Gulf Oil Spill
Pattern of oil on beach of Grand Isle Louisiana
Common egret fishes from a boom covered in oil. Booms in the bay at Grand Isle were commonly oiled on both sides, as waves washed the oil right over them.
Booms along Bird Island in Cat Bay, Barataria Bay near Grand Isle, are thoroughly disfunctional after higher waves and winds in July.
BP Oil Gusher Response: Grand Isle, Barataria Bay,: Along Cat Bay Bird Is, ineffective booms dislodged by wind and wave do not keep oil from brown pelican nesting island. Oil damages mangroves, according to LaDWF biologists.
On Cat Bay Bird Island; Barataria Bay Louisiana near Grand Isle; a young roseate spoonbill is colored by oil from the BP spill; which heavily impacted this and other bird nesting islands.; The brown pelicans here -- as of July 1 when this image was taken; -- are mostly okay; nesting above the oil which can be seen just at water's edge.; Also an oiled piece of boom is visible.; Oiled birds are still being found as of Sept 20; when 6 were found --- a total of 8083 birds have been collected; 6011 of them were dead.
On Cat Bay Bird Island, Barataria Bay Louisiana near Grand Isle, fisheries biologist Clint Edds of the LA state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries surveys oil and animal effects of the oil spill. This other bird nesting areas were heavily impacted, and storms washed oil over booms rendering them inneffective. Oiled birds are still being found as of Sept 20; when 6 were found --- a total of 8083 birds have been collected; 6011 of them were dead.
BP Oil Gusher Response: LaDWF biologist holds thick oil from water of Barataria Bay near Grand Isle, LA
Heavily oiled marsh grass in Terrebon Bay, Mississippi Delta near Cocodrie Louisiana. Booms and absorbents were ineffectual in keeping the heavy crude from miles of this bay, and now booms are being deployed to try to keep this oil from spreading. July 14, 2010. Gulf oil coverage by Gary Braasch, World View of Global Warming.
Attempted clean up of heavy oil, Terrebonne Bay Louisiana, by workers of subcontractor for BP. July 14, 2010. They are throwing absorbent booms and pads into the mess and are just dragging it out again, over and over. BP Gulf Oil coverage by photojournalist Gary Braasch and scientist Joan Rothlein
BP Oil Gusher Response: Oil has reached into Perdido Bay, Florida/Alabama, to coat stems of spartina grass in important wetland habitat amid waterfront homes.
Gulf oil spill response: Idle shrimp trawlers along the dock in Grand Isle LA, among hundreds of boat idled by fishing bans put into effect during the oil spill. At the greatest extent, 86,985 square miles, approximately 36% ,of Federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico were off limits, as far east as Panama City FL. After the oil was staunched, portions of this ban were lifted after testing of waters and sea food. Many fishermen and fish buyers were unconvinced of the health of the Gulf.
Largest shrimp dealer in the Grand Isle area, Dean Blanchard wearily recounts his feeling about the oil spill in his office above a dock where ten shrimp trawlers were idle. He complained that the heavy use of dispersants was just hiding the oil so the politicians and oil executives could get away from the spill because the ecosystem was expendable to them.
BP Gulf oil: Idle shrimp boat with it nets ready sits unused at the tiny harbor of Grand Bayou, a native Houma Indian community. Some of the men had taken work with the BP contractors for clean up and boom work.
BP Gulf oil: At Grand Bayou, a native Houma Indian community, Ronald Phillips said not only the fishing was closed but also the oyster beds in Bay Jimmy and other bayous. Gesturing over some new absorbent booms, he said "I was born and raised on this point." Some of the men here had taken work with the BP contractors for clean up and boom work.
Photo Reports Intro
1. The BP Deepwater Horizon oil well gushes crude across the Gulf to beaches and marsh.
2. Crude comes ashore from Gulf Shores to Grand Isle.
3. Clean up workers and local people react to the oil.
4. Oil in the marshes greases up birds and sedges; fishing and shrimping are closed.
5. Shrimping and fishing begin to return but long term effects of oil remain.
5A. The toll on animals and birds continues; rescuers take action.
6. Indians Face Oil Spill
7. Indians Face Oil Spill 2
8. The most endangered sea turtle and the Gulf oil spill 1
9. The most endangered sea turtle and the Gulf oil spill 2
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