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Impact of the deepwater horizon well blowout on the economics of US gulf fisheries

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 16:05 authored by Sumaila, UR, Cisneros-Montemayor, AM, Dyck, A, Huang, L, Cheung, W, Jacquet, J, Kleisner, K, Lam, V, Mccrea-Strub, A, Swartz, W, Reginald WatsonReginald Watson, Zeller, D, Pauly, D
Marine oil spills usually harm organisms at two interfaces: near the water surface and on shore. However, because of the depth of the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon well blowout, deeper parts of the Gulf of Mexico are likely impacted. We estimate the potential negative economic effects of this blowout and oil spill on commercial and recreational fishing, as well as mariculture (marine aquaculture) in the US Gulf area, by computing potential losses throughout the fish value chain. We find that the spill could, in the next 7 years, result in (midpoint) present value losses of total revenues, total profits, wages, and economic impact of US$3.7, US$1.9, US$1.2, and US$8.7 billion, respectively. Commercial and recreational fisheries would likely suffer the most losses, with a respective estimated US$1.6 and US$1.9 billion of total revenue losses, US$0.8 and US$1.1 billion in total profit losses, and US$4.9 and US$3.5 billion of total economic losses.

History

Publication title

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences

Volume

69

Pagination

499-510

ISSN

0706-652X

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

NRC Research Press

Place of publication

Canada

Rights statement

© The Authors. Copyright 2017 – Canadian Science Publishing

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Wild caught fin fish (excl. tuna)