Oil slick threatens fisheries, tourism

Fishermen and tourism businesses in the northeast Gulf of Mexico dread the nightmare possibility that a huge oil spill could wreck their livelihoods if it reaches shore. The oyster season is ending and shrimp season is set to begin. As the Coast Guard and oil company BP struggle to contain the slick from a blown-out well off Louisiana, states are deploying fire-retardant booms and other measures to protect their coastlines. The slick threatens the eastern shores of Louisiana and could also affect coastal waters in Mississippi, Alabama and northwest Florida. The slick could also hit the tourism sector that is vital to Gulf Coast economies. (Source: Reuters, 04/29/10)