Oil Spill – Local Economy

As the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico nears the two-month mark, central Gulf beaches, like those in Grand Isle, Louisiana are seeing a steady stream of the thick, gooey substance washing ashore…

Oil Washing Ashore in Grand Isle, LA (video by FOX News Radio’s Jeff Monosso)

Local businesses are suffering—many of whom depend on fishing and tourism during this time of the year.  Normal fishing waters are closed, and the wildlife normally found along these beaches, including hermit and blue crab, are now covered in oil…

BP continues to work on containing the oil flowing from the blown well on the Gulf floor, and many of the out-of-work fisherman have taken jobs with BP contractors, setting out oil-soaking containment boom in an attempt to protect ecologically-sensitive marshland from the effects of the spill…

FOX News Radio’s Jeff Monosso, who took the pictures and videos seen in this article, is in Grand Isle, and has these reports on the local economy…

While central Gulf towns are trying to figure out their next steps, another part of the Gulf is seeing the local economy thriving.  Western Gulf communities, like Galveston, Texas, aren’t dealing with the same fishing restrictions as their central neighbors, and are seeing family vacations and fishing charters rescheduled to their area, boosting their local economy.