.

This is a good time for National Day of Prayer.

[fishnfool73]

The Gulfstream is well offshore but if this spill hits the Keys it is over. It will take a century for the coral to recover. Don't forget all the snapper and dolphin spawn now. The oil will decimate the larvae and eggs. This would destroy the fisheries and make the Keys a ghost town with no industry. No fish for recs or commercial no coral for dive boats and who wants to swim on oil.

[WhoDey]

The Gulfstream is well offshore but if this spill hits the Keys it is over. It will take a century for the coral to recover. Don't forget all the snapper and dolphin spawn now. The oil will decimate the larvae and eggs. This would destroy the fisheries and make the Keys a ghost town with no industry. No fish for recs or commercial no coral for dive boats and who wants to swim on oil.

Sad to say, but I think its coming. The loop current will see to that.