It has been two years since the massive BP oil spill, and now sick fish are turning up near the site. Could these ill fish end up causing health problems for people who eat them?
It is not really surprising at all to find that the ecosystem was affected by the BP oil spill. There is no way that much oil could spew into the Gulf of Mexico without causing damage.
Fishermen are catching grouper and red snapper that have large, open wounds and odd black streaks. These problems appear to be directly related to the oil spill. While officials believe that humans do not face a risk from these ill fish, it is hard to believe. No matter what, though, the sicknesses could decimate the population, and the people who rely on them for their livelihoods could be without a job.
Unfortunately, researchers do not have a baseline for the normal number of sick fish in the Gulf, but many believe that the number today is higher than it would have been without the BP oil spill.
Marine biologist Will Patterson said, "Some of the things I've seen over the past year or so I've never seen before. Things like fin rot, large open sores on fish, those were some of the more disturbing types of things we saw. Different changes in pigment, red snapper with large black streaks on them."
These do not seem like good signs at all. Also, it seems as if these sick fish are suffering with these types of problems. What do you think about the aftermath of the U.S.'s worst offshore oil spill? What will the ultimate toll be? Do you believe that these fish are not dangerous to human health?
Like this article? See more by Kate James at Gather.com
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