Seafood wholesalers feeling effects of oil spill

GALVESTON — With the federal government hanging a no-fishing sign the size of Florida in the Gulf because of an epic oil spill, Texas seafood wholesalers grapple with the scarcity of shrimp and an abundance of fish.

The aftermath of the April 20 explosion of a BP-leased oil rig, Deepwater Horizon, off the coast of Louisiana, led NOAA on Friday to increase the federally closed waters to encompass about 25 percent of the Gulf’s exclusive economic zone.

As the oil sheen follows currents east toward Florida, Friday’s expanded closure represented 60,683 square miles and spanned the boundaries of four states.

Galveston County seafood wholesalers are feeling the economic pinch, as fishermen fret about their livelihoods.

“The price of shrimp has gone up over 30 percent since the oil spill,” Nicholas Gutierrez, owner of Katie’s Seafood Market in Galveston, said.

When Texas closed its Gulf shrimping season May 15, shrimpers normally head for Louisiana, which isn’t an option. The demand outweighs the supply, Gutierrez said.

“A lot of people are freaking out that there’s not going to be anything left,” Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez routinely answers calls from retailers outside Texas, including one who wanted 1,000 pounds of shrimp. He didn’t fill the order, saying he wanted to take care of his local clientele.

Mike and Linda Dolfi, owners of Milt’s Seafood in Port Bolivar, forecast 16/20 tail, or large shrimp, could open for $6 a pound when the Texas market opens in July.

“We’re just sitting here hoping the oil doesn’t come before July 15, so it won’t ruin the harvest,” Mike Dolfi said.

Fishermen Catch Quotas Early

Meanwhile, some commercial fishermen are catching their yearly fish quotas for fear of not knowing where the oil spill will drift next, Linda Dolfi said.

“The market is flooded right now,” Mike Dolfi said. “They’re afraid they’ll close down the Gulf, and if they don’t get it now, they won’t be able to get it at all.”

The abundant supply of fish has driven the price down, the Dolfis said.

Clifford Hillman, owner of Hillman Shrimp and Oyster Company in Dickinson, has felt the pinch of the oyster market.

“At the end of April, I source virtually all product from Louisiana,” Hillman said. “Suddenly, that’s become non-available, because of the oil spill.”

Accordingly, what oysters are available are priced exorbitantly high, Hillman said.

“We haven’t processed oysters in May, and it’s cost several million dollars in lost production just from my company,” Hillman said. “The scariest part is, we don’t know the long-term impact to the species.”

Seafood On Market Is ‘Safe’

Although the oil spill hasn’t affected Texas waters, commercial fisherman John Rawlings, of Matagorda, fears a reduction in the consumption of seafood.

“It’s a major disaster, and people are scared to eat it,” Rawlings said. “They’re afraid of where it’s come from. I see buyers backing off of shrimp and fish, and fish has been at a premium for some time.”

The message to seafood consumers should be clear, said Hillman, who participates in weekly conference calls with state officials concerned with the health of seafood.

“We have calls every day, asking if our frozen oysters are tainted,” Hillman said of buyers. “The message needs to be clear, that any seafood on the market is safe. If not, then the health departments, local and federal, would not allow it to be marketed.”