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The closure of recreational fishing on the east side of the Mississippi River is likely to be lengthy, the head of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said today (May 4).
“We absolutely have to be sure that nothing is put on the table that’s tainted,” LDWF Secretary Robert Barham told LouisianaSportsman.com.
While many have pointed out that no oil has as yet been seen moving into the interior marshes, Barham said it’s not all about the visible sheen.
“The oil you see on the surface is not necessarily the oil in the water column,” he said.
This multifaceted presence of oil is actually a function of the dispersants being used.
“There are two types of dispersants,” Barham explained. “The first breaks down the oil on the surface and disperses it, and the second is used injected beneath the surface and breaks the oil down and makes it buoyant.”
And the products of those two dispersants act very differently.
“Oil movement on the surface is driven mainly by the wind,” Barham said. “The oil in the water column is moved by current.”
So even if winds keep the oil sheen out of the marshes, the oil suspended in the water column could be moving into the marshes with the normal tidal flow – and, in fact, Barham said wind can actually accelerate the movement of suspended oil into interior marsh.
“Wind can push the surface water out (of a marsh system), and that water is displaced by water from the lower water column,” he said.
However, even if the oil never actually reaches the interior marshes, anglers shouldn’t expect to be allowed to go fishing in those areas. That’s because the closure isn’t predicated solely on the presence of oil.
“It’s not just about the fish in good water, but the baitfish could come from areas with oil,” Barham said.
That means the closure likely will remain in place even after the leaking well is plugged while thorough sampling to ensure fish in the marshes of Pointe a la Hache, Delacroix, Hopedale and other areas are suitable for eating.
But Barham said the odds of oil reaching the marshes seems to be increasing.
“Some oiled birds were found today on the Chandeleur Islands, so we know we’ve got oil that has come into the Breton (Sound) area,” he said.
Lakes Borgne, Catherine and Pontchartrain remain open at this time, but Barham said his agency would continue to monitor the situation and take any action necessary to protect anglers and their families.
If oil does hit the marshes, Barham said the plan currently is to leave it alone instead of mounting a massive effort to scrub the contaminants from the vegetation.
“It’s better to leave it alone and let it stop at the outer edge of that marsh,” he said. “In Alaska (during the Exxon Valdez spill), the big mistake they made was trying to steam and blast the oil off the rocks and beaches.
“They actually scrubbed the contaminants into the soil, and 20 something years later it’s still showing up.”
So he said any oil will be left alone to naturally degrade.
“If you break apart the oil, you release the more toxic contaminants that are encapsulated in the oil,” Barham said. “The best thing to do is let Mother Nature take care of it.”
He was quick to point out that workers are doing their best to seal off the marshes, but admitted it’s impossible to boom off the entire coastline.
“We’ve got a lot of material down there, but can we close off the entire coast? No,” Barham said. “You have to pick and prioritize the areas you want to fight.
“We can’t put Saran Wrap around the entire Louisiana coast.”
Really, everything hinges on how long it takes for the leaking remains of the Deepwater Horizon rig to be plugged.
“If whatever is constricting the flow of oil breaks loose, you’re talking about a lot more oil,” Barham said. “The potential is not 5,000 barrels a day; it’s 100,000 barrels a day.”
He said he was optimistic that the oil would not breach the Mississippi River and begin moving west, but acknowledged the potential is there if the flow of oil isn’t stemmed.
“They need to get the oil stopped,” he said. “The sooner they get it stopped, the less chance there is that it will move to the west.”
In the meantime, Barham urged people to stay off the water in the effected areas – even though boating is not yet prohibited.
“I’d rather they not be out there,” he said. “They certainly need to stay out of the oiled areas. I don’t think it’s a smart idea to go out looking for oil.
“If you get oil on your hull, then you bring a contaminated boat in (the interior marsh). You’re helping bring the problem in.”
